Salary Information: Average yearly salary is $136,960.
Necessary Education: Most dental students have at least a bachelor's degree before entering dental school. Dental school usually lasts 4 academic years, after which, the student is awarded with a degree of Doctor of Dental Surgery.
Job Availability: Dentists held about 161,000 jobs in 2006.
Job Summary: You will be expected to perform tasks including diagnosing and treating problems with teeth and tissues in the mouth, providing advice and administering care to help prevent future problems, as well as providing instruction on diet, brushing, flossing, the use of fluorides, and other aspects of dental care.
Related Careers:
Pharmacist
Salary: $94,520 in May, 2006.
Education Requirements: Pharmacists must earn a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) degree from a college of pharmacy, which can take 2-3 years.
Job Summary: Distribute prescription drugs to individuals.
Optomotrist
Salary: $91,040
Necessary Education: Doctor of Optometry degree requires the completion of a 4-year program at an accredited optometry school, preceded by at least 3 years of preoptometric study at an accredited college or university.
Job Summary: Examine people's eyes to diagnose vision problems, prescribe corrective measures, such as glasses or contacts.
