Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
Dentists, General
Examine, diagnose, and treat diseases, injuries, and malformations of teeth and gums. May treat diseases of nerve, pulp, and other dental tissues affecting oral hygiene and retention of teeth. May fit dental appliances or provide preventive care.
Also called: DDS (Dental Surgery Doctor), Dentist, DMD (Dental Medicine Doctor), Endodontist, Family Dentist, General Dentist
- Median pay in Greater Boston
- $181,150
- $87.09/hr
- Jobs in Greater Boston
- 1,920
- Massachusetts 2024–2034
- Not published
- Typical U.S. entry requirement
- Doctoral or professional degree
Greater Boston: Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area, May 2025. Growth and openings: Massachusetts statewide projection.
Pay range in Greater Boston
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $95,550 | $157,670 | $181,150 | $216,010 | $370,580 |
10% of workers earn less than the first figure and 10% earn more than the last.
What you’d do
- Use masks, gloves, and safety glasses to protect patients and self from infectious diseases.
- Administer anesthetics to limit the amount of pain experienced by patients during procedures.
- Examine teeth, gums, and related tissues, using dental instruments, x-rays, or other diagnostic equipment, to evaluate dental health, diagnose diseases or abnormalities, and plan appropriate treatments.
- Formulate plan of treatment for patient's teeth and mouth tissue.
- Use dental air turbines, hand instruments, dental appliances, or surgical implements.
- Design, make, or fit prosthodontic appliances, such as space maintainers, bridges, or dentures, or write fabrication instructions or prescriptions for denturists or dental technicians.
AI and this job
AI exposure: how much of this job’s work AI tools can do or help with, based on national research. It is not a forecast of job loss.
Moderate exposure39 of 100
The index averages three national research measures, each shown as a percentile of all jobs:
- AIOE 42
- Language-model AIOE 37
- GPTs-are-GPTs 39
Observed AI use today: Some (Anthropic Economic Index)
AI exposure for general dentists is moderate, and observed AI use is still limited to some. AI tools may help with reading x-rays and other diagnostic images and with drafting treatment plans. Hands-on work like giving anesthetics, using dental instruments, and protecting patients from infection is done by the dentist in person.
Likely to change
- Reviewing x-rays and diagnostic images
- Drafting treatment plans
Still relies on people
- Hands-on dental procedures and instrument use
- Giving anesthetics and keeping patients safe
Written with AI from the data on this page. Check with a career coach before making a decision.
Training near Boston
College and school programs in the Boston metro area that lead to this job, with 2023-24 completions (IPEDS).
0 programs near Boston (plus 9 graduate)
No programs below a master’s degree near Boston map to this job. Tick the box above to see graduate programs.
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