Dentists
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Job description
These individuals diagnose and treat teeth and mouth diseases. They also prevent and control them. They work in:
- Private clinics
- Hospitals
- Public health units
- Universities
Environment
- Controlled ambient temperature
- Equipment, machinery, tools
- Biological agents
- Radiation
Main tasks
- Examine the mouth, teeth, gums, and adjacent tissues.
- Diagnose diseases, injuries, and cavities, and choose the appropriate treatment.
- Repair, extract, and replace diseased or decayed teeth.
- Perform various treatments (e.g. oral surgery).
- Clean teeth and teach dental hygiene practices to clients.
- Design and fit dentures and retainers.
- Write descriptive specifications or prescriptions for Denturists and Dental Technicians.
- Supervise Dental Hygienists, Dental Assistants, and other staff.
Advancement and mobility
- A certificate from the National Dental Examining Board of Canada enables these individuals to work across Canada.
- Additional training enables general dentists to specialize in various fields (surgery, orthodontics, radiology, etc.).
Hourly wage
Not available.Job prospects for 2024-2028
Les 2 champs de sélection ci-dessous vous permettent de comparer 2 régions. Les données des régions seront automatiquement mises à jour à la sélection. Par défaut, la province de Québec est sélectionnée pour la première région.
Job prospects for 2024-2028
Job prospects
All of Québec
Non available
Limited
Good
Very good
Very good
All of Québec
Non available
Limited
Good
Very good
Non available
Total jobs for 2023
All of Québec
4,000
All of Québec
na
Gender distribution
All of Québec
Not available.
- 51.9% Female
- 48.1% Male
Not available.
- 51.9% Female
- 48.1% Male
Job types
All of Québec
Not available.
- Full time
- Part time
Not available.
- Full time
- Part time
Yearly wage on 2020
All of Québec
$106,000
All of Québec
Other characteristics
All of Québec
- None
All of Québec
- None
Sectors of activity
All of Québec
Not available.
-
NAICS 621, 622, 62399% of jobs
-
NAICS 610% of jobs
-
NAICS 910% of jobs
-
NAICS 910% of jobs
-
NAICS 910% of jobs
-
Others1% of jobs
All of Québec
Not available.
-
NAICS 621, 622, 62399% of jobs
-
NAICS 610% of jobs
-
NAICS 910% of jobs
-
NAICS 910% of jobs
-
NAICS 910% of jobs
-
Others1% of jobs
Training and requirements
Formation
Most training programs are offered in French only.
University
Dentistry and dental sciences
Bachelor’s degree
Placement rate: 87.5%
9.6% of graduates pursue further studies
Master’s degree
Placement rate: 50%
20% of graduates pursue further studies
This discipline is taught in the following institutions:
Also required
- Membership in the Ordre des dentistes du Québec (ODQ [Quebec Order of Dentists]).
Main skills and characteristics
Skills
- Data collection
- Critical thought
- Judgment and decision-making
- Solving complex problems
- Reading comprehension
- Active listening
- Result evaluation
- Oral expression
- Information processing
- Active learning
- Time management
- Service oriented
- Social perception
- Human resource management
- Coordination
- Persuasion
- Science
- Teaching
- Written expression
- Negotiation
- Learning strategies
- Financial resource management
- Material resource management
Abilities
- Digital dexterity
- Awareness of issues
- Deductive reasoning
- Inductive reasoning
- Hand-arm stability
- Near vision
- Speech clarity
- Written comprehension
- Oral comprehension
- Verbal skills
- Control accuracy
- Selective attention
- Manual dexterity
- Information organization
- Speech recognition
- Classification
- Limb coordination
- Processing flexibility
- Written expression
- Idea generation
- Visualization
- Originality
- Colour perception and distinction
- Basic numeracy
- Depth perception
- Mathematical reasoning
- Perception speed
Knowledge and attributes
- Capacity to work under pressure
- Spoken and written bilingualism (French and English)
- Knowledge of customer and personalized services
- Capacity to work in a team
- Capacity to delegate
- Attention to detail
- Capacity to be discrete
- Sense of observation
- Commitment to quality
- Patience
- Knowledge of medicine or dentistry
Interests
- Direct, organize, and manage
- Self-employment
- Teach or educate
- Assist or care for people
Personality profiles (RIASEC)
- Investigative
- People with this profile prefer relying on theoretical knowledge before acting. They like observation, analysis and problem solving.
- Realistic
- People with this profile prefer carrying out concrete tasks and being physically involved in what they do.
- Enterprising
- People with this profile prefer having responsibilities, influencing others and responding to challenges.
Official name of the NOC 31110
Dentists
Job titles
- Orthodontists
- Dentist
- Pediatric dentist
- Dental surgeon
- Oral and maxillofacial surgeon
- Oral pathologist
- Oral surgeon
- Oral and dental surgeon
- Oral pathology and maxillofacial surgery specialist
- Public health dentist
- Doctor of dental surgery
- Endodontist
- Implantologist - dentistry
- Periodontist
- Prosthodontist
- Oral radiologist
- Oral medicine specialist
- Stomatologist
Skill type
Health
Last update: January 29, 2026
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