Dentist - New Grads Welcome
Listed compensation
$150k-$400k
The week · per this posting · weekdays assumed
Ask the employer about the work setting, call expectations, weekend coverage and time off.
Job Description
Associate Dentist – New Graduate Opportunity
Gentle Dental | Salem, Oregon
Start Your Dental Career with Support Behind You
You worked hard to become a dentist. Now it’s time to find the right place to grow into the kind of dentist you want to be.
Gentle Dental in Salem, Oregon is looking for a motivated new graduate to join a supportive, collaborative team with an established patient base, experienced clinicians, and the resources to help you build confidence as you transition from dental school into practice.
You’ll have the autonomy to practice dentistry your way, with mentorship and clinical support available when you need it.
Why New Grads Love This Opportunity
- Mentorship from experienced doctors as you build confidence and speed
- Established patient base with consistent new-patient flow
- Guaranteed base compensation plus production bonus opportunity
- Clinical autonomy with support when you want a second opinion or guidance
- Modern technology, including digital radiography and intraoral scanning
- Experienced hygienists and a strong clinical support team
- Structured onboarding designed to make the transition into practice smoother
- Continuing education and opportunities for ongoing professional growth
Loan Repayment Opportunity
This location qualifies for loan repayment programs administered through Oregon
Office of Rural Health (ORH) and the National Health Service Corps (NHSC).
For an eligible new graduate, that can make this opportunity even more valuable as you begin your career and tackle dental school debt.
Compensation & Benefits
Average full-time Dentist earnings: $150,000–$400,000 annually
Your compensation includes a guaranteed base with the opportunity to earn additional income through production.
Benefits Include
- Medical and retirement benefit options
- Malpractice coverage
- Continuing education support
- Flexible scheduling to support work-life balance
- Professional and clinical development opportunities
What You’LL Do
As an Associate Dentist, you’ll provide comprehensive, patient-centered care while continuing to expand your clinical skills. Responsibilities include:
- Comprehensive exams and diagnosis
- Restorative and preventive dentistry
- Treatment planning and patient education
- Developing treatment plans with mentorship support when desired
- Maintaining accurate clinical documentation
- Building lasting relationships with your patients
What We’RE Looking For
- DDS or DMD from an accredited dental school
- Active Oregon dental license or eligibility for Oregon licensure
- Strong communication and interpersonal skills
- A desire to continue learning and growing clinically
- Commitment to providing high-quality, patient-centered care
Why Salem?
Build your career somewhere you can build a life, too.
Located in the heart of Oregon’s Willamette Valley, Salem offers easy access to wine country, hiking and outdoor recreation, the Oregon Coast, and Portland – without the cost and congestion of living in the Portland metro area.
Ready to Get Started?
If you’re looking for your first dental opportunity and want mentorship, autonomy, an established patient base, and room to grow, we’d love to meet you.
Apply today and start building your dental career with Gentle Dental.
Key Responsibilities
The Associate Dentist will provide comprehensive, patient-centered care including exams, diagnosis, and treatment planning. They are also responsible for maintaining accurate clinical documentation and building lasting relationships with patients.
Requirements
Candidates must hold a DDS or DMD degree from an accredited dental school. An active Oregon dental license or eligibility for licensure is required.
Qualifications
- Education
- Doctoral or professional degree (postgraduate degree)
Key Skills
General Dentistry Career Context
Of the 49 active Dentist listings this role was benchmarked against, 41% have no call, 82% require no weekends.
The cost-of-living index for Oregon is 103.4 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$275k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $266k in an average-cost state. 62.0% of Oregon clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).
| Measure | This job | Market |
|---|---|---|
| Listed pay | $150k–$400k | Dentist median $250k (middle half $200k–$300k)391 comparable listings, Nov 2026 |
| Cost-of-living adjusted pay | ~$266k in purchasing power | Oregon index 103.4 (US = 100)BEA Regional Price Parities (2024) |
| Dentist listings in Oregon | 97 active | 5,716 nationallylive on WeekdayDoc, Nov 2026 |
| Work setting | on-site | peers: 41% no call · 82% no weekends49 benchmarked listings |
| Sign-on & loan repayment | sign-on bonus · loan repayment | US healthcare professional listings: 25% state a sign-on bonus (median $10k) · 5% offer loan repayment1,000 active listings, Nov 2026 |
| New General Dentistry listings | 573 in the last 30 days | 403 the 30 days before (+42%)U.S., first seen on WeekdayDoc, Nov 2026 |
Top Dentist Jobs
22 matches · ranked by paySalary Distribution
22 jobs · 16 employersAnnual compensation range
Benefits & Perks
18 jobs · 16 employersShare of similar jobs offering each benefit
General Dentist - Starting Annual Salary $275,000 (Lompoc)
Cali Dental · Lompoc, California
General Dentist
Dental365 · Medford, New York
General Dentist
$300k-$500kGeneral Dentist
$150k-$350k