Health

Dentist

Dentists check, treat and protect people's teeth, gums and mouths, and teach them how to keep their teeth healthy.

A dentist in blue scrubs, a hair cap, a mask and safety glasses leans over a patient in a dental chair and works inside his mouth with a thin tube.
Photo: Jameswasswa, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Writing on a product box on the shelf blurred; resized to 1000 px wide.

At a glance

Pay

In June 2025 a regional health authority advertised a Dental Surgeon (DS 1) job in a public health centre at J$6,799,334 to J$8,082,271 a year. Pay changes, so check the current figure.

North-East Regional Health Authority, Job advert: Dental Surgeon (HPC/DS 1), St. Ann Health Department (June 2025), checked Oct 2026

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Years of study

UWI's Doctor of Dental Surgery is five years of full-time study.

The University of the West Indies, Mona, Faculty of Medical Sciences Undergraduate Student Handbook 2026/2027, checked Oct 2026

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Jobs

No reliable figure yet

The path

  1. Your CSEC subjects and where to study

    Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS)

    The University of the West Indies, Mona

    You need: 5 CSEC passes (grade III or better), including English A, Mathematics and Physics and usually CSEC Biology (grade III or better) (check your sixth form) and usually CSEC Chemistry (grade III or better) (check your sixth form) and CAPE Biology Units 1 and 2 and CAPE Chemistry Units 1 and 2 and One more CAPE subject (both units)

    The University of the West Indies, Mona, Entry Requirements (by faculty), checked Oct 2026

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    Doctor of Medical Dentistry (DMD)

    University of Technology, Jamaica

    You need: 5 CSEC passes, including English A, Mathematics, Chemistry and Biology and CAPE Biology Units 1 and 2 and CAPE Chemistry Units 1 and 2 and CAPE Mathematics or Physics Units 1 and 2

    University of Technology, Jamaica, Doctor of Medical Dentistry (course of study), checked Oct 2026

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    Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) (in Trinidad)

    The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine

    You need: 5 CSEC passes, including English A, Mathematics, Chemistry, Physics and Biology

    The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS), checked Oct 2026

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  2. Your licence

    Every dentist must be registered with their council before working as a dentist in Jamaica, even for one day.

    Ministry of Health and Wellness, Professional Registration for Short Term Volunteers (updated June 2024), checked Oct 2026

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  3. Your first job

    Public dental surgeon jobs ask for full registration with the Dental Council of Jamaica.

    North-East Regional Health Authority, Job advert: Dental Surgeon (HPC/DS 1), St. Ann Health Department (June 2025), checked Oct 2026

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    UTech names dental surgeon among the careers for its dentistry graduates, along with specialist work such as oral surgery, root-canal treatment (endodontics), children's dentistry and public health.

    University of Technology, Jamaica, Doctor of Medical Dentistry (course of study), checked Oct 2026

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Sources for these sections

No AI writes these facts. Each one comes from the source named under it and is checked again every year.