Dentist Salary in the U.S. (2026)
Dentists in the United States earn a median of $247,000/yr ($950/day), based on 434 DirectDental job posts.
DirectDental job posts
$247,000/yr $950/day
Median
Middle 50% of posts: $200,000/yr to $300,000/yr
Based on pay listed in 434 jobs posted on DirectDental between October 2025 and October 2026. Listed pay may differ from final offers and doesn't include benefits.
Government data (BLS)
$173,000/yr $665/day
Median
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024. Government data covers all employers, not only those hiring on DirectDental.
Recent dentist jobs
- Dentist Confidential Dental Practice, Los Angeles, CA $600 - $800 / day
- Dentist Confidential Dental Practice, Spring Valley, CA $650 / day
- Dentist Dental Associates of Connecticut- Archway, Danbury, CT $200,000 - $300,000 / year
- Dentist Dental Associates of Connecticut- Archway, Newtown, CT $200,000 - $300,000 / year
- Dentist First Choice Dental Center, Louisville, KY $150,000 - $250,000 / year
- Dentist Eastern Dental of Eatontown , Ocean Township, NJ $200,000 - $400,000 / year
Highest and lowest paying states
- Highest: Missouri $316,000/yr
- Highest: Texas $290,000/yr
- Highest: Ohio $286,000/yr
- Highest: New York $275,000/yr
- Highest: Michigan $250,000/yr
- Lowest: Kentucky $136,000/yr
- Lowest: Utah $132,000/yr
- Lowest: Mississippi $129,000/yr
- Lowest: Wyoming $127,000/yr
- Lowest: Nevada $125,000/yr
Frequently asked questions
How much does a dentist make in the United States?
Dentists in the United States earn a median of $247,000/yr ($950/day), based on 434 DirectDental job posts.
What is the pay range for dentists in the United States?
The middle half of DirectDental job posts pay $200,000/yr to $300,000/yr.
Which states pay dentists the most?
By median pay, the top states are Missouri ($316,000/yr), Texas ($290,000/yr), and Ohio ($286,000/yr). Rankings use DirectDental job posts where a state has enough of them, and government data otherwise.
How we calculate this
- DirectDental figures use jobs published in the last 12 months with listed pay, not counting temp shifts.
- Each job counts once, at the middle of its pay range or its exact amount. Yearly pay is divided by 2,080 hours, monthly pay by 173 hours, and daily pay by 8 hours. Repeat posts of the same job count once.
- We show DirectDental figures only when a place has at least 10 jobs; otherwise the page shows government data.
- Last updated October 30, 2026.
- These figures are estimates for general information and are not a guarantee of pay.