Career comparison
Dentist vs. Family doctor
Family doctors earn more: a median of $244,180, $73,230 (43%) above dentists at $170,950.
Dentists have the stronger outlook: +6% projected growth through 2035, vs. +3%.
Getting in is faster for dentists: about 5 years vs. 8.5 years for someone with a bachelor's in another field.
At a glance
| Dentist | Family doctor | |
|---|---|---|
| Median pay | $170,950 | $244,180 |
| Top 10% earn over | $319,630 | $428,550 |
| Growth to 2035 | +6% | +3% |
| Openings per year | 4,200 | 2,900 |
| Jobs today | 141,900 | 114,300 |
| Typical entry education | Doctoral or professional degree | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Time to qualify* | 5 years | 8.5 years |
| Training cost* | $255K–$470K | $260K–$460K |
* Starting from a bachelor's degree in an unrelated field. Pay: BLS OEWS May 2025. Outlook: BLS Employment Projections 2025–35.
Pay
Dentist
Family doctor
Switching from one to the other
Set your education and current pay. The calculator lays out the path, what it costs, and the year it starts paying off.
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Getting in
Dentist
- Entry education
- Doctoral or professional degree
- On-the-job training
- None
- Prior experience
- None
Required: DAT · INBDE board exam · Clinical licensing exam · State dental license
Family doctor
- Entry education
- Doctoral or professional degree
- On-the-job training
- Internship/residency
- Prior experience
- None
Required: MCAT · USMLE Steps 1–3 · State medical license · Board certification
What the work is like
Dealing with the public
Unpleasant or angry people
Time pressure
Cost of a mistake
Freedom to make decisions
Repeating the same tasks
Time sitting
Time standing
Hazardous conditions
Exposure to disease
Dentist: 0% usually work over 40 hours a weekFamily doctor: 42% usually work over 40 hours a week
Dentist: core tasks
- Use masks, gloves, and safety glasses to protect patients and self from infectious diseases.
- Administer anesthetics to limit the amount of pain experienced by patients during procedures.
- Examine teeth, gums, and related tissues, using dental instruments, x-rays, or other diagnostic equipment, to evaluate dental health, diagnose diseases or abnormalities, and plan appropriate treatments.
- Formulate plan of treatment for patient's teeth and mouth tissue.
- Use dental air turbines, hand instruments, dental appliances, or surgical implements.
Family doctor: core tasks
- Prescribe or administer treatment, therapy, medication, vaccination, and other specialized medical care to treat or prevent illness, disease, or injury.
- Order, perform, and interpret tests and analyze records, reports, and examination information to diagnose patients' condition.
- Collect, record, and maintain patient information, such as medical history, reports, or examination results.
- Monitor patients' conditions and progress and reevaluate treatments as necessary.
- Explain procedures and discuss test results or prescribed treatments with patients.
Skills: what carries over
Both rely on: Critical Thinking, Judgment and Decision Making, Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, Speaking, Active Learning.
New for a dentist moving to family doctor: Writing, Time Management.
New for a family doctor moving to dentist: Social Perceptiveness, Service Orientation.
Interests (Holland codes): Dentist: Investigative, Realistic, Social. Family doctor: Social, Investigative, Conventional.
Outlook to 2035, and AI
Dentist
+6%
about as fast as average · 4,200 openings a year
BLS lists no specific factors, including AI, changing demand for this job.
Family doctor
+3%
about as fast as average · 2,900 openings a year
BLS lists no specific factors, including AI, changing demand for this job.
Quoted notes: BLS Employment Projections, factors affecting occupational utilization (Table 1.12). Average growth across all jobs: +3.5%.
Questions people ask
Who makes more, a dentist or a family doctor?
Family doctors earn more: a median of $244,180, $73,230 (43%) above dentists at $170,950.
Which has the better job outlook?
Dentists have the stronger outlook: +6% projected growth through 2035, vs. +3%.
How long does it take to become a family doctor?
For someone with a bachelor's degree in another field, about 8.5 years, with tuition of roughly $260,000 to $460,000. Required: MCAT, USMLE Steps 1–3, State medical license, Board certification.
How long does it take to become a dentist?
For someone with a bachelor's degree in another field, about 5 years, with tuition of roughly $255,000 to $470,000. Required: DAT, INBDE board exam, Clinical licensing exam, State dental license.