by our College Data Analytics TeamA major in Dental Public Health & Education involves the study of Dental Public Health And Education. A Program That Focuses On The Scientific Study Of Dental Disease Prevention And Control, Community Dental Health Promotion, And Prepares Dentists And Public Health Professionals To Function As Dental Health Specialists. Includes Instruction In Preventive Dentistry, The Relationship Of Oral Disease To Health And Quality Of Life, Patient And Practitioner Behavior, Dental Epidemiology, Nutrition And Dental Health, Dental Care Policy And Delivery, Oral Health Program Planning And Administration, Biostatistics, And Research Methods. Examples: [Dental Public Health And Education (Cert.)], [Dental Public Health And Education (Ms, Mph)], [Dental Public Health And Education (Phd, Dph)]. Continue reading for the essential details every dental public health & education student should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering dental public health & education programs.
Nationwide, dental public health & education is a popular field of study, with 84 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best Dental Public Health & Education Schools ranking analyzes these 13 schools to determine the best overall colleges for dental public health & education students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of dental public health & education programs later in this article.
Coursework for Dental Public Health & Education build a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations dental public health & education graduates commonly enter.
Skills emphasized by a dental public health & education program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
Per O*NET surveys, a dental public health & education major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several dental public health & education degree levels. The table below shows the typical length of the most common levels, and how many graduates earn each one.
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 5 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 3 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 31 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 45 |
People currently working in careers related to dental public health & education tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Master’s degree | 32.1% |
| Doctoral degree | 22.0% |
| Post-doctoral training | 16.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 14.7% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 11.5% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 2.6% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 0.3% |
View the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in dental public health & education careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
Studying dental public health & education can lead to numerous career paths. These are some of the most common occupations related to dental public health & education.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to dental public health & education.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary | 1,335,407 | 10.7% |
| Dentists, All Other Specialists | 222,405 | 12.8% |
| Health Education Specialists | 169,157 | 3.7% |
The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of dental public health & education graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Wages typically rise 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 public health & education graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers dental public health & education grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Dentists, All Other Specialists | $100,743 |
| Health Education Specialists | $81,726 |
| Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary | $46,663 |
With 13 different dental public health & education programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased dental public health & education school rankings to help you.
Students interested in dental public health & education, you may also want to explore other closely related fields of study within the same broad area.
More about our data sources and methodologies.
