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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.

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A look at the work

  • 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.
  • Advise or instruct patients regarding preventive dental care, the causes and treatment of dental problems, or oral health care services.
  • Diagnose and treat diseases, injuries, or malformations of teeth, gums, or related oral structures and provide preventive or corrective services.

A selection of source-listed tasks; duties vary by role and employer.

Interests involved in this work

These source scores describe occupational work activities. They are separate from your personal test results.

Hands-on

2026-02 · Machine Learning/Expert

5.2 / 7

Investigative

2026-02 · Machine Learning/Expert

5.5 / 7

Creative

2026-02 · Machine Learning/Expert

1.2 / 7

Helping people

2026-02 · Machine Learning/Expert

4.4 / 7

Enterprising

2026-02 · Machine Learning/Expert

2.0 / 7

Organizing

2026-02 · Machine Learning/Expert

3.7 / 7

Skills to explore

Source-reported importance on a 1–5 scale. Try a course, project or conversation to learn what these skills involve.

Judgment and Decision Making

Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

2026-08

4.1 / 5

Critical Thinking

Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.

2026-08

4.1 / 5

Active Listening

Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

2026-08

4.0 / 5

Reading Comprehension

Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.

2026-08

4.0 / 5

Speaking

Talking to others to convey information effectively.

2026-08

4.0 / 5

Active Learning

Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.

2026-08

4.0 / 5

Monitoring

Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

2026-08

4.0 / 5

Social Perceptiveness

Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.

2026-08

4.0 / 5

Service Orientation

Actively looking for ways to help people.

2026-08

4.0 / 5

Complex Problem Solving

Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.

2026-08

3.9 / 5

Plan a small next step

Talk to someone doing this work, look for a supervised activity, and explore the subjects that interest you. Admission, licensing and current program requirements should be confirmed with the relevant institutions.

Source preparation category: Job Zone 5 of 5 · 2026-08. This category describes typical preparation, not your eligibility.

Related study fields

Source crosswalk connections are research leads, not required qualifications.

Dentistry →

Advanced General Dentistry →

Pediatric Dentistry/Pedodontics →

Dental Public Health Residency Program →

Pediatric Dentistry Residency Program →

Explore all related study fields →

Source & methodology

O*NET-SOC code 29-1021.00 · Database 31.0 · Retrieved Oct 14, 2026. Dates on individual observations describe their source periods.

How interest exploration matching works →

Data: O*NET® 31.0 Database, U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Used under CC BY 4.0. StudyIndex normalizes the presentation and adds exploration features; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed or tested these additions.