Dentist Salary
How Much Does a Dentist Make?
Many people who consider a career look at how much can be earned and a dentist’s salary which is in the six figure range brings lots of interest position. Dentist, like other major health professions, can specialize in 9 fields or hold other positions in the industry which can increase their yearly earnings. This article is for the salary of general dentist. Go to the appropriate page for other dental salaries: prosthodontists salary, orthodontists salary, oral and maxillofacial surgeon salary, and other specialty dentist salary.
Dentists make great money with their flexible schedule. The Bureau of Labor Statistics report for May 2009 showed that the mean annual wage for dentist was $156,850 or $75.41 per hour. Percentage wise the median was $142,090 with the lowest 10% making under $69,790. Dentist salaries will vary because of the main reasons like job experience, location, and work setting. In the BLS report, offices of dentist, specialty hospitals, and state government designations were the top there highest paying industries. Montana and Utah were the two of the lowest paying states and Maine and North Carolina were the two of the highest paying states according to the average mean salary of dentist.
For dentists with private practices this number is higher and the ADA reports that in 2005 the average salary for private practitioners was over $198,000. Dentist with their own practice can make more in several ways and the main reason is because they make money from the services they provide. This means the more patients they see and the more services performed the more money they earn and is what makes the job so flexible. Another big factor is the price of the different services from teeth whitening to cavity removal. The American Dental Association does not set prices for dental services and dentists set prices themselves. The really good marketing ones can really bring in more clients using coupons or announcements for free checkups, x-rays, and other savings. For these reasons general dentist with private practices will make more and the amount will vary greatly from location to location.
Dentist Salary Range By State
Occupation: Dentists, General (SOC code 291021)
Period: May 2009
| State | Employment(1) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage(2) |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Alabama |
890 | $85.48 | $177,810 |
|
Alaska |
140 | $96.02 | $199,720 |
|
Arizona |
2050 | $77.12 | $160,410 |
|
Arkansas |
560 | $89.76 | $186,710 |
|
California |
12150 | $71.46 | $148,650 |
|
Colorado |
1660 | $71.91 | $149,560 |
|
Connecticut |
860 | $79.37 | $165,090 |
|
Delaware |
350 | $95.56 | $198,770 |
|
D.C. |
250 | $79.05 | $164,430 |
|
Florida |
4730 | $69.56 | $144,680 |
|
Georgia |
2310 | $80.32 | $167,060 |
|
Hawaii |
480 | $67.80 | $141,020 |
|
Idaho |
610 | $80.92 | $168,310 |
|
Illinois |
4590 | $68.68 | $142,850 |
|
Indiana |
1710 | $82.01 | $170,570 |
|
Iowa |
660 | $82.85 | $172,320 |
|
Kansas |
660 | $75.93 | $157,930 |
|
Kentucky |
830 | $71.84 | $149,430 |
|
Louisiana |
740 | $64.81 | $134,810 |
|
Maine |
440 | $99.02 | $205,960 |
|
Maryland |
2160 | $69.38 | $144,320 |
|
Massachusetts |
2500 | $81.41 | $169,340 |
|
Michigan |
3640 | $75.87 | $157,810 |
|
Minnesota |
1420 | $82.96 | $172,560 |
|
Mississippi |
540 | $77.91 | $162,050 |
|
Missouri |
1530 | $68.79 | $143,080 |
|
Montana |
300 | $59.25 | $123,230 |
|
Nebraska |
540 | $76.27 | $158,630 |
|
Nevada |
880 | $81.22 | $168,940 |
|
New Hampshire |
270 | $87.85 | $182,720 |
|
New Jersey |
3010 | $74.10 | $154,130 |
|
New Mexico |
450 | $83.93 | $174,560 |
|
New York |
6530 | $71.81 | $149,370 |
|
North Carolina |
2540 | $93.08 | $193,600 |
|
North Dakota |
210 | $94.45 | $196,450 |
|
Ohio |
3020 | $77.04 | $160,250 |
|
Oklahoma |
930 | $64.85 | $134,900 |
|
Oregon |
910 | $85.42 | $177,680 |
|
Pennsylvania |
3570 | $67.02 | $139,400 |
|
Puerto Rico |
210 | $39.68 | $82,530 |
|
Rhode Island |
150 | $91.17 | $189,640 |
|
South Carolina |
960 | $83.43 | $173,530 |
|
South Dakota |
210 | $68.70 | $142,900 |
|
Tennessee |
830 | $80.69 | $167,840 |
|
Texas |
4990 | $73.86 | $153,630 |
|
Utah |
1010 | $52.62 | $109,440 |
|
Vermont |
160 | $94.14 | $195,800 |
|
Virginia |
2100 | $90.00 | $187,200 |
|
Washington |
1890 | $85.42 | $177,680 |
|
West Virginia |
440 | $64.08 | $133,290 |
|
Wisconsin |
1760 | $82.05 | $170,660 |
|
Wyoming |
180 | $71.88 | $149,500 |
|
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