OSCA 269232

Dentist

Overview

  • Employed persons

    14,200

  • Employment status

    47.7% Full time

    52.3% Part time

  • Median age

    40 years

  • Employment by sex

    48.2% Female

    51.8% Male

    Gender balanced

  • Indigenous employment share

    0.4%

  • Main employing industry

    Health Care and Social Assistance

Indicator Dentist Total employment
Employed persons 14,200 12,049,400
Median age 40 years 40 years
Full-time share 47.7% 64.2%
Part-time share 52.3% 35.8%
Female employment share 48.2% 48.5%
Male employment share 51.8% 51.5%
Gender segregation intensity scale Gender balanced Gender balanced
Indigenous employment share 0.4% 2.2%
Main employing industry Health Care and Social Assistance Health Care and Social Assistance
Note: N/A values indicate data are not available due to confidentiality or data reliability requirements.

Occupation overview

Dentists diagnose and treat dental disease, injuries, decay and malformations of the teeth, periodontal tissue (gums), hard and soft tissue found on the mouth, and other dentofacial structures using surgery and other techniques.

What the occupation involves

  • Examines patients' teeth and mouths to diagnose and treat dental diseases, injuries or decay
  • Performs routine dental surgeries and other procedures, such as fillings and crowns, to treat dental conditions
  • Restores and replaces missing or damaged teeth
  • Performs cosmetic dental procedures to improve the appearance of patients' teeth
  • Prescribes medications and administers local anaesthesia to patients as necessary
  • Educates patients on proper oral hygiene and preventive dental care
  • Refers patients with complex issues to Dental Specialists for specialised treatment
  • May conduct surgical procedures such as tooth extractions or root canals

Common occupation titles

  • Dental Surgeon

Specialisations

No specialisations are listed for this occupation.

Skill level (education and experience level)

Skill level 1
equivalent to a university level qualification (Bachelor degree or higher).

Note: While skill levels are described using formal education levels, some people use a combination of informal learning, on-the-job training and personal experience to achieve an equivalent level.

Licensing or registration requirements

Registration or licensing is required.

OSCA structure

Employment

On this page

    Industries

    Top 10 most common industries, 2021

    Dentist Total employment
    Industry Share of occupation Industry Share of occupation
    Health Care and Social Assistance 96.4% Health Care and Social Assistance 14.5%
    Public Administration and Safety 1.1% Retail Trade 9.1%
    Financial and Insurance Services 0.7% Construction 8.9%
    Education and Training 0.5% Education and Training 8.8%
    Accommodation and Food Services <0.1% Professional, Scientific and Technical Services 7.8%
    Administrative and Support Services <0.1% Public Administration and Safety 6.6%
    Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing <0.1% Accommodation and Food Services 6.5%
    Manufacturing <0.1% Manufacturing 5.9%
    Other Services <0.1% Transport, Postal and Warehousing 4.5%
    Professional, Scientific and Technical Services <0.1% Financial and Insurance Services 3.7%
    Note: N/A values indicate data are not available due to confidentiality or data reliability requirements.

    States and territories

    Employment distribution by states and territories, 2021

    • New South Wales

      31.4%

    • Victoria

      25.4%

    • Queensland

      21.4%

    • South Australia

      6.9%

    • Tasmania

      1.6%

    • Northern Territory

      0.6%

    • Australian Capital Territory

      1.8%

    Dentist Total employment
    State / Territory Employment Share of occupation Employment Share of occupation
    New South Wales 4,500 31.4% 3,684,200 30.6%
    Victoria 3,600 25.4% 3,162,900 26.2%
    Queensland 3,000 21.4% 2,444,100 20.3%
    South Australia 980 6.9% 839,400 7.0%
    Western Australia 1,500 10.8% 1,306,200 10.8%
    Tasmania 230 1.6% 254,700 2.1%
    Northern Territory 80 0.6% 107,000 0.9%
    Australian Capital Territory 260 1.8% 248,600 2.1%
    Note: N/A values indicate data are not available due to confidentiality or data reliability requirements.

    Age and sex

    Employment distibution by age group and sex, 2021

    Dentist

    Total employment

    Age group Dentist Total employment
    15–24 years 2.8% 14.3%
    25–34 years 31.5% 22.7%
    35–44 years 28.6% 22.3%
    45–54 years 17.6% 20.4%
    55–64 years 13.2% 15.3%
    65–74 years 5.5% 4.3%
    75 years and over 0.7% 0.6%
    Note: N/A values indicate data are not available due to confidentiality or data reliability requirements.
    Sex Dentist Total employment
    Female 48.2% 48.5%
    Male 51.8% 51.5%
    Note: N/A values indicate data are not available due to confidentiality or data reliability requirements.

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      OSCA occupation profiles data

      This file contains data available from the OSCA Occupation Profile page.

      Use of this data must include the relevant attribution text provided.

      OSCA Occupation data - 2021 Census.xlsx

      xlsx 1236447

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      Occupation Standard Classification for Australia (OSCA)

      Occupation Standard Classification for Australia (OSCA) is the skill-based classification used to categorise occupations across the Australian labour market. OSCA is used to define occupations across all official occupational statistics. OSCA replaces the Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO).

      Each job is classified to one, and only one, group of jobs at each level of the classification with no overlaps. This prevents the accidental double-counting of roles within the Australian labour market. For more information about OSCA, visit the What is OSCA information page, or the ABS website.

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