How To Become A Cosmetic Dentist: What It Is and Career Path

What is a cosmetic dentist and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

2 min read

Quoted Expert

Linda Cheng DDS, MPH, CPH, FAGD, ABGD

There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a cosmetic dentist. For example, did you know that they make an average of $77.12 an hour? That's $160,413 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 6% and produce 8,400 job opportunities across the U.S.

What general advice would you give to a Cosmetic Dentist?

Linda Cheng DDS, MPH, CPH, FAGD, ABGD

Clinical Associate Professor, Texas A&M University

There is a demand for dentists as the general population is growing and living longer, more seniors are keeping more of their teeth as they age, and there is an increase in the popularity of such dental services as cosmetic and implant dentistry. Technological advances in digital dentistry have made it possible to provide aligners, dentures, nightguards, crowns, and veneers with precise custom fits and great esthetic outcomes. US News & World Report continues to list dentistry as among the top jobs in America.

ScoreCosmetic DentistUS Average

Salary

9.2

Avg. Salary $160,413

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level

10.0

Growth Rate 6%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity

2.8

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.22%

Asian 18.60%

Black or African American 2.27%

Hispanic or Latino 6.42%

Unknown 3.03%

White 69.45%

Gender

female 44.00%

male 56.00%

Age - 45

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 45

Stress Level

10.0

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity Level

10.0

Complexity Level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance

9.9

Work Life balance is excellent

6.4 - fair

Newest jobs for Cosmetic Dentist in Knoxville, TN

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Key steps to become a cosmetic dentist

Explore cosmetic dentist education requirements

Most common cosmetic dentist degrees

Bachelor's

40.9 %

Doctorate

40.9 %

Master's

6.8 %

Start to develop specific cosmetic dentist skills

Skills	Percentages
Oral Surgery	27.48%
DDS	20.66%
Dentures	15.98%
Treatment Planning	15.52%
Direct Patient Care	8.23%

Research cosmetic dentist duties and responsibilities

Manage early and moderate periodontal disease, evaluate the results of periodontal treatment and establish maintenance program.
Manage early and moderate periodontal disease, evaluate the results of periodontal treatment and establish maintenance program.
Provide Invisalign treatment to correct dental alignment.

Prepare your cosmetic dentist resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your cosmetic dentist resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a cosmetic dentist resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose From 10+ Customizable Cosmetic Dentist Resume templates

Build a professional Cosmetic Dentist resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Cosmetic Dentist resume.

Apply for cosmetic dentist jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a cosmetic dentist job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

What is a cosmetic dentist and how to become one

What general advice would you give to a Cosmetic Dentist?

Newest jobs for Cosmetic Dentist in Knoxville, TN

Key steps to become a cosmetic dentist

Explore cosmetic dentist education requirements

Most common cosmetic dentist degrees

Start to develop specific cosmetic dentist skills

Research cosmetic dentist duties and responsibilities

Prepare your cosmetic dentist resume

Choose From 10+ Customizable Cosmetic Dentist Resume templates

Apply for cosmetic dentist jobs

How Did You Land Your First Cosmetic Dentist Job

Average cosmetic dentist salary

How do cosmetic dentists rate their job?