General dentist vs dental surgeon

The differences between general dentists and dental surgeons can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a dental surgeon has an average salary of $279,537, which is higher than the $147,636 average annual salary of a general dentist.

The top three skills for a general dentist include patients, patient care and treatment planning. The most important skills for a dental surgeon are patients, diagnosis, and dental clinic.

General dentist vs dental surgeon overview

	General Dentist	Dental Surgeon
Yearly salary	$147,636	$279,537
Hourly rate	$70.98	$134.39
Growth rate	6%	7%
Number of jobs	48,612	32,596
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Doctoral Degree, 50%	Bachelor's Degree, 79%
Average age	46	49
Years of experience	-	6

What does a general dentist do?

The primary job of general dentists is to diagnose, treat, and manage patients' oral health care needs, including root canals, fillings, and gum care. They are considered as the main dental care providers for both children and adults. General dentists typically perform a few tasks, including performing regular dental examinations and teeth cleanings, ensuring patients receive an appropriate and timely treatment for their dental issues and performing cosmetic procedures such as teeth whitening and cosmetic bonding.

What does a dental surgeon do?

A Dental Surgeon performs surgery on various parts of the head, neck, and mouth. They perform repairs on injuries due to facial trauma, reconstruction to correct birth defects, and treatment of various diseases.

General dentist vs dental surgeon salary

General dentists and dental surgeons have different pay scales, as shown below.

	General Dentist	Dental Surgeon
Average salary	$147,636	$279,537
Salary range	Between $99,000 And $219,000	Between $150,000 And $517,000
Highest paying City	Haverhill, MA	-
Highest paying state	Rhode Island	-
Best paying company	Berkshire	-
Best paying industry	Professional	-

Differences between general dentist and dental surgeon education

There are a few differences between a general dentist and a dental surgeon in terms of educational background:

	General Dentist	Dental Surgeon
Most common degree	Doctoral Degree, 50%	Bachelor's Degree, 79%
Most common major	Advanced Dentistry And Oral Sciences	Advanced Dentistry And Oral Sciences
Most common college	University of Southern California	University of Southern California

General dentist vs dental surgeon demographics

Here are the differences between general dentists' and dental surgeons' demographics:

	General Dentist	Dental Surgeon
Average age	46	49
Gender ratio	Male, 53.5% Female, 46.5%	Male, 39.5% Female, 60.5%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 2.9% Unknown, 3.2% Hispanic or Latino, 8.4% Asian, 23.4% White, 61.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%	Black or African American, 1.8% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 5.0% Asian, 12.7% White, 76.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1%
LGBT Percentage	12%	12%

Differences between general dentist and dental surgeon duties and responsibilities

General dentist example responsibilities.

Set up OSHA plan for the office, and lead OSHA training.
Manage HMO and indemnity dental insurances.
Observe bonding, restorations, tooth extraction, periodontal surgery, dentures, root canal, and crown placement
Perform dental surgical procedures including extraction of diseas or irreparably decay teeth.
Work with Rueben Gordon, DDS
Hone dental/patient management skills.Alan Jon Napoles, DDS

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Dental surgeon example responsibilities.

Manage early and moderate periodontal disease, evaluate the results of periodontal treatment and establish maintenance program.
Work collaboratively with other professionals to create effective treatment for the patients.
Research on tobacco induce oral cancers and diagnose and perform surgical treatments on oral cancer patients.
General dentistry focuse on restorative, minor surgeries and open method extractions, removable prosthetics, endodontics, non-surgical periodontics
Review A/R report & outstanding claim for follow up with office manager at EOM.

General dentist vs dental surgeon skills

Common general dentist skills

Patients, 34%
Patient Care, 25%
Treatment Planning, 15%
Diagnosis, 4%
OSHA, 2%
Dentures, 2%

Common dental surgeon skills

Patients, 33%
Diagnosis, 10%
Dental Clinic, 9%
Surgical Extractions, 5%
Oral Surgery, 5%
Surgical Procedures, 4%

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Healthcare Practitioner and Technical Industry
General Dentist
General Dentist vs Dental Surgeon

Updated January 8, 2025

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