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Periodontics/Periodontology

Types of Degrees Periodontics/Periodontology Majors Are Earning

Those studying Periodontics/Periodontology have the option of earning degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Master’s Degree	126

What Periodontics/Periodontology Majors Need to Know

Studies in Periodontics/Periodontology build a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Periodontics/Periodontology graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

This major prepares you for careers needing Periodontics/Periodontology emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Education and Training — Importance 4.7 / 5; level 5.9 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 4.6 / 5; level 5.7 / 7.
• Biology — Importance 4.3 / 5; level 5.2 / 7.
• Medicine and Dentistry — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Psychology — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

Skills emphasized by a Periodontics/Periodontology program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Speaking — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Reading Comprehension — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 5 / 7.
• Instructing — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 4 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Active Learning — Importance 4 / 5; level 4 / 7.

Abilities

The cognitive and physical abilities most relevant to Periodontics/Periodontology careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Expression — Importance 4.8 / 5; level 5.1 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 5 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Written Expression — Importance 4 / 5; level 5 / 7.
• Speech Clarity — Importance 4 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Periodontics/Periodontology graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.6 / 7
Training and Teaching Others	4.6 / 7
Getting Information	4.5 / 7
Working with Computers	4.4 / 7
Thinking Creatively	4.3 / 7
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships	4.2 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	4.2 / 7
Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others	4.1 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.0 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	4.0 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Periodontics/Periodontology professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Email software	Electronic mail software	—
Microsoft Access	Data base user interface and query software	—
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	—
Turning Technologies TurningPoint	Multi-media educational software	—
IBM SPSS Statistics	Analytical or scientific software	—
Blackboard software	Data base user interface and query software	—
Sakai CLE	Computer based training software	—
Course management system software	Computer based training software	—
DOC Cop	Information retrieval or search software	—
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	—
Electronic health record EHR software	Medical software	—
Articulate Rapid E-Learning Studio	Computer based training software	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Periodontics/Periodontology graduates include:

• College Professor
• Medical Pathology Teacher
• Neurology Professor
• Health Records Technology Teacher
• Health Assessment and Treatment Teacher
• Teacher
• Radiologic Technology Teacher
• Adjunct Clinical Instructor
• Virology Teacher
• Orthopedics Teacher
• Surgical Aides Teacher
• Assistant Professor
• Laboratory Technology Teacher
• Podiatry Teacher
• Clinical Laboratory Service Teacher

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Periodontics/Periodontology graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Master’s degree	35.9%
Doctoral degree	24.9%
Post-doctoral training	19.1%
Bachelor’s degree	12.5%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	4.6%
Postsecondary certificate	2.9%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Periodontics/Periodontology?

Gender Distribution

This field has a relatively balanced gender distribution: 45.2% women and 54.8% men among Periodontics/Periodontology graduates.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	57	45.2%
Men	69	54.8%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Periodontics/Periodontology graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	45	35.7%
Asian	22	17.5%
Hispanic or Latino	20	15.9%
Black or African American	4	3.2%
Two or More Races	3	2.4%
Race Unknown	5	4.0%
International Students	27	21.4%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Periodontics/Periodontology Graduates Earn?

College Scorecard reports median earnings of Periodontics/Periodontology graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$209,489
4 years	$191,956
5 years	$225,886

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $225,886 — roughly 8% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Is a Degree in Periodontics/Periodontology Worth It?

Looking purely at the federal earnings tracker, Periodontics/Periodontology graduates earn a median of $191,956 four years after completion — roughly 405% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	CIP Code
Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences	51.05
Advanced General Dentistry	51.0502
Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences, Other	51.0599
Dental Clinical Sciences, General	51.0501
Dental Materials	51.0505
Dental Public Health and Education	51.0504
Digital Dentistry	51.0512
Endodontics/Endodontology	51.0506
Geriatric Dentistry	51.0513
Implantology/Implant Dentistry	51.0514
Oral Biology and Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology	51.0503
Oral/Maxillofacial Surgery	51.0507

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.