BLS general dentist pay at every level and by state, what part-time and long weeks do to the hourly value, and take-home after 2026 tax
General dentists earned a median salary of $170,950 in May 2025, or $82.19 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics' count of 124,390 employed dentists. The bottom tenth earned under $86,250 and the top tenth over $319,630. Practice owners and other self-employed dentists aren't in these numbers, and neither are specialists such as orthodontists.
This is the BLS line for general dentists (SOC 29-1021) on employers' payrolls. Self-employed dentists — 12% of all dentists, per the Occupational Outlook Handbook — and practice owners aren't included, and orthodontists, oral surgeons and other specialists are counted separately. Take-home assumes a single filer with 2026 federal tax and FICA and no state tax.
| Pay level | Hourly | Annual | Monthly | Take-home a year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $41.47 | $86,250 | $7,188 | $69,507 |
| 25th percentile | $60.44 | $125,710 | $10,476 | $97,189 |
| Median | $82.19 | $170,950 | $14,246 | $128,110 |
| 75th percentile | $107.71 | $224,040 | $18,670 | $166,139 |
| 90th percentile | $153.67 | $319,630 | $26,636 | $227,475 |
Alaska ($230,990), North Dakota ($220,660) and Minnesota ($219,200) have the highest medians for general dentists; Wyoming ($123,830) and Idaho ($124,190) the lowest. The biggest dental markets don't pay the most: California, with 16,770 employed general dentists, has a median of $165,950, below the national figure, and Texas $162,360.
| State | Median hourly | Median annual | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | $111.05 | $230,990 | 310 |
| North Dakota | $106.09 | $220,660 | 260 |
| Minnesota | $105.39 | $219,200 | 2,370 |
| Tennessee | $103.51 | $215,290 | 2,200 |
| Oregon | $101.77 | $211,690 | 1,660 |
| Maine | $100.58 | $209,200 | 310 |
| North Carolina | $99.52 | $207,000 | 4,140 |
| Georgia | $99.41 | $206,760 | 2,620 |
| Missouri | $98.54 | $204,960 | 2,440 |
| Vermont | $98.54 | $204,960 | 240 |
| Virginia | $94.76 | $197,110 | 4,140 |
| Arizona | $93.36 | $194,180 | 3,470 |
| Wisconsin | $93.12 | $193,690 | 2,560 |
| New York | $88.01 | $183,060 | 7,340 |
| Massachusetts | $87.31 | $181,600 | 2,780 |
| Iowa | $87.27 | $181,520 | 1,240 |
| Nebraska | $86.42 | $179,750 | 790 |
| Arkansas | $86.02 | $178,930 | 1,210 |
| New Hampshire | $85.33 | $177,480 | 500 |
| Florida | $84.09 | $174,900 | 9,320 |
| New Jersey | $82.37 | $171,330 | 2,980 |
| Louisiana | $82.09 | $170,750 | 1,500 |
| West Virginia | $81.91 | $170,370 | 420 |
| Michigan | $81.70 | $169,930 | 3,620 |
| Washington | $81.60 | $169,730 | 3,240 |
| Maryland | $81.01 | $168,500 | 2,100 |
| Hawaii | $80.68 | $167,820 | 830 |
| Ohio | $80.49 | $167,410 | 2,790 |
| Montana | $80.39 | $167,200 | 380 |
| Indiana | $80.12 | $166,650 | 2,300 |
| Colorado | $79.92 | $166,240 | 2,940 |
| Oklahoma | $79.89 | $166,170 | 980 |
| California | $79.79 | $165,950 | 16,770 |
| Pennsylvania | $78.56 | $163,390 | 4,460 |
| Texas | $78.06 | $162,360 | 8,920 |
| Nevada | $77.98 | $162,200 | 1,100 |
| Rhode Island | $77.67 | $161,560 | 360 |
| Connecticut | $77.13 | $160,440 | 1,950 |
| South Carolina | $76.27 | $158,640 | 2,140 |
| South Dakota | $76.03 | $158,140 | 390 |
| Illinois | $75.06 | $156,110 | 6,940 |
| New Mexico | $74.64 | $155,260 | 780 |
| Mississippi | $69.07 | $143,660 | 740 |
| Kentucky | $64.50 | $134,160 | 790 |
| Utah | $64.10 | $133,320 | 1,020 |
| Idaho | $59.71 | $124,190 | 650 |
| Wyoming | $59.53 | $123,830 | 240 |
Dentists' schedules vary. Some work evenings and weekends to fit patients' needs, many work less than 40 hours a week, and some work considerably more (BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook). That makes the salary per hour worked a better comparison than the annual figure for dentists who work a short week.
Dentists are covered by the FLSA's practice-of-medicine rule — its definition of physicians names dentists alongside medical doctors, podiatrists and optometrists (29 CFR 541.304). A licensed dentist actually practicing is exempt from overtime, and no minimum salary applies (DOL Fact Sheet #17D). Associate dentists paid a share of production are still in BLS's figures, since incentive pay counts as wages; bonuses that aren't tied to production don't (BLS OEWS FAQ).
Because many dentists work fewer than 40 hours and some far more, the same salary can mean very different pay per hour. The table divides the BLS median and 75th-percentile general dentist salaries by hours a week from 35 to 60, over 52 weeks; in the calculator, set your own hours and weeks.
| Hours a week | Median salary per hour | 75th percentile per hour |
|---|---|---|
| 35 | $93.93 | $123.10 |
| 40 | $82.19 | $107.71 |
| 45 | $73.06 | $95.74 |
| 50 | $65.75 | $86.17 |
| 55 | $59.77 | $78.34 |
| 60 | $54.79 | $71.81 |
Dentists need a DDS or DMD from an accredited dental school, which most applicants enter with a bachelor's and science prerequisites, and a state license — usually the written exam plus a state or regional clinical exam. Specialists such as orthodontists and oral surgeons complete a 2- to 4-year residency (4 to 6 years for oral and maxillofacial surgery) and need a specialty license (BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook). Specialists are counted in separate BLS lines; this page is general dentists.
More ways to work with your dentist pay:
$170,950 a year ($82.19 an hour) at the BLS median for May 2025. The middle half earned $125,710 to $224,040.
Alaska ($111.05 an hour, $230,990 a year), then North Dakota and Minnesota; Wyoming pays least among the 47 states where BLS released a figure (BLS, May 2025).
No. Federal rules treat practicing dentists like physicians: they're exempt from overtime and no minimum salary applies (29 CFR 541.304; DOL Fact Sheet #17D).
No. BLS covers employees only, so owners and other self-employed dentists — 12% of dentists — are left out. The figures describe associate and employed dentists in offices, clinics and government.
Tax rules, limits and pay data change. Check the current figures with the primary source before acting on them.