Associate Dentist

DentalFull-Time

Listed compensation

$400k-$500k

The week · per this posting · weekdays assumed

Ask the employer about the work setting, call expectations, weekend coverage and time off.

Posted 1h ago · Verified live

Job Description

Associate General Dentist — Pediatric & Sedation Focus

4-Day Clinical Week | St. Louis, MO Area | 30–33% of Net Collections

Position Overview

We are seeking an Associate General Dentist with a strong interest in pediatric dentistry and sedation dentistry to join an established family and pediatric dental practice in the greater St. Louis area.

This opportunity is ideal for a dentist who enjoys working with children, building trust with parents and caregivers, and providing high-quality dental care in a comfortable, patient-centered environment. The ideal candidate has experience treating pediatric patients and the clinical training, credentials, and judgment necessary to provide sedation dentistry within their authorized scope of practice.

The position offers an established patient base, a flexible four-day clinical schedule, and competitive production-based compensation. The schedule has not yet been finalized, allowing flexibility to build the clinical week around the right candidate.

Compensation & Schedule

  • 30–33% of net collections, with uncapped earning potential
  • Additional 2% on collections when monthly production exceeds $100,000
  • 700–900 daily guarantee during the first 90 days while building your schedule
  • Four-day clinical workweek
  • Flexible scheduling, with clinical days to be determined collaboratively
  • Target production of approximately 5,000–7,000 per clinical day, or $100,000 per month

Key Responsibilities

Pediatric Dentistry

  • Provide comprehensive dental care for infants, children, adolescents, and family-practice patients, as appropriate to training and experience.
  • Perform pediatric examinations, preventive care, restorative procedures, treatment planning, and appropriate extractions.
  • Diagnose dental conditions and develop individualized treatment plans based on each patient's clinical needs, age, and cooperation level.
  • Communicate effectively with parents and guardians regarding diagnoses, treatment options, informed consent, and preventive strategies.
  • Help create a positive, supportive dental experience for children, including patients with dental anxiety or difficulty cooperating with treatment.
  • Recognize cases requiring referral to a pediatric dental specialist or other appropriate provider.

Sedation Dentistry

  • Evaluate patients for sedation suitability in accordance with applicable clinical guidelines, practice protocols, and state requirements.
  • Provide sedation dentistry only within the scope of the dentist's training, current permits or credentials, and authorized practice privileges.
  • Follow established patient selection, preoperative assessment, informed consent, monitoring, emergency preparedness, and recovery protocols.
  • Monitor patients appropriately throughout sedation procedures and ensure proper documentation and post-procedure instructions.
  • Maintain current emergency-response competencies and coordinate care with the clinical team to support patient safety.
  • Collaborate with parents, caregivers, and team members to ensure clear communication before, during, and after treatment.

General Dentistry & Practice Collaboration

  • Provide appropriate restorative and operative care, including examinations, radiographic interpretation, restorations, and extractions within your scope and clinical competence.
  • Maintain efficient clinical workflows while prioritizing treatment quality, patient safety, and a positive patient experience.
  • Work toward production expectations of approximately 5,000–7,000 per day and $100,000 per month.
  • Collaborate with hygienists, dental assistants, and front-office staff on scheduling, patient education, recall, and treatment follow-through.
  • Maintain accurate clinical records and comply with applicable Missouri Dental Board regulations, OSHA standards, HIPAA requirements, and practice policies.

Required Qualifications

  • DDS or DMD degree from an accredited dental school.
  • Active Missouri dental license, or eligibility to obtain licensure before the start date.
  • Current CPR/BLS certification.
  • Demonstrated interest in pediatric dentistry and the ability to provide compassionate, age-appropriate care to children and adolescents.
  • Clinical competence in general dentistry, including diagnosis, treatment planning, and routine restorative procedures.
  • Strong communication skills when working with children, parents, guardians, and clinical team members.
  • Commitment to patient safety, professional ethics, accurate documentation, and continuing education.
  • Ability to work a four-day clinical schedule.

Sedation Dentistry Qualifications

Candidates with sedation training and experience are strongly encouraged to apply.

Depending on the sedation services offered by the practice, the selected dentist may be required to have:

  • Documented education and clinical training appropriate to the intended level and type of sedation.
  • Current sedation permits, certifications, or other credentials required by the Missouri Dental Board for the procedures performed.
  • Demonstrated competency in patient assessment, sedation monitoring, airway management, and emergency response appropriate to the intended level of sedation.
  • Current required emergency-management training and the ability to follow applicable monitoring, staffing, equipment, and recovery standards.

Preferred Qualifications

  • Prior experience in pediatric dentistry or a family practice with a substantial pediatric patient population.
  • Experience providing sedation dentistry in an appropriately equipped and authorized clinical setting.
  • Familiarity with pediatric behavior guidance, dental anxiety management, and treatment planning for young or anxious patients.
  • Comfort managing routine restorative procedures efficiently while maintaining a high standard of care.
  • Experience working within a production-based or percentage-of-collections compensation model.
  • Existing ties to the St. Louis metropolitan area or surrounding Missouri and Metro East communities.

Why Join This Practice?

  • Established family and pediatric patient base.
  • Opportunity to focus your clinical work on pediatric dentistry and sedation services.
  • Four-day clinical week with flexibility in selecting workdays.
  • Competitive percentage-based compensation with additional earning incentives.
  • Initial daily guarantee while your schedule develops.
  • Opportunity to build long-term patient relationships in a supportive clinical environment.

Interested in a pediatric-focused associate role with sedation dentistry opportunities? We welcome dentists with the appropriate clinical background, credentials, and commitment to safe, high-quality patient care to apply.

Requirements

Requires a DDS or DMD from an accredited dental school, an active Missouri dental license or eligibility to obtain one, current CPR/BLS certification, and competence in general dentistry. Candidates should be interested in pediatric care, communicate effectively with children and caregivers, and be able to work a four-day clinical schedule; sedation training and credentials are encouraged and may be required for the services provided.

Qualifications

Education
Doctoral or professional degree (postgraduate degree)
Experience
2+ years of experience

Key Skills

Patient CommunicationClinical Documentation

General Dentistry Career Context

Of the 48 active Dentist listings this role was benchmarked against, 2% are remote, 42% have no call, 67% require no weekends.

The cost-of-living index for Missouri is 90.8 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$450k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $496k in an average-cost state. 60.1% of Missouri clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Top Dentist Jobs

19 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution19 jobs · 16 employers

6
<$300k
9
$300k-355k
1
$390k
2
$410k-465k
1
$500k

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks16 jobs

401k / retirement match
94%
CME allowance
56% this job
Sign-on bonus
31%
Loan repayment
25%
Relocation assistance
25%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

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Work-life snapshot

median 3.0this job 2.8
Better work-life than 50% of Dentist listings

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 3,154 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

Living in Brentwood

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$389k≈ 1.0× annual pay
Typical market rent
$1,747/mo≈ 5% of gross pay
Residents’ average commute
19 min
Metro price indexU.S. average = 100
95.1
State income tax
Up to 5.3%
Sources & methodology

Sources: Zillow home values (Aug 2026), Zillow market rents (Aug 2026), U.S. Census ACS 2024 five-year.

BEA 2024 · St. Louis, MO-IL metro prices. Housing figures are city-level.

Ratios use this listing’s gross annual pay. Not a cost-of-living guarantee.

Independence Dental Services LP logo

About Independence Dental Services LP

Hospitals and Health Care
Dallas, Texas
51-200 employees

Benefits & Perks

Flexible Scheduling
4-Day Clinical Week
Daily Guarantee First 90 Days