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Confidential Employer
Des Moines, Iowa

PRN Dentist - Des Moines Dental Clinics

DentistIncludes callPer Diem

Listed compensation

$76.92-$115.38/hr

The week · per this posting

Ask the employer about the work setting, weekend coverage, nights and shift pattern and time off.

Posted 1h ago · Verified live

Job Description

Working with a Patient Care Team, the Dentist provides comprehensive and emergency oral care to patients of Primary Health Care, Inc. to enhance the holistic approach to patient care.

The dentist works cooperatively with the physicians and other health care team members, providing leadership within the health center in the area of oral health. Meets ever changing oral care challenges while engaging patients in holistic care.

Utilizes established workflows to ensure patient and staff satisfaction and organizational financial success.

This position works on a PRN (as-needed) basis, with scheduling based on operational needs.

What You Will Do

1. Assesses patients presenting to the dental clinics and orders necessary procedures for the diagnosis of oral-related diseases considering the patient’s age-related, physical, psychosocial and cultural needs. Plans and sequences oral/dental treatment based on the diagnosis and needs.

Develops treatment modalities to enable patients with compromising factors & needs to receive oral care. Delivers comprehensive and emergency oral care in the dental clinics and the operating room. Completes dental x-rays pursuant to all regulations.

2. Educates the patient and family regarding the oral diagnosis, treatment plan, pre and postoperative instructions and prevention of disease that is understandable to the patient and family.

3. Adheres to organizational policies and procedures to minimize risk of radiation exposure to employees and patients.

4. Advises medical staff on the diagnosis and treatment of patients with oral-related conditions via written consultations, face-to-face interaction and participation in medical staff activities.

5. Provides after-hours call coverage and follow-up care for patients.

6. Assists the Dental Director in the development of clinical protocols for the department. Assists the Dental Director in the training and supervision of students participating in the dental clinic educational programs. Supports and assists with the department’s community outreach program, as requested.

7. Acts as a leader and role model for members of the Patient Care Team. Participates in department and medical staff meetings. Participates in the department and health center performance improvement activities.

Qualifications You Need

Required

  • DDS/DMD degree from an approved dental school.
  • Experience with and working knowledge of third-party payers and associated regulations.
  • Eligible for hospital privileges.
  • Basic computer skills with proficiency using Microsoft Office applications with willingness and ability to learn and computer applications.
  • Strong organization and time management skills.
  • Effective verbal and written communication skills
  • Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to work effectively and serve a diverse population.
  • Teamwork and collaboration skills.
  • Strong problem-solving, analytic and critical thinking skills.
  • Adaptive and resilient with ability to handle stress effectively.
  • License and Certifications: Current license to practice dentistry in the state of Iowa. Current registration with the Federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and Iowa Board of Pharmacy Examiners (CSA). *Current Basic Life Support (BLS) for Health Care Providers Certification recognized by the American Heart Association. *Current Mandatory Reporter Training: Child and Dependent Adult Abuse recognized by the Iowa Department of Public Health. * Must be obtained with Introductory Period if not current.

Preferred

  • Completion of a hospital-based general practice residency program or experience in hospital dental protocols.
  • Community Health Center experience.
  • Minimum of two years of experience as a dentist.
  • Bilingual, verbal and written language proficiency.

We Take Care of Our People

Your related experience and skills determine your base pay. The typical hiring range for this position is $76.92 - 96.15 per hour. Candidates with extensive related experience may be considered for a higher pay rate up to the pay range maximum of $115.38 per hour.

Grow Your Career with PHC

We take pride in offering development and growth opportunities to our team. Some of our training opportunities include Emerging Leaders, Dental Assistant Trainee Program, & Medical Assistant Trainee Program. In the last year, over 30% of our open positions were filled through promotions or transfers.

Join the PHC Community

| PHC Talent Community | Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | TikTok

Key Responsibilities

The dentist provides comprehensive and emergency oral care while working cooperatively with a patient care team to enhance holistic patient health. Responsibilities include assessing patients, developing treatment plans, educating families, and providing leadership within the dental clinic.

Requirements

Candidates must hold a DDS or DMD degree and a current license to practice dentistry in Iowa. Additional requirements include BLS certification, DEA registration, and the ability to work effectively with a diverse population.

Qualifications

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

Certifications

DEA License

Key Skills

Patient assessmentTreatment planningAdaptability

General Dentistry Career Context

Of the 40 active Dentist listings this role was benchmarked against, 3% are remote, 38% have no call, 85% require no weekends.

The cost-of-living index for Iowa is 87.8 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$200k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $228k in an average-cost state. 59.8% of Iowa clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Dentist by the numbers
MeasureThis jobMarket
Listed pay$160k–$240kDentist median $187k (middle half $104k–$296k)16 comparable listings, Oct 2026
Cost-of-living adjusted pay~$228k in purchasing powerIowa index 87.8 (US = 100)BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)
Dentist listings in Iowa53 active5,824 nationallylive on WeekdayDoc, Oct 2026
Work settingon-sitepeers: 3% remote · 38% no call · 85% no weekends40 benchmarked listings
Sign-on & loan repaymentnot statedUS healthcare professional listings: 25% state a sign-on bonus (median $10k) · 5% offer loan repayment1,000 active listings, Oct 2026
Sources: WeekdayDoc live listing index, BEA Regional Price Parities (2024); as of Oct 2026. Same values as the Weekday Verdict and Market Insights on this page.

Top contract/1099 General Dentistry Jobs

26 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution

23 jobs · 20 employers
9
<$290k
10
$290k-350k
1
$350k
1
$461k
2
$500k

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks

21 jobs · 20 employers
401k / retirement match
76%
CME allowance
62%
Sign-on bonus
33%
Loan repayment
14%
Visa sponsorship
14%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

#1

PERIODONTIST

Confidential Employer · New York, New York

$130-$135/hr
#2

General Dentist

Mid America Health · La Grange, Kentucky

$80 per hour
#3

Dentist

$60-$70/hr
#4

General Dentist

$150k-$500k
+ 24 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

median 3.0this job 3.0
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.

  • Includes call
Confidential Employer logo

About Confidential Employer

Hospitals and Health Care
Des Moines, IA
1,001-5,000 employees

Benefits & Perks

Training opportunities (Emerging Leaders, Dental Assistant Trainee Program, Medical Assistant Trainee Program)

Living in Des Moines

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$225k
Typical market rent
$1,129/mo
Residents’ average commute
20 min
Metro price indexU.S. average = 100
91.7
State income tax
Up to 6%
Sources & methodology

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

BEA 2024 · Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA metro prices. Housing figures are city-level.

City-level figures. Not a cost-of-living guarantee.