by our College Data Analytics TeamStudying Dental Materials involves the study of Dental Materials. A Program That Focuses On The Scientific Study Of The Biomaterials And Inert And Active Compounds Used In Dental Procedures; The Development Of Dental Materials; And Their Effects On The Living Tissues Of The Oral Cavity And Systemic Bodily Health. Includes Instruction In Materials Science, Dental Bioengineering, Biocompatibility Of Materials, Physics And Mechanics Of Dental Materials, Elastic And Plastic Deformation, Surface Bonding, And Applications To Fixed And Removable Prostheses And Restorative Procedures. Examples: [Dental Materials (Ms)], [Dental Materials (Phd)]. Read on to learn the essential details every dental materials major should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering dental materials programs.
Our 2026 Best Dental Materials Schools ranking analyzes these 2 schools to determine the best overall colleges for dental materials students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of dental materials programs later in this article.
Studies in Dental Materials build a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations dental materials graduates commonly enter.
Skills emphasized by a dental materials program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
According to O*NET, a dental materials major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
People currently working in careers related to dental materials tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage 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% |
See the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in dental materials careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
A degree in dental materials opens doors to numerous career paths. These are some of the most common occupations related to dental materials.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to dental materials.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary | 1,335,407 | 10.7% |
| Dentists, All Other Specialists | 222,405 | 12.8% |
College Scorecard reports median earnings of dental materials graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow as graduates gain experience.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $209,489 |
| 4 years | $191,956 |
| 5 years | $225,886 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.
Salaries for dental materials graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers dental materials grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Dentists, All Other Specialists | $100,743 |
| Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary | $46,663 |
With 2 different dental materials programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased dental materials school rankings to help you.
If you are interested in dental materials, you may also want to explore other closely related fields of study within the same broad area.
More about our data sources and methodologies.
