Dentistry is a lucrative career, but you probably won’t get the highest level of dental salary from school anytime soon. Several different factors, such as experience level, location, specialty area and employment sector, affect the degree to which you earn a year.
If you are thinking about a career in this high-paying field, you should know about the starting salary of a dentist, the income in various specialties, and whether wages are worthy of the debt of a dental school.
What is the average dentist salary in the US?
Latest data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) shows that the annual National Dentist salary is $179,210. Dentists who work in private practice can earn even more. The American Dental Association (ADA) found that average net profit for 2023 was $191,750 for general dentists and $323,780 for experts.
You may be wondering what a dentist will do to get such a high salary. A typical dentist will focus on oral care, teaching patients how to optimize their dental routine. Dentists can also work as specialists with a focus on areas such as anesthesiology, endodontic therapy, oral and maxillofacial radiology and surgery, orthodontics, orthodontics, orthodontic pathology.
What determines a dentist’s salary?
The typical income for this work depends on several factors. Below are some of the things that can affect your dental salary:
position
The cities and states you practice will have a big impact on how much you earn as a dentist. For example, BLS’ state-level data shows that while the average dentist salary in Illinois is $184,490, dentists based in Wyoming and Vermont earn $154,030 and $240,740, respectively.
Even wages between different regions in the same state can vary considerably. For example, in California, general dentists in the San Francisco metropolitan area earn average annual wages, while dentists in Los Angeles earn average wages of $174,180.
The highest salary status
| state | Average annual wage |
|---|---|
| Vermont | $240,740 |
| Delaware | $228,740 |
| Minnesota | $224,700 |
| North Dakota | $224,300 |
| main | $224,080 |
| Source: BLS |
Middle grade salary status
| state | Average annual wage |
|---|---|
| Indiana | $209,500 |
| Oregon | $209,670 |
| Georgia | $203,300 |
| Michigan | $202,390 |
| under | $202,250 |
| Source: BLS |
Lower rank salary status
| state | Average annual wage |
|---|---|
| West Virginia | $171,380 |
| South Dakota | $166,690 |
| Yuta | $148,860 |
| Nevada | $146,480 |
| Mississippi | $143,020 |
| Source: BLS |
Dental speciality
Dental specialties require 2-6 years of additional residency training. The ADA recognizes 12 dental specialties, all of which have higher salary possibilities than a typical dentist career. Experts support getting among top dental income, which requires more education and potentially student loan debt to complete training in accreditation programs.
Salary by dental specialist field
| Specialised | Average year sal |
|---|---|
| Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons | $368,879 |
| Oral and Maxillofacial Radiologist | $344,970 |
| Orthodontics | $309,402 |
| Prosthetic Scientist | $330,066 |
| Dental anesthesiologist | $393,215 |
| Oral pathologist | $337,500 |
| Source: Ziprecruiter |
Long years of experience
The number of years you practiced as a licensed dentist can also affect your dental salary. With more experience, you may be eligible for more competitive pay and will be able to accept more patients for practice.
According to Payscale, a general dentist with 1-4 years of experience leads an average salary of $149,000 compared to an average of $149,000 with an average of $149,000, compared to an average of $172,000.
Public Sector and Private Practice
The industry you work in will affect your income. For example, BLS data shows that the average annual wage for dentists is $178,300, while government dentists can clear median annual salary of over $213,000.
Dentists who choose to work as professionals in private practice can make more money. To explain, an orthodontist can make more than $239,200, while a prosthetics can make more than $239,000.
How do dentist salaries compare to other medical specialties?
Dentists are well paid, but there are other high paying opportunities in the healthcare sector as well. Here are some examples of other medical professionals who make on average more than dentists.
Salary by medical specialist field
| Career | Average salary |
|---|---|
| Anesthesiologist | $336,640 |
| surgeon | $354,760 |
| Obstetricians and gynecologists | $281,130 |
| Family medicine doctor | $256,830 |
| General pediatrician | $222,340 |
| Source: BLS |
Is it worth becoming a dentist?
Consider the return on investment (ROI) for attending dental school. Is the cost of attending dental school worth the expected salary?
According to data from the American Association of Dental Education, graduates in the class of 2024 earned an average student loan debt of $312,700. This total of debt accounts for unpaid undergraduate loans and loans accumulated during dental schools.
If you have an average annual salary of $179,210 for a dentist, you can earn just by spending two years later. The potential for revenue from a dental career is competitive, but if you are considering whether this career path is worth it, you should consider the cost of education.
Below are some tips to help you make an informed decision.
- Dentist Shadow: The shadowing program gives you a glimpse into what your dentist does every day. It’s also a plus for dental school applications.
- Talk to a dental student: You will face hours of daily coursework, study, lab training and more. Talk to current dental school students to learn how to manage the demands of dental schools.
- Ask yourself if you’re going to work in the public sector: Dentists who serve in the public sector can earn less than private sector dentists, but are also eligible for federal loan exemptions, such as Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) and state repayment programs.
Conclusion
Dentistry and its related specialties can be a beneficial and lucrative career. Note that if your main purpose is a high salary, other fields can pay more.
Your overall revenue potential will depend on where you live and practice, your years of experience, and what dentistry you pursue. Private practice dentists may earn higher than public services income, but may not qualify for forgiveness for federal student loans, such as PSLF.
