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Dentists, General

Cares for the teeth of babies, children and teens.

Typical education to startDoctoral or professional degree
Job outlook2025–2035: +6%
Median pay$170,950 a year (2025)
Interest codeIRS Investigative, Realistic, Social

Read the full guide

Pediatric dentists check and clean children's teeth, fill cavities, fix injuries and teach families how to prevent problems. A big part of the job is helping nervous kids feel safe, including children with special health needs.

Open the pediatric dentist guide

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High school courses that build toward it

Ranked by how much the job relies on what each course teaches, from O*NET's knowledge ratings. Your school's own courses and the counselor have the final word.

Dentists, General on O*NET OnLine · O*NET 31.0 (U.S. Department of Labor, CC BY 4.0); BLS Employment Projections 2025.