Dentists

Anyone who has experienced dental pain from a toothache or tooth infection knows all too well how important dentists and dental care can be. In the United States, an estimated 164 million work hours among adults and 51 million school hours among children are lost each year on account of dental disease or dental visits. Furthermore, 22 percent of adults report that they have experienced some kind of oral-facial (dental) pain in the past 6 months. Clearly, dentistry has important human and economic implications. This entry focuses on dentists in the United States, discussing career options, health and job satisfaction, the economics of dental practice, reimbursement for dental services, and key current issues.