National Occupational Classification, TEER 1
NOC 31110: Dentists
Dentists diagnose, treat, prevent and control disorders of the teeth and mouth. Below are the main duties, all 20 job titles it covers, what it means for Express Entry and what it pays in each province.
Updated
- Official NOC 2021 data
- Job Bank wages
What is NOC 31110?
NOC 31110 is the code for dentists in the National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2021. Job titles in this group include dentist, endodontist, oral and maxillofacial surgeon and oral pathologist. It is a TEER 1 occupation (usually a university degree), so it counts as skilled work for the Federal Skilled Worker Program and the Canadian Experience Class, and IRCC lists it for the healthcare and social services category draw. The Job Bank median wage across Canada is $110,000 a year.
- NOC code
- 31110
- TEER
- 1: University degree
- Broad category
- Health occupations
- Express Entry
- Skilled (TEER 0 to 3)
- Category draws
- Healthcare and social services
- Median wage
- $110,000 a year
Job titles under NOC 31110
Dentists diagnose, treat, prevent and control disorders of the teeth and mouth. They work in private practice or may be employed in hospitals, clinics, public health facilities or universities.
Main job titles
- dentist
- endodontist
- oral and maxillofacial surgeon
- oral pathologist
- oral radiologist
- orthodontist
- pediatric dentist
- periodontist
- prosthodontist
- public health dentist
All 20 job titles in the NOC index
dental surgeon, dentist, doctor of dental surgery, endodontist, general practice dentist, implantologist - dentistry, oral and dental surgeon, oral and maxillofacial surgeon, oral medicine specialist, oral pathologist, oral pathology and maxillofacial surgery specialist, oral radiologist, oral surgeon, orthodontist, pediatric dentist, pedodontist, periodontist, prosthodontist, public health dentist, stomatologist.
Main duties of NOC 31110
This group performs some or all of the following duties:
Dentists
- Examine patients' teeth, gums and surrounding tissue to diagnose disease, injury and decay and plan appropriate preventative or corrective treatment
- Provide general dental care such as cleaning teeth, filling cavities, performing root canals, applying veneers, and fitting crowns, bridges and dentures
- Restore, extract and replace diseased and decayed teeth
- Instruct patients on oral hygiene and preventive dental care
- Monitor patient progress to identify changes or the progression of dental disease
- Prescribe antibiotics or other medication as required
- Bleach, clean, or polish teeth to restore natural color
- Supervise dental hygienists, dental assistants and other staff
- Refer patients to dental specialists as needed for recommended procedures
- May provide basic orthodontic treatments with additional training.
Oral and maxillofacial surgeons
- Collaborate with other professionals, such as restorative dentists and orthodontists, to plan treatment
- Administer general and local anesthetics
- Perform surgery to prepare the mouth for dental implants or to aid in the regeneration of deficient bone and gum tissues
- Remove impacted, damaged, and non-restorable teeth, as well as tumors and other abnormal growths of the oral and facial regions
- Perform surgery on the mouth and jaws to treat conditions, such as cleft lip, palate, and jaw growth problems
- Provide emergency treatment of facial injuries including facial lacerations, intra-oral lacerations, and fractured facial bones
- Treat infections of the oral cavity, salivary glands, jaws, and neck.
Orthodontists
- Examine patients' teeth, gums and surrounding tissue to assess abnormalities of jaw development, tooth position, and other dental-facial structures
- Diagnose teeth and jaw or other dental-facial abnormalities
- Propose treatment plan for conditions such as underbites, overbites, crowding and others
- Design and fabricate appliances, such as space maintainers, retainers, and labial and lingual arch wires
- Fit dental appliances in patients' mouths to alter the position and relationship of teeth and jaws or to realign teeth
- Coordinate orthodontic services with other dental and medical professionals
- Educate patients about improving and maintaining orthodontic care, and promoting routine dental health care.
Prosthodontists
- Examine patient's teeth, gums and jaws to diagnose disease, injury and decay, and plan appropriate treatment to enhance patients' dental and facial aesthetics, or correct orofacial problems
- Replace missing teeth and associated oral structures with permanent fixtures, such as implant-supported prostheses, crowns and bridges, or removable fixtures, such as dentures
- Restore function and improve aesthetics for traumatic injury victims, or individuals with diseases or birth defects
- Design and fabricate dental prostheses, or supervise dental technicians who construct the devices
- Fit prostheses to patients, making any necessary adjustments and modifications
- Restore damaged teeth with materials such as fillings, veneers and crowns
- Collaborate with general dentists, dental specialists, and other health professionals to develop solutions to dental and oral health concerns.
Employment requirements
- Dentists
- Two to four years of pre-dentistry university studies or, in Quebec, completion of a college program in sciences and a university degree from a recognized dental program are required.
- Licensing by a provincial or territorial regulatory body is required.
- Dentists in general practice can move into a specialized practice through advanced training.
- Oral and maxillofacial surgeons
- Four to seven years of specialty residency training in oral and maxillofacial surgery are required.
- Orthodontists
- Three years advanced orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics program accredited by the Canadian Dental Association is required.
- Prosthodontists
- Three years advanced prosthodontics program accredited by the Canadian Dental Association is required.
Additional information
- Certification by the National Dental Examining Board of Canada entitles dentists or graduates of approved dental programs to practice dentistry in any province in Canada provided requirements set out by the provincial and territorial licensing authorities are met.
- Dentists with further education, training and licensing, can specialize and practice in such areas as oral and maxillofacial surgery, orthodontics, pediatric dentistry, periodontics, endodontics, prosthodontics, oral pathology, oral radiology or public health dentistry.
Is NOC 31110 eligible for Express Entry?
Yes for the programs that need skilled work: TEER 1 is in the TEER 0 to 3 range IRCC accepts.
| Program or draw | NOC 31110 |
|---|---|
| Federal Skilled Worker Program | Counts as skilled work (TEER 0 to 3) |
| Canadian Experience Class | Counts as skilled work (TEER 0 to 3) |
| Federal Skilled Trades Program | Not a listed trade |
| Healthcare and social services occupations (category draw) | On the eligible list |
| French-language proficiency (category draw) | Open to any occupation with NCLC 7 in French |
Read how TEER categories work and the full list of NOC codes in each 2026 category draw. Category draws also need at least 12 months of full-time work (or the same amount part-time) in one listed occupation within the past 3 years.
How much does NOC 31110 pay?
Job Bank wages for this occupation, per year. Low and high are, in most cases, the 10th and 90th percentiles, so 8 in 10 workers earn somewhere between them.
| Area | Low | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canada | $32,867 | $110,000 | $228,000 |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | Not published | $180,000 | Not published |
| Nova Scotia | Not published | $126,000 | Not published |
| New Brunswick | Not published | $132,000 | Not published |
| Quebec | $33,109 | $106,000 | $228,000 |
| Ontario | $37,561 | $104,000 | $210,000 |
| Manitoba | Not published | $116,000 | Not published |
| Saskatchewan | Not published | $110,000 | Not published |
| Alberta | $32,867 | $120,000 | $270,000 |
| British Columbia | $37,929 | $84,000 | $214,000 |
Source: Job Bank, Employment and Social Development Canada (Job Bank 2025 wages, revised November 19, 2025), data from 2021 (2021 Census). Wages for job offers in LMIA and provincial programs are compared with these figures, so check the current numbers on Job Bank before you rely on them.
Using NOC 31110 duties on your resume
Canadian resumes do not list NOC codes. Employers read your job titles, what you did and what came of it. The NOC duties are still a useful checklist: if you did these tasks, say so in your own words and add the numbers that prove it.
For Express Entry, the reference letter from your employer should describe the duties you really performed, in line with this lead statement and most of the main duties, without copying the NOC text word for word. The free reference letter generator checks your duties against NOC 31110 as you write.
- Start each bullet with a strong verb and end it with a result: how many, how often, how fast.
- Use the job title your employer used, even if the NOC title is different.
- Keep immigration details such as your NOC code and permit type off the resume.
Turn my duties into a resume Free to start, no card.
Where this information comes from
Occupation codes, titles and descriptions are adapted from Statistics Canada, National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2021 Version 1.0. This does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada of this product.
Wages come from Job Bank, Employment and Social Development Canada (Job Bank 2025 wages, revised November 19, 2025). Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada.
Express Entry rules come from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC): the program pages for the Federal Skilled Worker Program, the Canadian Experience Class and the Federal Skilled Trades Program, and the category-based selection page as modified on June 22, 2026.
Frequently asked questions
What is the NOC code for a dentist?
NOC 31110, Dentists, a TEER 1 occupation in NOC 2021.
What TEER is NOC 31110?
TEER 1. Usually a university degree. The TEER is the second digit of the code. See all TEER categories.
Is NOC 31110 eligible for Express Entry?
Yes. As a TEER 1 occupation it counts as skilled work for the Federal Skilled Worker Program and the Canadian Experience Class. You still have to meet every other requirement, and your duties must match the NOC description.
Is NOC 31110 in an Express Entry category-based draw?
Yes. IRCC’s 2026 list puts it in the healthcare and social services category. You need at least 12 months of full-time work (or the same part-time) in it within the past 3 years.
How much does NOC 31110 pay in Canada?
The Job Bank median across Canada is $110,000 a year, with most wages between $32,867 and $228,000. Pay varies by province: see the table above.
Where is the official description?
On the Statistics Canada and ESDC NOC site: search 31110 in NOC 2021 Version 1.0. This page shows the same text, from the open data Statistics Canada publishes.
Your duties fit. Now show employers.
CVMaple turns the work you did into a Canadian resume: the right format, strong bullets and the keywords Canadian applicant tracking systems look for.
More on NOC codes and Canadian resumes
- NOC Code Finder: Describe your duties and get your NOC 2021 code, TEER and Express Entry eligibility. Free.
- NOC Codes Canada: Full List: All 516 NOC 2021 codes with their TEER, duties and wages.
- TEER Categories Explained: What TEER 0 to 5 means, which count for Express Entry, and every job in each one.
- Express Entry Category Draws: NOC Codes: Every NOC code on the 2026 healthcare, STEM, trades, education and other lists.
- Canadian Resume Examples by Job: Real examples for cashiers, caregivers, trades, tech, students and more.
- Newcomer Resume Guide: Turn international experience into a resume Canadian employers understand.