Dentist salary USA: Dentists are essential to maintaining and safeguarding our oral health. As the population continues to age and more studies demonstrate the link between oral health and general health, the demand for dental services is expanding.
To become a dentist in USA, candidates need to complete eight years of education. This includes four years of a bachelor's degree and another four years in dental school to obtain a Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) or Doctor of Medicine in Dentistry (DMD). It should go without saying that becoming a dentist is not an inexpensive endeavour.
Nevertheless, a career in dentistry is a wise choice with a good return on investment (ROI) rate. It holds the ninth position overall in the '100 Best Jobs' list published by US News & World Report in 2021. Prosthodontists, orthodontists, and oral and maxillofacial surgeons were three of the top 35 dental specialities on this list.
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that between 2018 and 2028, the employment rate of dentists will increase by 7%, which is faster than the average for all other professions. The growing demand for dentists has opened up a variety of practice locations worldwide, but how do find the highest-paying areas in the USA? Let us find out below.
Wish to know more about the scope of medical-related fields in the USA? Check out our guide on Doctor's Salary in the USA! Or, if you have any queries, you may connect with our expert team right away!
Got Any Queries to Ask Our Experts About Studying Dentistry in USA?
State-Wise Average Dentist Salary USA
There is a wide variation in dentist compensation from one state to another in the United States. Salary levels are affected by factors such as geographic region, cost of living, and demand for dental services. Let us take a look at the following table that represents the hourly rate and state-wise average dentist salary in USA.
US State |
Hourly Rate (in USD) |
Average Annual Salary (in USD) |
Alabama |
76.34 |
158,780 |
Alaska |
91.88 |
191,103 |
Arizona |
66.85 |
139,047 |
Arkansas |
68.10 |
141,646 |
California |
63.27 |
131,595 |
Colorado |
65.13 |
135,466 |
Connecticut |
81.72 |
169,975 |
Delaware |
65.06 |
135,324 |
District of Columbia |
81.91 |
170,375 |
Florida |
65.63 |
136,511 |
Georgia |
69.57 |
144,705 |
Hawaii |
66.14 |
137,564 |
Idaho |
77.76 |
161,745 |
Illinois |
79.97 |
166,338 |
Indiana |
69.58 |
144,725 |
Lowa |
62.86 |
130,740 |
Kansas |
65.94 |
137,151 |
Kentucky |
49.26 |
102,462 |
Louisiana |
54.58 |
13,522 |
Maine |
78.11 |
162,465 |
Maryland |
1.04 |
147,758 |
Massachusetts |
85.99 |
178,867 |
Michigan |
73.86 |
153,633 |
Minnesota |
78.58 |
163,441 |
Mississippi |
72.98 |
151,803 |
Missouri |
67.58 |
140,574 |
Montana |
7.59 |
140,587 |
Nebraska |
72.40 |
150,586 |
Nevada |
78.73 |
163,766 |
New Hampshire |
81.63 |
169,794 |
New Jersey |
69.27 |
144,072 |
New Mexico |
65.68 |
136,623 |
New York |
61.97 |
128,906 |
North Carolina |
66.14 |
137,561 |
North Dakota |
72.04 |
149,851 |
Ohio |
75.98 |
158,033 |
Oklahoma |
68.71 |
142,913 |
Oregon |
80.20 |
166,822 |
Pennsylvania |
61.36 |
127,621 |
Rhode Island |
88.14 |
183,331 |
South Carolina |
63.99 |
133,091 |
South Dakota |
59.08 |
122,885 |
Tennessee |
56.45 |
117,408 |
Texas |
68.27 |
142,009 |
Utah |
60.46 |
125,761 |
Vermont |
77.12 |
160,408 |
Virginia |
70.48 |
146,591 |
Washington |
65.76 |
136,789 |
West Virginia |
51.48 |
107,076 |
Wisconsin |
77.67 |
161,547 |
Wyoming |
57.33 |
119,255 |
Dentist Salary USA Based on Dental Specialisations
A Dentists salary might be a crucial consideration when deciding on a field of specialisation or whether to pursue a medical degree in dentistry. There are many factors to take into account when choosing a dental speciality. It may help you find an estimate of your economic profit and aid in future financial planning as a Dentist. It may also give you an estimate of how and when you will be able to pay off your student loan (if any).
In order to treat and manage a variety of oral health conditions, dental practitioners can opt to specialise in one or more of these fields. For several dental specialities, different degrees of education and training are needed, which can lead to compensation differences. The following table shows the Dentist salary in USA based on different specialisations:
Dental Specialisations |
Average Salary/Year (in USD) |
Dental Anesthesiology |
278,460 |
Endodontics |
194,930 |
Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology |
171,040 |
Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology |
194,930 |
Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery |
234,990 |
Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics |
237,990 |
Pediatric Dentistry |
194,930 |
Periodontics |
164,010 |
Prosthodontics |
214,870 |
Public Health Dentistry |
194,930 |
Highest Paying Cities for Dentists in USA
The average dentist salary USA varies by both city and state. There are several factors like employer, experience, industry, specialisation, etc. that affect these salaries. Take a look at the following table to know the highest paying cities for dentists in USA:
US City |
Hourly Rate (in USD) |
Average Salary/Year (in USD) |
Atlanta, GA |
70.03 |
145,664 |
Baltimore, MD |
71.69 |
149,117 |
Chicago, IL |
81.57 |
169,671 |
Cleveland, OH |
77.78 |
161,786 |
Hartford, CT |
84.06 |
174,841 |
Houston, TX |
68.88 |
143,261 |
Jacksonville, NC |
66.66 |
138,657 |
Las Vegas, NV |
92.03 |
242,000 |
Lynn, MA |
89.05 |
185,221 |
Milwaukee, WI |
78.60 |
163,491 |
Oklahoma City, OK |
69.05 |
143,630 |
Richmond, IN |
70.16 |
145,928 |
Saint Louis, MO |
68.38 |
142,220 |
Springfield, VA |
71.57 |
148,869 |
Tucson, AZ |
67.00 |
139,358 |
Washington, DC |
83.86 |
174,433 |
Top Dentist Employers in USA
A dentist's salary is influenced by their employer in part. Even while it is the requirement for all employers to adhere to local, state, and federal wage rates, some pay more than others. However, self-employed dentists in USA make an average of USD 239,447 a year, which is significantly more than dentists employed by a single employer. The following are top dentist employers in USA with the average annual salary they pay their employees:
Name of the Company |
Hourly Rate (in USD) |
Average Salary/Year (in USD) |
Alameda Health System |
81.73 |
169,991 |
Apple |
81.53 |
169,573 |
Arthur's Enterprises, Inc. |
84.15 |
175,026 |
Benevis |
80.80 |
168,055 |
Cassopolis Family Clinic Network |
81.23 |
168,958 |
Catholic Charities Of The Archdiocese Of Washington |
82.17 |
170,918 |
Chesterfields Ltd |
81.44 |
169,391 |
Christie Clinic |
81.54 |
169,610 |
Comprehensive Community Action Program |
81.04 |
168,558 |
East Bay Community Action Program |
80.72 |
167,901 |
Glenwood |
82.41 |
171,410 |
ImmediaDent |
80.86 |
168,183 |
MCR Health Inc |
84.01 |
174,747 |
MINT dentistry |
79.50 |
165,366 |
Neighborhood Health |
79.56 |
165,482 |
PCHC - Penobscot Community Health Care |
79.41 |
165,166 |
Resources for Human Development |
80.48 |
167,391 |
Salud Total |
82.13 |
170,823 |
The Centers |
80.07 |
166,552 |
The Primary Health Network |
86.73 |
180,405 |
Dentist Salary USA Distribution Based on History of Work Experience
Apart from the state, city, or location of an individual, the experience level is the most important factor in determining the dentist's salary in USA. It goes without saying that the more experience you have, the higher your salary will be. The following table shows the years of work experience in the field of dentistry, their average annual salary along with their percentage of increase based on their previous work experience:
Work Experience (in Years) |
Average Annual Salary (in USD) |
% Increase in Salary |
0 to 2 |
139,000 |
NA |
2-5 |
178,000 |
29% |
5-10 |
246,000 |
38% |
10-15 |
304,000 |
24% |
15-20 |
326,000 |
7% |
20+ |
348,000 |
7% |
US Dental Industry Related Jobs and Salaries
There are numerous prospects in the dental sector. While some jobs require years of education and training, others do not. Receptionists and dental front office managers collaborate to make sure the dental clinic works well. Dental sales representatives provide dentists with the instruments, apparatus, and supplies required for their work. The dental laboratory technician plans, designs, and fabricates the patient's dental prosthesis in collaboration with the dentist. The following table shows several jobs in the dentistry field, along with their average yearly salaries:
Types of Dental-Related Jobs |
Average Annual Salary (in USD) |
Dental Front Office Manager |
50,339 |
Dental Laboratory Technician |
45,000 |
Dental Sales Representative |
40,000 |
Dental Assistant |
42,000 |
Dental Hygienist |
78,000 |
Dental Receptionist |
32,000 |
Dentist Salary in USA Comparison 2013-2022
No stranger to average and hourly dentist salary USA that varies by state, city, specialisations, employers, work experience, etc. Let us now look at how the salary of dentist USA has gone through the increasing and decreasing percentage of change from the year 2013 to 2022:
Year |
Hourly Rate (in USD) |
Average Salary (in USD) |
% Change |
2022 |
70.87 |
147,000 |
+2.1% |
2021 |
69.38 |
144,000 |
+2.4% |
2020 |
67.71 |
141,000 |
+0.3% |
2019 |
67.53 |
140,000 |
-1.6% |
2018 |
68.63 |
143,000 |
+0.8% |
2017 |
68.09 |
142,000 |
+2.1% |
2016 |
66.68 |
139,000 |
+2.1% |
2015 |
65.25 |
136,000 |
+0.8% |
2014 |
64.76 |
135,000 |
+1.7% |
2013 |
63.65 |
132,000 |
- |
The road to becoming a dentist is arduous and takes over eight years to complete. After receiving your initial licence, however, you can choose between working as a general dentist or specialising in a particular speciality of dentistry. Moreover, your specialisation will then get you an additional licence after it gets completed.
Feeling this information is insufficient? Or, confused about which dental specialisation is right for you? Let us know at abroad@collegedekho.com. and we will answer your queries as soon as possible!
Need Expert Assistance to Choose the Right Dental Specialisation?