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Dentists, General Occupation Detailed Description

Dentists, General career

General Job Description and Education/Training Levels for Dentists, General

The main tasks and work activities of Dentists, General are to administer anesthetics or sedatives to control pain, operate diagnostic imaging equipment, operate diagnostic or therapeutic medical instruments or equipment, examine mouth, teeth, gums, or related facial structures. In general, for the Dentists, General, judgment and Decision Making, critical Thinking, complex Problem Solving, speaking and other 17 skills are required.
Dentists, General Job Description
EducationMost of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
Related ExperienceExtensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.
Job TrainingEmployees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training.
ExampleThese occupations often involve coordinating, training, supervising, or managing the activities of others to accomplish goals. Very advanced communication and organizational skills are required. Examples include pharmacists, lawyers, astronomers, biologists, clergy, neurologists, and veterinarians.
The following chart shows the education/training levels for Dentists, General jobs.
Less than a High School Diploma
0.00%
High School Diploma (or the equivalent)
0.00%
Post-Secondary Certificate
0.00%
Some College Courses
7.17%
Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)
5.62%
Bachelor's Degree and Above
87.21%

Tasks and Work Activities of Dentists, General

  • 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.
  • Advise or instruct patients regarding preventive dental care, the causes and treatment of dental problems, or oral health care services.
  • Design, make, or fit prosthodontic appliances, such as space maintainers, bridges, or dentures, or write fabrication instructions or prescriptions for denturists or dental technicians.
  • Diagnose and treat diseases, injuries, or malformations of teeth, gums, or related oral structures and provide preventive or corrective services.
  • Fill pulp chamber and canal with endodontic materials.
  • Write prescriptions for antibiotics or other medications.
  • Analyze or evaluate dental needs to determine changes or trends in patterns of dental disease.
  • Treat exposure of pulp by pulp capping, removal of pulp from pulp chamber, or root canal, using dental instruments.
  • Eliminate irritating margins of fillings and correct occlusions, using dental instruments.
  • Perform oral or periodontal surgery on the jaw or mouth.
  • Remove diseased tissue, using surgical instruments.
  • Apply fluoride or sealants to teeth.
  • Bleach, clean, or polish teeth to restore natural color.
  • Plan, organize, or maintain dental health programs.
  • Produce or evaluate dental health educational materials.
  • Use masks, gloves, and safety glasses to protect patients and self from infectious diseases.
  • Use dental air turbines, hand instruments, dental appliances, or surgical implements.
  • Manage business aspects such as employing or supervising staff or handling paperwork or insurance claims.
  • Getting InformationObserving, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
  • Performing for or Working Directly with the PublicPerforming for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
  • Assisting and Caring for OthersProviding personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
  • Updating and Using Relevant KnowledgeKeeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
  • Making Decisions and Solving ProblemsAnalyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
  • Documenting/Recording InformationEntering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
  • Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with StandardsUsing relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
  • Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing WorkDeveloping specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
  • Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal RelationshipsDeveloping constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
  • Identifying Objects, Actions, and EventsIdentifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
  • Administer anesthetics or sedatives to control pain.
  • Operate diagnostic imaging equipment.
  • Operate diagnostic or therapeutic medical instruments or equipment.
  • Examine mouth, teeth, gums, or related facial structures.
  • Develop medical treatment plans.
  • Advise patients on preventive care techniques.
  • Adjust prostheses or other assistive devices.
  • Fabricate medical devices.
  • Design medical devices or appliances.
  • Treat dental problems or diseases.
  • Diagnose dental conditions.
  • Prescribe medications.
  • Analyze patient data to determine patient needs or treatment goals.
  • Operate on patients to treat conditions.
  • Direct healthcare delivery programs.
  • Design public or employee health programs.
  • Prepare healthcare training materials.
  • Protect patients or staff members using safety equipment.
  • Supervise patient care personnel.

Skills and Abilities for Dentists, General

  • Judgment and Decision MakingConsidering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
  • Critical ThinkingUsing logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
  • Complex Problem SolvingIdentifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
  • SpeakingTalking to others to convey information effectively.
  • Active ListeningGiving 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.
  • Reading ComprehensionUnderstanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
  • MonitoringMonitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
  • Service OrientationActively looking for ways to help people.
  • Social PerceptivenessBeing aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
  • Time ManagementManaging one's own time and the time of others.
  • Active LearningUnderstanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
  • ScienceUsing scientific rules and methods to solve problems.
  • PersuasionPersuading others to change their minds or behavior.
  • CoordinationAdjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
  • Management of Personnel ResourcesMotivating, developing, and directing people as they work, identifying the best people for the job.
  • InstructingTeaching others how to do something.
  • WritingCommunicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
  • NegotiationBringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
  • Learning StrategiesSelecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
  • Management of Material ResourcesObtaining and seeing to the appropriate use of equipment, facilities, and materials needed to do certain work.
  • Finger DexterityThe ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.
  • Problem SensitivityThe ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
  • Near VisionThe ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
  • Inductive ReasoningThe ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
  • Deductive ReasoningThe ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
  • Arm-Hand SteadinessThe ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.
  • Speech ClarityThe ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
  • Oral ExpressionThe ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
  • Written ComprehensionThe ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
  • Oral ComprehensionThe ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
  • Control PrecisionThe ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.
  • Speech RecognitionThe ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
  • Information OrderingThe ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
  • Manual DexterityThe ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.
  • Selective AttentionThe ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
  • Category FlexibilityThe ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
  • Multilimb CoordinationThe ability to coordinate two or more limbs (for example, two arms, two legs, or one leg and one arm) while sitting, standing, or lying down. It does not involve performing the activities while the whole body is in motion.
  • Flexibility of ClosureThe ability to identify or detect a known pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in other distracting material.
  • Written ExpressionThe ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
  • VisualizationThe ability to imagine how something will look after it is moved around or when its parts are moved or rearranged.
  • Air compressorse.g. Air compressors
  • Dental syringe accessory kitse.g. Air/water syringe tips
  • Teeth cleaning devices or accessoriese.g. Air/water syringes
  • Bands for dental matrixe.g. Amalgam bands
  • Amalgam carrierse.g. Amalgam carriers
  • Dental amalgam carverse.g. Amalgam condensers
  • Dental matrices or setse.g. Amalgam retainers
  • Amalgam carrierse.g. Amalgam wells
  • Dental hand pieces or accessoriese.g. Angle dental handpieces
  • Orthodontic plierse.g. Angled pliers
  • Dental forcepse.g. Anterior forceps
  • Dental scalers or accessoriese.g. Anterior scalers
  • Dental depth gaugese.g. Apex locators
  • Dental forcepse.g. Articulating paper forceps
  • Steam autoclaves or sterilizerse.g. Autoclaves
  • Automated external defibrillators AED or hard paddlese.g. Automated external defibrillators AED
  • Dental film processorse.g. Automatic film processing systems
  • Awlse.g. Awls
  • Attachments or replacement parts for dental instrumentse.g. Ball bearing contra angle assemblies
  • Orthodontic setter bandse.g. Band setters
  • Medicine and DentistryKnowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.
  • Customer and Personal ServiceKnowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
  • English LanguageKnowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
  • BiologyKnowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.
  • PsychologyKnowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
  • Education and TrainingKnowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
  • Administration and ManagementKnowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
  • Personnel and Human ResourcesKnowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.
  • Economics and AccountingKnowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking and the analysis and reporting of financial data.