Dentists, General Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for dentists, general in the U.S. is $170,950 ($82.19 per hour), according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 estimates.
- Median annual wage
- $170,950
- Mean annual wage
- $191,350
- Median hourly wage
- $82.19
- Employment
- 124,390
124,390 employed
Wage percentiles
| Percentile | Annual wage | Hourly wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $86,250 | $41.47 |
| 25th percentile | $125,710 | $60.44 |
| Median (50th) | $170,950 | $82.19 |
| 75th percentile | $224,040 | $107.71 |
| 90th percentile | $319,630 | $153.67 |
Highest-paying states for dentists, general
| State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Alaska | $230,990 | 310 |
| North Dakota | $220,660 | 260 |
| Minnesota | $219,200 | 2,370 |
| Tennessee | $215,290 | 2,200 |
| Oregon | $211,690 | 1,660 |
| Maine | $209,200 | 310 |
| North Carolina | $207,000 | 4,140 |
| Georgia | $206,760 | 2,620 |
| Missouri | $204,960 | 2,440 |
| Vermont | $204,960 | 240 |
Lowest-paying states
- Wyoming: $123,830 median annual wage
- Idaho: $124,190 median annual wage
- Utah: $133,320 median annual wage
- Kentucky: $134,160 median annual wage
- Mississippi: $143,660 median annual wage
About this occupation
Examine, diagnose, and treat diseases, injuries, and malformations of teeth and gums. May treat diseases of nerve, pulp, and other dental tissues affecting oral hygiene and retention of teeth. May fit dental appliances or provide preventive care.
Typical tasks
- Diagnose and treat diseases, injuries, or malformations of teeth, gums, or related oral structures and provide preventive or corrective services.
- Eliminate irritating margins of fillings and correct occlusions, using dental instruments.
- Formulate plan of treatment for patient's teeth and mouth tissue.
- Design, make, or fit prosthodontic appliances, such as space maintainers, bridges, or dentures, or write fabrication instructions or prescriptions for denturists or dental technicians.
- Fill pulp chamber and canal with endodontic materials.
- Administer anesthetics to limit the amount of pain experienced by patients during procedures.
Education of the current workforce — typical entry: Doctoral or professional degree
| Education level | Share of workers |
|---|---|
| Master's degree | 3.3% |
| Doctoral or professional degree | 96.7% |
Occupation profile data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor.
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About this data
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- CareerOneStop Occupation Profiles — data period 2026-08, retrieved August 14, 2026.
Figures are shown exactly as published by the source or derived by the documented formulas on our methodology page. Where a source suppresses an estimate, we show “—” rather than a substitute value.