Dentistry
Quick Facts: Dentistry Training
Where it's offered
Dentistry programs are offered at 1 schools across 1 states. Most students attend a school within driving distance of home — use the state picker below to see programs near you.
Earnings expectations
Graduates earn approximately $220,594/year on average one year after completion, per the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard. Pay scales with experience, certifications, and regional cost-of-living.
Apprenticeship pathways
The U.S. Department of Labor recognizes 2 registered apprenticeship pathways related to Dentistry — earn-while-you-learn alternatives to traditional schooling. See apprenticeship.gov for the federal registry.
Program quality benchmark
Across the 1 schools we analyze, the average TradeSchoolOutlook Score is 53/100. Higher-scoring programs combine strong graduate earnings, manageable cost, and strong job-market demand — see the leaderboard further down for the highest-rated options.
What Dentistry Graduates Do
Your career will likely begin as an associate dentist in a private practice. You’ll spend your days working directly with patients: performing check-ups, using precision drills to fill cavities, and creating treatment plans. As you build experience, you can specialize. You might become an orthodontist, using pliers and digital scanners to straighten teeth with braces and aligners, or an oral surgeon, performing complex procedures like dental implants and jaw surgery in a clinical setting.
Read more
The path to advancement is clear. After a few years, many dentists become partners or open their own practice, managing a business while caring for patients. This step, or pursuing a specialty, offers a route to the highest earnings and most complex cases. Demand is steady for these skilled roles, from general dentistry to teaching the next generation at a postsecondary level. This is hands-on work that requires a human touch and dexterity that can't be automated or done from a remote office, ensuring your skills remain essential.
Students considering Dentistry also weigh Speech-Language Pathology, Public Health, and Bioethics — see each trade's earnings and school count side by side.
Registered Apprenticeship Pathways
The U.S. Department of Labor recognizes 2 registered apprenticeship occupations related to Dentistry. Apprenticeships let you earn while you learn — most have zero tuition costs and pay wages from day one.
| Apprenticeship | Training Hours | Type | Salary RangeSalary | Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Community Health Worker
RAPIDS 2002CB |
Competency | Competency | $50K – $63,000 – $84K | 4.5% |
|
Community Health Worker
RAPIDS 2002HY |
2000-2200 hrs | Hybrid | $50K – $63,000 – $84K | 4.5% |
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Registered Apprenticeship Partners Information Database (RAPIDS). Wages and job growth from Bureau of Labor Statistics 2024–2034 projections.
Find Dentistry Programs in Your State
Trade and community college programs are local decisions — most students pick a school within driving distance. Dentistry is offered at 1 schools across 1 states. Click your state to see all trade programs offered locally.
Top Dentistry Programs Nationally
For context, here are the highest-scoring Dentistry programs in the country. Most students attend a school within 60 miles of home, so your state list above is usually more actionable — but these are the benchmarks others compete against.
1 schools ranked by TradeSchoolOutlook Score. Click any row for full earnings projections and career analysis.
| # | School | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA |
60 59–61 |
Highest Earning Dentistry Programs
Schools where Dentistry graduates earn the most in their first year after graduation.
| School | 1-Year Earnings | Score |
|---|---|---|
| University of Pennsylvania | $220,594/yr | 60 |
Best ROI for Dentistry
Schools with the highest earnings-to-tuition ratio for Dentistry.
| School | ROI Multiple | Earnings | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Pennsylvania | 32.9x | $220,594/yr | 60 |
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