Dentists (NOC 3113)

What They Do Dentists perform some or all of the following duties: Examine patients' teeth, gums and surrounding tissue to diagnose disease, injury and decay and plan appropriate treatment Restore, extract and replace diseased and decayed teeth Perform oral surgery, periodontal surgery and other treatments Clean teeth and instruct patients on oral hygiene Design bridgework, fit dentures and provide appliances to correct abnormal positioning of the teeth and jaws, or write fabrication instructions or prescriptions for use by denturists and dental technicians Supervise dental hygienists, dental assistants and other staff. Dentists may specialize in such areas as oral and maxillofacial surgery, orthodontics, pediatric dentistry, periodontics, endodontics, prosthodontics, oral pathology, oral radiology or public health dentistry.

Where They Find Work —    Top Occupational Areas Health care and social assistance 100% Dentists may work in private practice or in hospitals, clinics, public health facilities, and universities. The unionization rate (82%) is above the average (32%) for all occupations. The highest concentrations (per 10,000 people) of Dentists are found in Alberta and Ontario while the lowest concentrations are in New Brunswick and Newfoundland.

Related Occupation(s) Technical Occupations in Dental Health Care (NOC 322)

Something to Think About To enhance your professional knowledge and broaden your opportunities, consider: Keeping constantly updated in your specialty Improving interpersonal skills Learning business management Finding out about telemedicine

Use the "Where They Find Work" graph to target your worksearch. It may be easier to get into industries with the most people in this field. Want to work in an industry that hires fewer workers in this field? To be more marketable, check out whether you have the most up-to-date knowledge and technology skills for that industry. Check the provincial/territorial or local information (http://www.labourmarketinformation.ca) for opportunities in your area.

What You Need You must complete one to four years of pre-dental university studies or, in Quebec, a college program in science, and must hold a university degree from a recognized dental program. You must also obtain a licence from the regulatory body in the province/territory where you'll work. You need advanced training and an additional licence to specialize. Most recent entrants have an undergraduate university degree.

Required/Related    Educational Programs* This will let you explore the program(s) of study that lead to this (these) occupation(s). Medical/Surgical Specialties (M521) Dentistry (U530) *  These educational programs are listed in the order in which they are most likely to supply graduates to this occupation.

Useful Experience/Skills Multidisciplinary teamwork Business and financial management Committee work Interpersonal skills		Useful High School Subjects Math Physics Biology Chemistry English
Depending on your background, this Education, Training, and Experience info will help you to: Choose your high school courses Plan your post-secondary program Choose relevant volunteer work Decide what new skills to learn Read job ads, professional journals, and newspapers for what the industry needs and employers want. Talk to employers and employees to find out the exceptional skills and knowledge that will help you land a job.

Current Conditions Your work prospects are rated GOOD because: Employement grew at an average rate. Hourly wages ($26.57) are above the average ($18.07), and the rate of wage growth is below average. The unemployment rate (2%) is below the 2004 average (7%).

Work Prospects Current   Good   2009   Good

Outlook to 2009 Your work prospects will continue to be GOOD because: The employment growth rate will likely be above average, job openings should increase because of ongoing trends--a growing and aging population that requires more dental care, technology advances that create new treatments for previously untreatable dental problems, and more Canadians with dental insurance. Although the retirement rate will likely be average, the number of retiring workers should contribute to job openings. The number of job seekers will likely match the number of job openings.

Preparing for the Competition You're likely to find more opportunities if you're willing to work in rural/low-income areas. You'll likely succeed if you focus on restorative or dental cosmetic work because dental hygienists will increasingly take over some of the maintenance work of dentists.

If you are beginning your career investigation, national outlooks will give you a good overview of trends. Ready to explore an occupation in more detail? Check provincial/territorial or local outlooks (http://www.labourmarketinformation.ca).

What you can expect to make (Average Hourly Earnings ($/hour))
Age Group This Occupation All Occupations 20-24 $20.14 $11.74 25-54 $26.76 $19.76 55+   $19.59 Overall Average for Ages (20+) This Occupation All Occupations $26.57 $18.07		Hourly wages ($26.57) are above the national average ($18.07). These earnings are above average for occupations in the health sector and close to the average for all professional occupations. These wages grew at a below-average rate from 2002 to 2004.
Your salary can be affected by your background, the company's size and benefits, and the region and setting (urban or rural). Check out salaries in your own region by seeking info from: Employees/unions/associations Employers/human resource people Training institutions and placement services Company websites Professional/trade journals

Below the average
The unemployment rate (2%) is below the 2004 average (7%). This rate is close to the average for professionnal occupations. A low unemployment rate often means less competition for the jobs available. But you still need to have the required training and experience. A high unemployment rate doesn't necessarily mean you'll have great difficulty getting hired. But it can mean a fluctuating demand for workers, and you may experience bouts of unemployment.		Year This Occupation All Occupations 1991 1% 10% 1992 0% 11% 1993 0% 11% 1994 0% 10% 1995 1% 10% 1996 1% 10% 1997 0% 9% 1998 0% 8% 1999 1% 8% 2000 0% 7% 2001 1% 7% 2002 1% 8% 2003 0% 8% 2004 2% 7%

% of part-time work is about the same as average
This Occupation All Occupations Full-time 82% 81% Part-time 18% 19%		There were 16,700 workers employed in these occupations in 2004, a decrease of 9% since 1997. The percentage of part-time workers is 18% compared to the 2004 average (19%) and has risen since 1997.
When full-time work is difficult to find, look at alternatives such as contract work, consulting, shared positions, and telework.

Above average
The percentage of self-employed workers (90%) is above the 2004 average of 15% and has dropped since 1997.		This Occupation All Occupations Self-Employed 90% 15%
Does this occupation have an above-average rate of self-employment? Consider being your own boss if you can't find work with an employer.

Age Group This Occupation All Occupations 20-24 2% 10% 25-54 73% 72% 55+ 24% 12%		The relatively low percentage of younger workers suggests few entry-level job openings, and could point to a greater need for workers with experience or a number of years of training. The older-than-average worker (45) will likely be offset by a later retirement age (67) resulting in an average retirement rate to 2009.
Look at the youngest group. A low percentage means fewer openings for brand-new workers. A high percentage means more openings for brand-new workers. Look at the oldest age group. A high percentage means positions could open up from retirements. This could be significant for both mid-career changers and brand-new workers.

Average
The percentage of women is 39% compared to the 2004 average of 48% and has risen significantly since 1997.		This Occupation All Occupations Percent Women 39% 48%

This page last modified on: 2007-03-31