Types of Dentists: Dental Specialties, Training Length and Earnings Explained (2026)

What types of dentists are there?

In 2026 there are two broad types of dentists in Europe and the United States: general dentists, who treat most problems in a mixed practice, and dental specialists, who complete three to six extra years of training in one field. The recognised specialties are orthodontics, oral surgery, periodontics, paediatric dentistry, endodontics, prosthodontics and oral and maxillofacial surgery.

A general dentist fills cavities, does root canals on simple teeth, places crowns, extracts teeth and checks children. Many add one focus through weekend courses and part-time master programmes. A specialist does fewer things and does them all day. An orthodontist, for example, may not drill a tooth for years.

Which specialties a country recognises differs. Directive 2005/36/EC recognises two dental specialties automatically across the EU: orthodontics and oral surgery. Other titles, such as periodontics, exist in some member states and not in others. In Switzerland there are federal specialist titles in orthodontics, oral surgery, periodontology and reconstructive dentistry.

How long does each dental specialty take in Europe, the UK and the USA?

Dental specialty training in 2026 takes three to four years in Germany for orthodontics, oral surgery and periodontics, three to five years in the United Kingdom after foundation training, and two to six years as a residency in the United States. Oral and maxillofacial surgery is the longest because it needs a medical degree as well.

The German specialist titles are awarded by the regional dental chambers. Orthodontics and oral surgery are recognised everywhere in Germany; periodontics exists as a title only in some regions, for example Westphalia-Lippe. For endodontics, prosthodontics and paediatric dentistry German dentists usually take a part-time master's degree while working.

Where does specialisation happen after a European dental degree?

A graduate of a European dental faculty in 2026 specialises after the degree, in the country where he or she wants to work. The degree itself, five to five and a half years in Bulgaria, Romania or Bosnia and Herzegovina, is general. Recognition under Directive 2005/36/EC gives access to the dental register and then to specialist training in any EU state.

In Germany the training posts are paid jobs in a university clinic or a specialist practice. In most other EU countries, Italy and Spain for example, specialist programmes run at universities and often charge fees. Graduates who are flexible about the country find a training post more easily.

One limitation, stated plainly: specialty places in orthodontics are scarce everywhere. Plan for at least one or two years as a general dentist first. That year also shows whether you enjoy the chair as much as you thought.

What does each dental specialist do all day?

The daily work of a dental specialist in 2026 is narrower than that of a general dentist and follows a fixed rhythm: an orthodontist sees 30 to 60 short check-ups a day, an oral surgeon runs surgery lists, a periodontist treats gum disease in long appointments, and a paediatric dentist works with children and their parents.

Maxillofacial surgery is a hospital specialty. Night duty, trauma cases and operations under general anaesthesia are part of it. In Germany it requires degrees in both medicine and dentistry, so the route takes about fifteen years from the first semester.

How much do dentists and dental specialists earn in 2026?

A dentist employed in Germany earns roughly 4,000 to 6,000 euros gross a month in the first years in 2026, and an employed orthodontist roughly 6,000 to 9,000 euros. In the United States the median annual wage in May 2025 was $170,950 for general dentists, $289,140 for orthodontists and $352,220 for oral and maxillofacial surgeons.

The German figures are rounded planning values; pay in dental practices is negotiated individually and there is no collective scale as in hospitals. Practice owners earn more but carry the cost of staff, equipment and rent. The US medians are salaries and owner incomes before tax. They do not show the student debt that a US dental degree usually brings.

Worked example: degree in Bulgaria, specialty in Germany

A student who starts dentistry at the Medical University of Sofia in 2026 pays 10,000 euros a year in tuition. Over five and a half years that is 55,000 euros. Living costs of about 650 euros a month add around 43,000 euros, so the degree costs roughly 98,000 euros in total.

The comparison with the United States is striking. There a four-year bachelor and a four-year dental degree come first, and tuition at many private US dental schools is several times higher than in Europe. A European degree followed by paid specialist training in Germany is far cheaper and roughly as long.

General dentist or specialist: what is the trade-off?

The choice between general dentistry and a specialty in 2026 is a trade between breadth and depth. A general dentist starts earning full pay at 24 or 25 and can open a practice in almost any town. A specialist spends three to six more years in training, earns more per hour later and depends on referrals from general dentists.

The practical points are easy to list. General dentists need no further title and can choose where to live. Specialists cluster in cities, because an orthodontic or periodontal practice needs a large catchment area. Training posts in orthodontics are limited, so the start can take a year or two. Postgraduate master programmes in implantology or endodontics cost money and are mostly done part-time.

Income does not decide the question on its own. A busy general practice in a rural German region often earns as much as an orthodontic practice in a crowded city. The working day is different, though. A general dentist switches between ten procedures before lunch. A specialist does the same three things very well.

Which dental specialty suits you?

Choosing a dental specialty in 2026 is mostly a question of temperament. People who like long-term planning and short visits often enjoy orthodontics. People who like a clear result at the end of an appointment choose oral surgery or endodontics. People who like children choose paediatric dentistry.

Spend time in the clinics during the degree. At the Medical University of Sofia the clinical years from the third year on rotate through all departments. Watch who leaves the clinic in a good mood at four o’clock. That tells you something.

If you already hold a related degree, for example as a dental hygienist or dental technician, parts of it may be recognised. Medschool Experts is the leading expert worldwide in credit recognition and frequently achieves placement into a higher year at top universities. Details are on the university transfer page.

International perspective: how this works in other countries

In Germany in 2026 a dentist with an EU degree registers with the regional dental chamber and applies for a specialist training post in orthodontics, oral surgery or, in some regions, periodontics. Training lasts three to four years, usually after one general year, and is paid as employment. German at C1 level is needed for patient work.

In the United Kingdom dentists register with the GDC as a licensing step, typically complete a year of dental foundation training and core training, and then compete for specialty training posts. The GDC keeps thirteen specialist lists, including restorative dentistry and special care dentistry, more than most EU countries.

In the United States a foreign-trained dentist usually completes a two- to three-year advanced standing programme to earn a US DDS or DMD, or passes the national board examination where a state allows it, and then enters a residency. Specialty residencies last two to six years.

In the Gulf states, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Qatar, licensing authorities distinguish general dentists from specialists. A specialist licence normally needs a recognised postgraduate qualification plus clinical experience. A European dental degree followed by a European specialty or master is a common combination there.

Which university is the right start?

For a future dental specialist, the dental faculty matters less than the clinical hours. Every state-accredited European dental faculty in 2026 leads to the same automatically recognised degree. What differs is cost, city, how much patient treatment students do themselves and how well the timetable leaves room for courses.

Medschool Experts places students in dentistry at 25+ partner universities, independent of their high-school diploma grades. Which faculty fits your profile and your budget is something we discuss in a free consultation. You can compare the options on the universities page first.