Join the USPHS!

General Overview

The U.S. Public Health Service (USPHS) , is one of the eight uniformed services (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, Space Force, USPHS, NOAA). We have the same rank structure as the Navy, the same pay scale, the same great benefits, and similar bonuses. However, the USPHS is not a military service and has no enlisted members; it is comprised solely of commissioned officers dedicated to protecting, promoting and advancing the health and safety of our nation.

USPHS dentists work in government agencies across the United States and can transfer between them if they desire. There are four main agencies that employ dentists in the USPHS: the Indian Health Service (IHS), the Bureau of Prisons (BOP), the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) and the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Health Service Corps (IHSC). Some dentists also work at the FDA, HRSA, CDC, NIH, and HHS. 

As a USPHS Officer you may deploy during national and international emergencies such as 9/11, Hurricane Katrina, or the Haitian earthquake in 2010. The Public Health Service is there when people need help the most.

To subscribe to our monthly recruitment vacancies list and other information, please click here to subscribe to the USPHS-Dental-Information Listserv.

How to Apply

There are two steps to the process, and it is best to do them concurrently:

1. Apply to the Commissioned Corps of the USPHS - Begin the application process by calling 800-279-1605 or visiting https://www.usphs.gov.
2. Secure a job with an agency - Contact one of the agencies who employ USPHS dentists and speak with a recruiter. Click here for a list of current agencies and their contact information.

Click here for bulletin about our U.S. Public Health Service Dental Program

Click here for U.S. Public Health Service Dental Officers Best Kept Secrets