Though this poll only surveyed dentists, the implications reach beyond the profession of dentistry. Dentists see over 30 million Americans each month, allowing them to both hear and influence people's opinions on a wide range of topics.

Among the 71% of dentists who identify as Republican, 31% support Mitt Romney. Rudy Giuliani scored 21%, Mike Huckabee 17%, with John McCain, Fred Thompson and Ron Paul all receiving 11%.

The 29% of dentists who prefer the Democrats have a clear favorite candidate: Hillary Clinton, with 36%. She is followed by Barack Obama at 23%, John Edwards at 21%, and Bill Richardson and Joe Biden, each at 10%.

A number of statistical factors play into a dentist's political viewpoint. General dentists are more likely to support the Republicans than are dental specialists. In addition, male dentists tend to be more conservative than their female counterparts. Finally, rural dentists are more conservative and urban dentists tend to be more liberal.

Many dentists speculate as to which candidate would be best for dentistry. "Has a president ever directly served the needs of the dental community? It usually boils down to helping us through tax laws, as I see it... and the Republicans are the ticket there, I think," said one North Carolina dentist. "Mitt Romney may best serve the dental community," suggested a Washington dentist.

Some dentists favor the Democratic party because of health care concerns. "The country needs national health care. Dentists need a kick in the ass," commented a Kentucky dentist. "I'd probably prefer John Edwards. He'd be most likely to increase funding for insurance and health care," said another Democratic dentist.

Economic concerns lead many dentists to favor Romney. "Romney has by far the best approach to keep a good economy rolling. His health care approach far exceeds any of the Democrats, especially Hillary care (what a joke)," commented an Arizona dentist. "Mitt Romney has real-world success managing companies and balancing budgets. He should have the skills, intelligence, and get-it-done attitude to master the presidency," opined a California dentist.

A number of dentists have a soft spot for underdog candidate Ron Paul. "None of the candidates offer real change except Ron Paul," wrote a dentist from North Carolina. "The old money fools will be the death of us all. Ron Paul is the only non-corrupt candidate. No wonder the media pretends he doesn't exist," commented a Republican dentist.

Of course, many have not yet made up their minds. "I am voting for what is best for the country, not dentistry. It's time we stop being good Democrats. It's time we stop being good Republicans. It's time we start being good Americans!" exclaimed a Pennsylvania dental practice owner. "Anyone who wants the job should be disqualified," a North Carolina dentist commented pessimistically.

"I think the results of this survey have ramifications far beyond dentistry," said Jim Du Molin, dental consultant and founder of The Wealthy Dentist. "Dentists see tens of millions of patients each month. Though this poll was only of dentists, I expect it's consistent with the opinions of a great many more Americans."

Visit http://thewealthydentist.com/SurveyResults/049-Presidential-Election-Candidates-Dentist-Survey.htm for additional information on this and other Wealthy Dentist surveys in the areas of dental implants, cosmetic dentistry, sedation dentistry, and dentures.

The Wealthy Dentist is a dental marketing and dental practice management resource featuring dental consulting expert Jim Du Molin. The site's weekly dental surveys (located at http://www.thewealthydentist.com/surveys) and newsletters are viewed by thousands of dentists across the United States and Canada. The Wealthy Dentist is a sister company of the Internet Dental Alliance. IDA is the largest provider of internet dental marketing campaigns, dental websites, email newsletters and online find a dentist directories in North America.