Dentist Salary, Skills & Requirements (2026)
Advertised pay, starting pay, skills and experience from 6,288 US job postings by 911 employers. Data as of October 2026.
What US employers post for dentists: advertised pay, the skills and experience they ask for, and the job titles they use, from 6,288 open job postings (October 2026).
- The median advertised pay for dentists in US job postings is $234,000 a year (1,626 postings from 228 employers, October 2026).
- The middle half of those postings offer $186,000 to $300,000.
- The skills that most set dentist postings apart are clinical autonomy, general dentistry, treatment planning.
- Postings that state a minimum ask for a median of 2 years of experience.
Dentist job postings in the US, October 2026
- $234,000
- Median advertised pay (1,626 postings)
- $186,000–$300,000
- Middle 50% of postings
- 6,288
- US job postings from 911 employers
- 2 years
- Median experience asked
How much does a dentist make?
The median advertised pay is $234,000 a year, from 1,626 US job postings by 228 employers that state pay. One in ten postings offers $400,000 or more.
Advertised pay in 1,626 US dentist job postings: median $234,000 a year, middle half $186,000 to $300,000.
- Median: $234,000
- 25th percentile: $186,000
- 75th percentile: $300,000
The figures as a table
| Annual pay | Share of postings |
|---|---|
| $10K–$20K | 0.4% |
| $20K–$30K | 0.4% |
| $30K–$40K | 0.5% |
| $40K–$50K | 0.6% |
| $50K–$60K | 1.4% |
| $60K–$70K | 0.3% |
| $70K–$80K | 0.4% |
| $80K–$90K | 0.6% |
| $90K–$100K | 0.6% |
| $100K–$110K | 0.4% |
| $110K–$120K | 0.1% |
| $120K–$130K | 0.9% |
| $130K–$140K | 0.6% |
| $140K–$150K | 1.7% |
| $150K–$160K | 2.6% |
| $160K–$170K | 2.8% |
| $170K–$180K | 6.0% |
| $180K–$190K | 5.9% |
| $190K–$200K | 4.5% |
| $200K–$210K | 10.4% |
| $210K–$220K | 3.2% |
| $220K–$230K | 4.1% |
| $230K–$240K | 3.4% |
| $240K–$250K | 1.5% |
| $250K–$260K | 6.0% |
| $260K–$270K | 0.9% |
| $270K–$280K | 9.4% |
| $280K–$290K | 1.9% |
| $290K–$300K | 1.8% |
| $300K–$310K | 5.5% |
| $310K–$320K | 0.6% |
| $320K–$330K | 4.0% |
| $330K–$340K | 0.8% |
| $340K–$350K | 0.8% |
| $350K–$360K | 2.8% |
| $360K–$370K | 0.3% |
| $370K–$380K | 1.4% |
| $400K–$410K | 4.1% |
| $420K–$430K | 1.5% |
| $430K–$440K | 0.1% |
| $450K–$460K | 0.4% |
| $470K–$480K | 0.1% |
| $500K–$510K | 0.8% |
| $510K–$520K | 0.1% |
| $520K–$530K | 0.1% |
| $550K–$560K | 0.1% |
| $590K–$600K | 0.5% |
| $600K–$610K | 0.8% |
| $620K–$630K | 0.8% |
Midpoint of each posting's pay range, hourly pay × 2,080 hours; at most 20 postings per employer; US, October 2026.
| Median | Middle 50% | Postings | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Postings that state an annual salary | $250,000 | $194K–$300K | 683 |
| All pay postings, annualised | $234,000 | $186K–$300K | 1,626 |
For comparison, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics puts the national median annual wage of Dentists, General (29-1021) at $171,000 (May 2025). Postings advertise pay; the BLS measures what people earn, across all employers and levels.
What is the starting salary for a dentist?
Figure withheld: fewer than 250 US postings list pay. How we decide.
Highest-paying dentist jobs
Specializations with at least 250 postings that state pay.
| Specialization | Median pay | Postings with pay | Employers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dentist (general) | $239,000 | 1,579 | 204 |
Dentist pay by state
Single-location US postings; states with at least 100 postings that state pay. States with pay-transparency laws (such as California, Colorado, New York and Washington) are over-represented among postings that state pay.
| State | Median pay | Middle 50% | Postings with pay | Share of postings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York | $200,000 | $171,000–$241,000 | 117 | 5.7% |
Skills employers ask for in dentist job postings
| Skill | Share of postings |
|---|---|
| Communication | 29% |
| Interpersonal skills | 13% |
| Clinical autonomy | 9% |
| Treatment planning | 6% |
| Professionalism | 6% |
| Compassionate | 5% |
| Clinical skills | 5% |
| Teamwork | 5% |
| Hipaa | 4% |
| Integrity | 4% |
Skills named in the posting text; at most 20 postings per employer; US, October 2026. Methodology.
Skills that set dentists apart
- Clinical autonomy149× as often as in all postings · 9%
- Treatment planning36.5× as often as in all postings · 6%
Skills named in at least 5% of these postings and at least 3 times as often as in job postings overall.
Have a dentist job posting in front of you? See which of its skills your resume is missing.
What does a dentist do?
Employers post these jobs as General Dentist, Associate Dentist, Pediatric Dentist, Endodontist, Oral Surgeon and other titles.
The closest official occupation is Dentists, General (29-1021.00). Its most important tasks:
- Use masks, gloves, and safety glasses to protect patients and self from infectious diseases.
- Administer anesthetics to limit the amount of pain experienced by patients during procedures.
- Examine teeth, gums, and related tissues, using dental instruments, x-rays, or other diagnostic equipment, to evaluate dental health, diagnose diseases or abnormalities, and plan appropriate treatments.
- Formulate plan of treatment for patient's teeth and mouth tissue.
- Use dental air turbines, hand instruments, dental appliances, or surgical implements.
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database, U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (CC BY 4.0).
How much experience do you need to be a dentist?
Among 544 postings that state a minimum, the median is 2 years. Under 1% say 0 years and 29% ask for 1 year or less.
Minimum experience asked in 544 US dentist job postings: median 2 years, and 29% ask for 1 year or less.
The figures as a table
| Minimum experience asked | Share of postings |
|---|---|
| 0 yr | under 1% |
| 1 yr | 28% |
| 2 yrs | 31% |
| 3-4 yrs | 23% |
| 5-7 yrs | 15% |
| 8-9 yrs | under 1% |
| 10+ yrs | 2% |
Postings that state a minimum (required or preferred); at most 20 postings per employer; US, October 2026.
We do not show a degree figure: in our checks, degree requirements in posting text were found too rarely to publish one. Why.
Full-time 70%, Part-time 30% of the 921 postings that state working hours.
Other names for a dentist: job titles employers use
| Job title | Employers using it |
|---|---|
| Dentist | 480 (52.7%) |
| General Dentist | 183 (20.1%) |
| Associate Dentist | 112 (12.3%) |
| Pediatric Dentist | 96 (10.5%) |
| Endodontist | 46 (5.1%) |
| Oral Surgeon | 41 (4.5%) |
| Orthodontist | 32 (3.5%) |
| Dental Director | 28 (3.1%) |
| Periodontist | 19 (2.1%) |
| Staff Dentist | 16 (1.8%) |
| Associate General Dentist | 14 (1.5%) |
| Part-Time Dentist | 13 (1.4%) |
| Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeon | 11 (1.2%) |
| Lead Dentist | 11 (1.2%) |
| Traveling Dentist | 8 (0.9%) |
| PRN Dentist | 7 (0.8%) |
| Prosthodontist | 7 (0.8%) |
| Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon | 7 (0.8%) |
| Supervising Dentist | 6 (0.7%) |
| Dentist Part Time | 6 (0.7%) |
Titles read in our audit and used by at least 3 employers.
Dentist job titles compared
The titles people search for most, from the US job postings that use each exact title (October 2026).
| Job title | Open postings | Employers | Median pay | Median experience | Skills named most |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Endodontist | 287 | 46 | – | – | – |
| Pediatric Dentist | 309 | 96 | – | – | communication, clinical autonomy, integrity |
| Oral Surgeon | 129 | 41 | – | – | – |
| General Dentist | 1,057 | 183 | $250K | – | communication, interpersonal skills, clinical autonomy |
Endodontist vs Oral Surgeon
| Endodontist | Oral Surgeon | |
|---|---|---|
| Open US postings | 287 | 129 |
| Employers | 46 | 41 |
| Median advertised pay | – | – |
| Median experience asked | – | – |
| Skills that stand out | – | – |
General Dentist vs Pediatric Dentist
| General Dentist | Pediatric Dentist | |
|---|---|---|
| Open US postings | 1,057 | 309 |
| Employers | 183 | 96 |
| Median advertised pay | $250K | – |
| Median experience asked | – | – |
| Skills that stand out | – | – |
Dentist vs Endodontist
| Dentist | Endodontist | |
|---|---|---|
| Open US postings | 3,002 | 287 |
| Employers | 480 | 46 |
| Median advertised pay | $238K | – |
| Median experience asked | 2 years | – |
| Skills that stand out | – | – |
Dentist compared with similar careers
| Career | Median pay | Median experience | Postings | Shares N of top 25 skills |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dentist | $234K | 2 years | 6,288 | – |
| Physician | $312K | 2 years | 26,725 | 17 |
| Veterinarian | $148K | 2 years | 8,554 | 14 |
| Podiatrist | – | – | 292 | 13 |
| Optometrist | $152K | – | 4,386 | 13 |
Similar careers
| Career | Shares N of the top 25 skills | Median pay |
|---|---|---|
| Physician | 17 | $312K |
| Veterinarian | 14 | $148K |
| Podiatrist | 13 | – |
| Optometrist | 13 | $152K |
| Physical Therapist | 13 | $104K |
| Nurse Practitioner | 15 | $142K |
Applying for dentist jobs?
- Dentist resume examples: one-page examples for these roles
- Match your resume to a job: paste a posting and see the skills your resume is missing
- Check your resume: see how an applicant tracking system reads it
- Find dentist jobs: search open postings
Frequently asked questions
How much does a dentist make?
What are the highest-paying dentist jobs?
What are other names for a dentist?
How much does a General Dentist make?
Source and method
Open US job postings collected from employers' applicant tracking systems, de-duplicated, counted only when their job title was read in our audit. Shares count at most 20 postings per employer, and franchise locations of one brand count as one employer. Pay uses hourly and annual figures only; a figure is shown when leaving out the largest employer moves it by 10% or less. Every figure states its number of postings. Methodology and measured accuracy.
Accuracy check: we read 20 randomly chosen postings counted on this page in full; 19 of them were this career or a closely related one (October 2026).
Download the figures on this page (CSV): every number above with its count of postings. Aggregate figures are licensed CC BY 4.0; cite the page when you reuse them.