Average Salary of Dentist in USA 2025
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Average Salary of Dentist in USA 2025

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Aishwarya
Aishwarya Bhatnagar
Study Abroad Expert
Updated on Dec 5, 2024 17:18 IST

Dentistry in the USA is a high-paying profession and those who complete their degree in USA with a license are allowed to practice. The average Dentist's income in USA is around USD 164,000 annually. Dentist pay in the USA is higher than in other leading countries like Canada and the UK. Check out everything about the average dentist salary in USA in this article. 

dentist salary in usa

The salary of Dentist in USA is high because it is a STEM education course, plus two of its specialisations are in high demand thus, they are well paid too. Being a Dentist in USA and studying in US has its perks and one of them is having a good income because the average salaries of doctors in US are high. Get all the necessary details on Dentist salary in USA in this article. 

Dentist Salary USA Highlights 2024

Median Salary 

USD 170,910

Mean Salary

USD 167,160

Highest Salary

USD 240,000 

Lowest Salary

USD 71,000

Employment Projection

5% by 2033

Current Unemployment Rate

0.5% (2022)

Top Paying US States 

Delaware, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, etc.

Why is the Income of Dentist in USA High?

There are a couple of reasons why the income of dentist in USA is high, one is because it is a professional medical course. Second, it is high on ROI. The other reasons are as follows:

  • Dentistry ranks #4 in ‘Best Healthcare Jobs in USA’ based on US News & World Report Rankings 2024. 
  • Since Dentistry falls into the STEM courses category, the salary of Dentists in US automatically goes up. Dentist ranks #8 under ‘Best STEM Jobs’ as per US News & World Report Rankings 2023.
  • Dentists in US are in high demand, and the average dentist’s salary in USA is higher. Hence, the job of Dentistry ranks in the top 10 at #10th position based on the ‘100 Best Jobs in USA’ as per US News & World Report Rankings 2023.
  • Dentist is one of the highest-paid jobs in USA apart from its specialisations like - Orthodontist and Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon. In the order of rankings by US News & World Report for the category ‘Best Paying Jobs in USA 2023’, Dentist ranks at #11, Orthodontist ranks at #8 and Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeon ranks at #2.

Thus, with this kind of rankings and recognition, it can be concluded as to why the income of dentists in USA is on the higher side. 

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Check: Top 10 Highest Paying Jobs in USA

Top 10 Paid Specialisations of Dentistry in USA

Check out the top 10 Dentistry specialisations in USA in the table below along with the average annual salaries and also salaries per month:

Dentistry Specialisations

Average Salary of Dentists in US (Annual)

Dentist Salary in US per month

Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon

USD 239,200

USD 25,955

Endodontist

USD 285,849

USD 23,821

Prosthodontist

USD 234,000

USD 14,388

Periodontist

USD 296,455

USD 24,705

Pediatric Dentist 

USD 190,434

USD 15,870

Orthodontics & Dentofacial Orthopedics

USD 239,200

USD 17,333

Dental Anaesthesiology

USD 393,215

USD 32,676

Dental Public Health

USD 189,979

USD 15,832

Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology

USD 205,936

USD 17,161

Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology

USD 100,105

USD 8,342

Thus, salaries of dentists in US reflect that they are some of the highest-paying jobs in USA.








Please note, that the Dentist salary in US per month and annually are subject to change based on market value and current exchange rates. Thus, this is the most recent salary data available for students’ reference. 

Average Dentist Income USA Geographically

Check out the states and cities where Dentists’ pay in USA is the highest after they begin practising. 

Top 5 Highest Paying US States for Dentists 







The average Dentist's salary in USA ranges between USD 197,900 - USD 206,270. These average salaries of Dentist in USA are the highest in the following US states:  

  • Delaware: USD 206,270
  • Rhode Island: USD 204,770
  • North Carolina (NC): USD 202,550
  • New Hampshire: USD 200,970
  • Connecticut: USD 197,900

(Source: US News)

Top 5 Highest Paying US Cities for Dentists 

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Based on the metropolitan city data, the following US cities are the top paying ones for Dentists based on US News data for 2022:

  • Spokane, Washington: USD 290,860
  • Manchester, New Hampshire: USD 290,300
  • Bridgeport, Connecticut: USD 257,680
  • Burlington, NC: USD 251,590
  • Olympia, Washington: USD 240,290

(Source: US News)

Projected Dentist Job Vacancies in USA by 2031

Based on US Labor Report the Dentistry occupation is set to see a boom by 2031. Around 7,700+ job vacancies will open for those with a degree in Dentistry in the USA. With increasing job vacancies, likely, the average salary of a dentist in US will also increase. Check out the projected job vacancies for Dentists in USA in the following table:

Dentist Occupations in USA 

Employment as of 2022

Expected Employment by 2031

Dentists

155,000

161,800

Dentists (General)

136,700

142,700

Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeons

4,900

5,100

Orthodontists

7,200

7,500

Prosthodontists

400

500

Other Dentist Specialities

5,800

6,000

Dentists in USA who are employed are recruited across various industries. The average dentist’s income in USA vary with the industry they work in. 

Also check out about: MPH in USA

Top Recruiting Industries in US for Dentists

Dentists are recruited across government and private industries in USA and the salary of Dentist in US depends on the industry in which they are recruited in. Based on the US Labor Report, the average Dentist income in US are as follows industry-wise:

  • Government: USD 190,400
  • Outpatient Care Centers: USD 166,170
  • Office of Physicians: USD 163,800
  • Office of Dentists: USD 159,530 

In order to practice Dentistry in USA should hold a Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) or Doctor of Medicine in Dentistry/Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD) accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA). Applicants will have to clear the DAT or Dental Admission Test along with the National Board Dental Examination. The license must be obtained to practice speciality in Dentistry as well.

Overall, it can be concluded that salary of Dentist in USA are lucrative and there is a promise of high ROI as well. Admissions to Dentistry courses in USA may be tough but qualifying the degree and being able to practice in USA with licensure is worth the effort. If you have more queries, you can shoot in queries in the comment box below. And for admission-related queries, sign up for free Shiksha Abroad Counselling and request a call back from our expert counsellors.

Q:   How much is a dentist paid in USA?

A:

On average, a dentist earns about USD 170,910 in a year which is approximately USD 73 an hour. Entry level applicants get a salary of around USD 50,000 while experienced dentists in USA earn around USD 206,900 and above. 

Q:   What is the salary of a BDS in USA in Indian Rupees?

A:

The median salary of BDS in USA as per US BLS is around USD 159,530 which is INR 1,35,08,605. A majority of the dentists in USA earn between USD 131,000 (INR 1,10,92,755) and USD 236,000 (INR 1,99,83,471) after completing a BDS from USA.

Q:   What is the salary of MDS doctor in USA?

A:

On an average, an MDS doctor in USA earns around USD 78,938 which is INR 66,84,273 at a mangerial position. The highest paid MDS in USA is USD 98,500.

Q:   What GPA is required for the University of South Dakota?

A:

The University of South Dakota expects a GPA score of 2.5 from undergraduates and 3 from postgraduates on the 4-pointer scale. Along with the GPA scores, undergraduates must meet the basic eligibility and submit an ACT score of 21 or higher and an SAT score of 1070 or higher. In addition, they must submit the required documents, such as academic history, transcripts, letters of recommendation, English language scores, and more.

Q:   Is MIT costly for Indians?

A:

MIT is not costly for Indian students. Applicants can study BTech program at affordable tuition fees as compared to other BTech colleges in the USA. The MIT BTech fees is around INR 50 L to INR 52 L.

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A:

There is no minimum GPA score for UG admission at Ohio State. However, International students must have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale or equivalent) for graduate admission. Applicants may submit a standardized test score (GRE or GMAT) if their cumulative GPA is below 3.0 for the last degree.

Q:   How much is the application fee for Alabama University?

A:

The Alabama University application fee for International students vary by application type. Mentioned below are the application fee for UG and PG applications at Alabama:

  • UG: USD 40 or INR 3,342.14
  • MBA: USD 80 or INR 6,684.28

Q:   Is it hard to get into the UTSA in San Antonio Texas?

A:

According to various sources, University of Texas San Antonio has an overall acceptance rate of around 87% which makes it somewhat selective for international student admissions. Some of the general requirements to be considered for admission are given as follows:

About the Author
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Written by
Aishwarya Bhatnagar
Study Abroad Expert

Aishwarya is a professional Writer currently working as a Study Abroad Expert in the Editorial Team at Shiksha. She has over 5 years of experience and is skilled at creating Online Content with leveraged knowledge i... Read Full Bio

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Kalyani
MBA Course in the US

Having Worked as an Academic Manager in Experiential Marketing earlier, Kalyani made her move to the study abroad vertical in 2017.Passionate about education and wanting to make a difference, Kalyani holds a B.Com d... Read Full Bio

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