Dental industry ranks highly on American list of best jobs

Dental Tribune International

Tue. 21. January 2020

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WASHINGTON, U.S.: Though it can be stressful at times, a career in the dental industry is often highly sought after owing to the relatively high wages and attractive working hours. It comes as little surprise therefore that an American media company’s recent ranking of professions placed dentist at No. 2 and orthodontist close behind in fourth place.

The results were part of U.S. News’ annual best jobs rankings for 2020, a series of lists that seek to establish which professions have the best prospects in a range of different industries. These rankings also aim to identify what the highest-paying jobs in the U.S. currently are, as well as the highest-paying jobs for those without a university degree.

Though software developer took the top position for the third year in a row, dentist moved up two spots from its fourth-ranked position last year. Joining dentists and orthodontists in the top ten were oral and maxillofacial surgeons at ninth, while dental hygienists were placed 24^th.

According to the publication, its rankings system incorporates seven separate components that it considers to be of the most importance to job seekers: median salary, unemployment rate, projected ten-year growth volume, projected ten-year growth percentage, future job prospects, stress level and work–life balance.

The median annual salary of dentists working in the U.S. was found to be $151,850, and the unemployment rate just 0.9%. This unemployment rate was the same for orthodontists, though they enjoy a higher median salary of $208,000 per year.

“A career in dentistry opens up a world of opportunity and offers a variety of career paths, each with its own rewards,” Dr. Chad Gehani, president of the American Dental Association, told Dental Tribune International.

“Dentistry also offers a desirable work–life balance. The need for dentists is expected to grow in the coming years,” he continued.

“In many ways, dentistry is an act of service, as dentists improve their patients’ quality of life by restoring health and function. The American Dental Association is proud of the work of dentists everywhere and is excited that dentistry has once again been recognized as a sought-after profession,” Gehani concluded.

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