Dentists are among the best paid professionals in the United States, with an average annual salary of $142,000 and top salaries reaching $237,000 a year according to a report from CNN Money.
Dentists employed in the U.S. typically earn salaries in the range from $79,567 to $240,419 a year including bonuses and contributions from profit sharing according to the salary information provided by Payscale.
Self-employed dentists generally earn an income in the range between $137,000 and $221,000 a year. Professionals working at physicians’ offices or private practices report yearly salaries in the range from $106,823 to $157,222 according to Payscale’s salary figures.
Men generally have higher salaries than women: male dentists typically report yearly salaries in the range from $84,596 to $242,904, while women usually earn an annual income between $59,598 and $178,772 according to Payscale.
Average salary
The average salary for dentists employed in the United States is $122,581 a year according to Jobstat, with the top salaries reaching $214,940 a year, and the lowest wages reported at $68,755 a year. The median annual salary for the profession, as reported by Salary.com, is $149,847. The top 10% earn salaries of $208,836 or more a year, while those on the lower end of the scale make $121,856 or less. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports a mean annual salary of $163,240 for this occupation, and a median salary of $145,240 a year.
Dentists employed at dentists’ offices have the highest salaries – around $166,280 a year – followed by those employed at offices of other health practitioners, who earn $154,840 a year on average, and professionals working in employment services, who are paid around $149,560 annually. Dentists working for the state government have an average annual salary of $146,810, and those employed at physicians’ offices earn $142,710 a year on average according to the salary information provided by the BLS.
Image: Nevit Dilmen
Starting salary
The starting salary for dentists in their first year is generally in the range from $59,598 to $155,979 a year according to Payscale.
Salary range
Dentists’ salaries depend on a wide range of factors, including professional experience. Dentists with 1 to 4 years of experience generally earn between $59,180 and $151,107 a year, and those with 5 to 9 years of experience are typically paid between $89,462 and $254,373 annually.
Professionals with 10 to 19 years of experience report annual salaries in the range from $72,877 and $269,146, and those with 20 or more years of professional experience typically make between $93,696 and $273,156 a year according to the salary data provided by Payscale.
Dentists’ salaries can vary dramatically depending on employer type. Dentists working at hospitals generally make between $53,710 and $164,867 a year, those employed by private practices and firms earn between $69,531 and $247,229 annually, and professionals employed by companies typically report salaries in the range from $62,055 to $231,985 a year.
Dentists who are self-employed generally earn between $88,563 and $257,605 a year, those working for non-profit organizations earn an annual income in the range from $87,565 to $144,321, and professionals employed by franchises are paid between $56,000 and $134,912 annually. Dentists working for the federal government report annual earnings in the range from $82,843 to $192,275, and those working for the state or local government are typically paid between $65,500 and $187,500 a year.
Dentists working for other organizations are paid between $80,537 and $146,943 a year, and those employed by universities and colleges have salaries in the range from $52,072 to $85,555 a year according to Payscale’s salary figures.
Salary by state
Dentists’ annual salaries vary significantly from state to state. Professionals working in California typically make between $71,517 and $240,342 a year, those based in New York earn between $54,820 and $248,323 annually, and dentists employed in Texas are generally paid between $79,665 and $200,616 a year. Professionals working in Pennsylvania earn between $56,865 and $234,891 annually, and those employed in Florida are paid between $50,507 and $241,902 a year. Dentists in North Carolina typically earn salaries in the range from $65,000 and $232,000 a year, and those based in Illinois are typically paid between $72,129 and $301,001 a year according to the salary information provided by Payscale.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reveals that the top paying states for dentists are New Hampshire, where these professionals receive an average annual salary of $234,010, followed by Vermont, where the median yearly salary for the occupation is $216,160, and Delaware, where dentists earn around $214,840 annually.
Professionals based in Washington earn $203,480 a year on average, those working in North Dakota make $200,510 a year, and dentists employed in Massachusetts earn around $176,080 annually. Professionals working in Utah are paid $115,980 a year on average, those based in Nevada earn around $137,470 a year, and dentists working in Arizona earn a median yearly pay of $171,810. Dentists working in California are paid around $140,620 annually, and those based in New York earn around $156,480 a year. Professionals working in Texas have an average yearly salary of $192,800, those based in Florida make $149,950 a year, and dentists working in Illinois receive a median annual salary of $128,240 according to the BLS salary data.
Salary by city
Dentists’ average annual income also varies from city to city. For example, dentists employed in New York make between $49,316 and $304,102 annually, those working in Chicago are paid between $97,586 and $306,090 a year, and professionals based in Los Angeles typically earn between $53,811 and $193,916 a year.
Dentists working in Houston generally report an annual pay in the range from $79,378 to $178,793, those based in Philadelphia make between $80,000 and $195,000 annually, dentists working in Seattle earn between $91,563 and $137,163 a year, and professionals employed in Boston are generally paid between $89,243 and $194,421 a year according to Payscale’s salary data.
Benefits
Along with basic salary and bonuses, dentists also get a wide range of benefits, and their benefits packages can sometimes reflect their annual earnings. Dentists who get 401(k) plans typically earn between $80,342 and $240,084 a year, those who get malpractice and liability insurance are generally paid between $93,977 and $253,969 annually, and professionals who get life and disability insurance report annual salaries in the range from $87,362 to $246,581.
Dentists who get paid vacations and holidays typically make between $85,868 and $225,000 a year, and those who get paid sick leave as part of their benefits package generally earn from $65,436 to $208,592 a year. Professionals who get reimbursement for education, professional training, tuition or certification earn an annual pay in the range from $86,345 to $248,148 according to Payscale’s salary statistics.
The most popular benefits and perks among dentists are 401(k) plans, malpractice and liability insurance, life and disability insurance, paid vacations, reimbursement for education, training and certification, and paid sick leave.
Hourly wage
The hourly rate for dentists depends on a number of factors, including professional experience. Dentists in their first year typically earn between $43.24 and $76.28 per hour, those with 1 to 4 years of experience make between $45 and $87.43 per hour, and professionals with 5 to 9 years of experience earn an hourly wage in the range from $30.41 to $147.95. Dentists with 10 to 19 years of experience are paid between $48.48 and $103.04 per hour, and professionals with 20 or more years of experience generally earn between $75.99 and $152.50 per hour according to Payscale’s salary statistics.
The hourly rate can vary from state to state. Dentists based in California typically earn between $55.37 and $297.99 per hour, those working in Texas make between $72.91 and $80 per hour, and professionals employed in New York generally earn an hourly wage in the range from $50 to $95 according to Payscale.
Men typically earn between $62.50 and $237.50 per hour, while women generally make between $49.32 and $94.36 per hour.
A dentist’s hourly wage usually also depends on employer type. Self-employed professionals typically earn between $40 and $90 per hour, and those employed by private practices make between $45.34 and $126.05 per hour. Dentists working for non-profit organizations earn between $68.85 and $82.23 per hour, and those employed by companies are generally paid between $40 and $225 per hour according to the salary information provided by Payscale.
Jobstat reports a median hourly rate of $52.5, with the best paid dentists earning $80 per hour and those on the lower end of the scale earning $25 per hour.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reveals that the average hourly rate for dentists employed in the U.S. is $78.48. The hourly wage for this occupation varies depending on industry. Dentists employed at dentists’ offices make $79.94 per hour on average, those working at offices of physicians earn around $68.61 per hour, and professionals employed by outpatient care centers have a median hourly wage of $66.66.
Dentists working at general medical and surgical hospitals earn $56.93 per hour on average, those employed by the state government make about $70.58 per hour, and professionals working at psychiatric and substance abuse hospitals are paid around $68.29 per hour. Dentists working in employment services earn around $71.90 per hour, and those employed at offices of other health practitioners earn an average hourly wage of $74.44 according to the BLS.
The average hourly rate for this profession also varies from state to state. Dentists in New Hampshire earn $112.51 per hour on average, those based in Vermont make $103.92 per hour, and professionals working in Delaware earn around $103.29 per hour. Dentists employed in Washington earn a median hourly wage of $97.83, those working in North Dakota are paid about $96.40 per hour, and professionals based in Utah earn $55.76 per hour on average.
Dentists employed in Nevada earn $66.09 per hour on average, those based in Massachusetts are paid around $84.65 per hour, and professionals working in Arizona make $82.60 per hour on average. California-based dentists earn around $67.61 per hour, those employed in New York make $75.23 per hour on average, and professionals working in Texas are paid around $92.69 per hour. Dentists in Florida have a median hourly rate of $72.09, and those based in Illinois earn about $61.65 per hour according to the salary figures provided by the BLS.
Salary by specialty
Dentists’ annual pay can also vary significantly depending on area of specialty. For example, dentists who specialize in public health typically report salaries in the range from $61,277 to $199,658 a year, those specializing in oral surgery are generally paid between $132,500 and $177,465 a year, and professionals specializing in pediatrics earn between $98,990 and $183,000 annually according to Payscale’s salary statistics.
Bonuses
The annual bonuses depend on a wide range of factors, including area of specialty. For instance, dentists specializing in family practice get $15,000 a year on average, while those specializing in prosthodontics are paid around $13,250 annually. Professionals specializing in oral surgery earn around $3,600 a year, and those specializing in general surgery get $2,500 a year in bonuses according to Payscale’s salary figures.
Dentists working at general hospitals and private practices usually get about $3,000 a year in bonuses. Professionals employed by the federal government are paid around $8,800 a year, and those working for schools and school districts get $1,500 on average in bonus money. Dentists employed by franchises get about $3,600 a year, and those working at universities and colleges are typically paid $1,000 a year in bonuses.
Other income factors
Dentists’ annual earnings can also vary from industry to industry. Professionals working in the health care sector generally earn salaries in the range from $68,510 to $170,998 a year, and those employed at hospitals make between $51,492 and $111,910 annually.
Dentists working at dentists’ offices earn between $75,369 and $244,966 a year, those employed at health clinics are typically paid between $50,335 and $297,988 annually, and professionals working in community health centers earn between $96,775 and $111,261 a year. Dentists working in the dental prosthetic services sector generally earn salaries in the range between $96,958 and $238,390 a year according to Payscale’s salary data.
Academic degree can also affect a dentist’s annual salary. Dentists with the degree of Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) typically report salaries in the range from $80,101 to $260,863 a year, while those with the degree of Dentariae Medicinae Doctor (DMD) are generally paid between $77,371 and $174,524 annually,