Dentist vs Physician
Measured from each occupation's own live postings: mostly different jobs wearing similar names. Posted pay favors the physician by about $69k at the midpoint.
The short answer
On pay, physicians come out ahead by about $69k a year at the midpoint of posted bands: $110k–$309k against $62k–$219k for dentists. These are advertised figures from postings that state a salary, not estimates.
On skills, they are mostly different jobs that happen to share a name or a hallway. The overlap is thin, which is often exactly why people search this pair. The readiness numbers further down say how far a typical profile on each side already reaches into the other, and which direction is the easier move.
Dentist
Physician
physician jobs · physician salary · physician career guide · careers for physicians
Switching, both directions
Dentist → Physician
What physician postings ask for that dentist profiles usually lack: Brewing, Teaching, EHR / EMR.
Physician → Dentist
What dentist postings ask for that physician profiles usually lack: Treatment Planning, Radiography, Branding, Local Anesthesia.
Open dentist roles
- Endodontist at Veterans Health AdministrationPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania$124k–$315k2d agoApply
- Dentist at Direct employerAshfield, AU2d agoUnlock
- Zahnarzt (m/w/d) in Düsseldorf-Garath at Direct employerDüsseldorf-Garath, Deutschland$62k3d agoUnlock
Médecin-dentiste (H&F) 80 - 100% at Centre Dentaire B1 SATramelan, Bern, Switzerland3d agoApply
Open physician roles
- Fachärztin / Facharzt Allgemeinmedizin (80–100%) in Mettmenstetten – Für engagierte Hausärzt:innen mit Fokus auf Prävent at MediPersonalMettmenstetten, Zürich, SwitzerlandTodayApply
- Fachärztin / Facharzt Allgemeinmedizin (80–100%) in Adliswil – Für engagierte Hausärzt:innen mit Fokus auf Prävention un at MediPersonalAdliswil, Zürich, SwitzerlandTodayApply
- Allgemeinarzt/-ärztin 80-100% in Frutigen gesucht – Ihre Expertise für eine ganzheitliche Patientenversorgung at MediPersonalFrutigen, Bern, SwitzerlandTodayApply
- Allgemeinarzt / Allgemeinärztin (80-100%) in Schaffhausen gesucht – Verantwortung im Alltag übernehmen at MediPersonalSchaffhausen, Schaffhausen, SwitzerlandTodayApply
See the whole board for both
3,878 open roles across the two.
Related comparisons
- Physician vs Registered Nurse84% peak overlap
- Dental Hygienist vs Dentist67% peak overlap
- Medical Assistant vs Physician64% peak overlap
- Dentist vs Occupational Therapist63% peak overlap
- Dentist vs Medical Assistant63% peak overlap
- Nurse Practitioner vs Physician63% peak overlap
Which one do your skills favor?
Run the instrument with your own skills and both numbers recompute for you. Free.
Quick answers
Which pays more, dentist or physician?
On pay, physicians come out ahead by about $69k a year at the midpoint of posted bands: $110k–$309k against $62k–$219k for dentists. These are advertised figures from postings that state a salary, not estimates.
Are dentist and physician the same job?
On skills, they are mostly different jobs that happen to share a name or a hallway. The overlap is thin, which is often exactly why people search this pair.
Can a dentist become a physician?
Yes, and the numbers say how far along you already are: a typical dentist profile covers 30% of what physician postings ask for. The instrument lists the exact skills that make up the rest.
Can a physician become a dentist?
Going the other way, a typical physician profile covers 20% of what dentist postings ask for.
How many dentist and physician jobs are open right now?
Right now our board has 119 dentist openings and 3,759 physician openings, each linking to the original posting. The board refreshes every night, so the counts move with the market. Hiring the most dentists at the moment: Direct employer (67), Jobup (23), Veterans Health Administration (12). For physicians: MediPersonal (2670), Veterans Health Administration (209), Direct employer (192).
Pay is the posted middle half; readiness is how much of the other role’s skill demand a typical profile covers. Refreshed nightly.