Dental specialist who provides oral care for infants, children, teenagers and patients with special health care needs. American Dental Association Health Policy Institute, Survey of Dental Practice puts typical pay at $307,820 a year (2022). BLS does not publish separate figures for dentists, general; it counts them within dentist (SOC 29-1021), whose median pay is $170,950 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Typical entry-level education: Doctoral or professional degree.
- SOC 29-1021
- Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Pediatric Dentist in four numbers
- Median pay
- $170,950a year, or $82.19/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $86KTop 10% $320K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +5.7%Faster than averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+5.7%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +5.7% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 4,200141,900 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 2025141.9K
- Projected 2035150K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 141.9K Projected 2035 150K - Typical education
- Doctorateneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- Doctorate61.9%
- Post-doctoral training38.1%
Highest education held by dentists, general Segment Value Doctorate 61.9% Post-doctoral training 38.1%
Also advertised as: Pedodontist, Children's Dentist, Pediatric Dental Specialist, Board-Certified Pediatric Dentist.
Pay
How much do Dentists, General make?
Industry-reported pay
$307,820
Average annual net income, US private practice pediatric dentists (ADA Survey of Dental Practice; net of practice expenses).
Source: American Dental Association Health Policy Institute, Survey of Dental Practice, 2022 (published compensation survey). This is not a BLS figure: BLS counts dentists, general within dentist, whose pay is shown below. Becker's Dental: Annual net income for private practice specialists in 2022 (ADA HPI data) · ADA News: HPI survey shows general dentist income declines due to rising expenses
Every pediatric dentist in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$170,950
Middle half earn $125,710 to $224,040
- 10th
- $86,250
- 25th
- $125,710
- 75th
- $224,040
- 90th
- $319,630
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $86,250 |
| 25th | $125,710 |
| Median | $170,950 |
| 75th | $224,040 |
| 90th | $319,630 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $170,950
- Median hourly wage
- $82.19/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $191,350
- People employed
- 124,390
Versus all US occupations
At $170,950, Dentists, General earn 235% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $119,970 a year.
Versus healthcare practitioners and technical occupations
Inside the Healthcare Practitioners and Technical group, where the middle occupation pays $102,760, this is 66% above the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $319,630 or more while the bottom 10% earn $86,250, a gap of 3.7×. That is an unusually wide spread, which usually tracks specialisation, employer type and years of experience.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 95% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Cost of living
Alaska posts the highest raw median ($230,990), but once local prices are taken into account North Dakota leads at $248,047 in national-average dollars.
Pay by state
Which states pay Dentists, General the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Alaska | $230,990 | $225,667 | 310 |
| 2North Dakota | $220,660 | $248,047 | 260 |
| 3Minnesota | $219,200 | $222,265 | 2,370 |
| 4Tennessee | $215,290 | $234,342 | 2,200 |
| 5Oregon | $211,690 | $204,806 | 1,660 |
| 6Maine | $209,200 | $215,559 | 310 |
| 7North Carolina | $207,000 | $219,452 | 4,140 |
| 8Georgia | $206,760 | $214,720 | 2,620 |
| 9Missouri | $204,960 | $225,685 | 2,440 |
| 10Vermont | $204,960 | $209,233 | 240 |
Job outlook
Is Pediatric Dentist a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Faster than average. +5.7% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Dentists, General | +5.7% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Faster than average
BLS projects employment of Dentists, General to change 5.7% over 2025–2035, against 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 8,100 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 4,200 openings are projected each year, 3.0% of the 141,900 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become a Pediatric Dentist
Pediatric dentists earn a DDS or DMD degree and then complete a two-year pediatric dentistry residency accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation, which includes hospital, sedation and special needs training.
They need a state dental license and many become board certified by the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry. The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry is the main professional organization. Dental students interested in the specialty usually gain experience treating children during school, and residency programs are offered in both hospital and university settings. Some pediatric dentists also complete a master's degree or certificate in special care dentistry.
- 1
Typical entry-level education
Doctoral or professional degree
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
None
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Considerable preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as dentists, general.
- Doctoral Degree61.9%
- Post-Doctoral Training38.1%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Doctoral Degree | 61.9% |
| Post-Doctoral Training | 38.1% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does a Pediatric Dentist do?
Pediatric dentists care for teeth from infancy through the teenage years. They examine and clean children's teeth, apply sealants and fluoride, fill cavities, place crowns on baby teeth and treat dental injuries. They monitor how the jaw and teeth develop and refer to orthodontists when needed.
Behavior guidance is a core skill: helping anxious or very young children get through treatment. Pediatric dentists use nitrous oxide, sedation and hospital general anesthesia for children who need extensive treatment, and they care for patients of all ages with disabilities and complex medical conditions.
Day-to-day tasks
- Examine, clean and monitor the teeth of infants, children and teens
- Fill cavities and place crowns on primary and permanent teeth
- Apply sealants and fluoride to prevent decay
- Use behavior guidance, nitrous oxide and sedation for anxious children
- Treat children under general anesthesia in hospital operating rooms
- Treat dental injuries from falls and sports
- Care for patients with special health care needs
Typical tasks, researched by NueCareer from the sources below.
Working conditions and hours
Most pediatric dentists work in private practices designed for children, and some work in hospitals, community health centers or dental schools. Hours are regular, with hospital operating room days for patients under general anesthesia. The pace is busy and the work involves a lot of communication with parents.
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayIndoors, in a climate-controlled space, every day.
Outdoors in all weather
NeverEvery dayAlmost never works outdoors.
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeSeated for more than half the working day.
Standing
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the timeRegular bending or twisting.
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantConstant contact with other people.
Face-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayFace-to-face discussions every day.
Dealing with the public
Not importantExtremely importantDealing with customers or the public is very important.
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayConflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely seriousMistakes carry very serious consequences.
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lotA lot of freedom to make decisions without checking first.
Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Critical Thinking4.1
- Reading Comprehension4.0
- Active Listening4.0
- Speaking4.0
- Active Learning4.0
- Monitoring4.0
- Science3.6
- Writing3.5
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Critical Thinking | 4.1 |
| Reading Comprehension | 4.0 |
| Active Listening | 4.0 |
| Speaking | 4.0 |
| Active Learning | 4.0 |
| Monitoring | 4.0 |
| Science | 3.6 |
| Writing | 3.5 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Judgment and Decision Making4.1
- Social Perceptiveness4.0
- Service Orientation4.0
- Complex Problem Solving3.9
- Coordination3.8
- Time Management3.8
- Management of Personnel Resources3.6
- Persuasion3.5
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Judgment and Decision Making | 4.1 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 4.0 |
| Service Orientation | 4.0 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.9 |
| Coordination | 3.8 |
| Time Management | 3.8 |
| Management of Personnel Resources | 3.6 |
| Persuasion | 3.5 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Medical software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Internet browser software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a Pediatric Dentist?
NueCareer estimate (Holland code SIR) built on O*NET's Dentist profile, scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Pediatric Dentist |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 5 |
| Investigative | 5 |
| Artistic | 1 |
| Social | 5 |
| Enterprising | 2 |
| Conventional | 4 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around investigating, analysing and solving problems with ideas and data, combined with hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors.
- Investigative5.5
- Realistic5.2
- Social4.9
- Conventional3.7
- Enterprising2.0
- Artistic1.2
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Pediatric Dentist
O*NET related occupations
- Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
- Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
- Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
- Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
- Healthcare Support
- Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
More healthcare practitioners and technical careers
Median annual pay, with dentists, general highlighted
- Anesthesiologist$391,490
- Pediatric Dentist$170,950
- Physician Assistant$135,880
- Nurse Practitioner$132,300
- Physical Therapist$102,760
- Dental Hygienist$98,100
- Diagnostic Medical Sonographer$96,590
- Radiologic Technologist and Technician$80,110
- Surgical Technologist$64,650
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Anesthesiologist | $391,490 |
| Pediatric Dentist | $170,950 |
| Physician Assistant | $135,880 |
| Nurse Practitioner | $132,300 |
| Physical Therapist | $102,760 |
| Dental Hygienist | $98,100 |
| Diagnostic Medical Sonographer | $96,590 |
| Radiologic Technologist and Technician | $80,110 |
| Surgical Technologist | $64,650 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Pediatric Dentist appears on
Questions
Pediatric Dentist: frequently asked questions
How much do Dentists, General make?
American Dental Association Health Policy Institute, Survey of Dental Practice reports $307,820 (average annual net income, US private practice pediatric dentists (ADA Survey of Dental Practice; net of practice expenses), 2022). BLS does not publish a separate wage for dentists, general. It counts them within dentist, whose median pay is $170,950 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of that occupation earn between $125,710 and $224,040, and the top 10% earn $319,630 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Pediatric Dentist?
Yes, and beyond a bachelor's: BLS lists a doctoral or professional degree as the typical entry requirement for Dentists, General. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 61.9% hold doctoral degree.
Is Pediatric Dentist a growing career?
Yes. Employment is projected to grow 5.7% over 2025–2035, faster than the 3.5% average for all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 4,200 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Pediatric Dentist do?
Pediatric dentists care for teeth from infancy through the teenage years. A typical task: examine, clean and monitor the teeth of infants, children and teens. Employers most often ask for Medical software, Office suite software, Spreadsheet software.
Which states pay Dentists, General the most?
The highest state medians for Dentists, General are Alaska ($230,990), North Dakota ($220,660), Minnesota ($219,200) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Adjusted for local prices using BEA Regional Price Parities, North Dakota moves to the top at $248,047.
What personality type suits a Pediatric Dentist?
O*NET scores Dentists, General highest on the Investigative, Realistic and Social interest areas, so the work mixes investigating, analysing and solving problems with ideas and data with hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping that lines up most closely with ISTJ personalities. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.