General Dentist Salary in the United States

How much does a General Dentist make in the United States?

As of May 01, 2026, the average salary for a General Dentist in the United States is $197,146 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $95.

However, a General Dentist's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $251,622
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $186,828 to $225,661
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $177,434
Compensation Planning
Develop a Job Description
Pay Equity
2025 Compensation Trend
Recruit with AI
AI-Powered HR
View as table View as graph 25% $186,828 10% $177,434 90% $251,622 75% $225,661 $197,146 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

General Dentist Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $225,661 $18,805 $4,340 $108
Average $197,146 $16,429 $3,791 $95
25th Percentile $186,828 $15,569 $3,593 $90
Check out General Dentist Job Openings in the United States
General Dentist

Integrity Placement Group - Lorain, OH

GENERAL DENTIST

ICON MEDICAL NETWORK - West Chester, OH

General Dentist

Dental Dynamic Staffing - Toledo, OH

General Dentist need in

ICON MEDICAL NETWORK - Alliance, OH

Search More General Dentist Jobs in the United States

Key Factors That Influence General Dentist Salaries

A General Dentist's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects General Dentist Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a General Dentist's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $191,410
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $192,084
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $192,758
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $193,701
  • Expert (over 8 years): $197,146
Levels Salary
Entry Level General Dentist$191,410
Intermediate Level General Dentist$192,084
Senior Level General Dentist$192,758
Specialist Level General Dentist$193,701
Expert Level General Dentist$197,146
$191,410 0 yr
$192,084 < 2 yrs
$192,758 2-4 yrs
$193,701 5-8 yrs
$197,146 > 8 yrs
View as Table
View as Graph

What Am I Worth?

Top Paying Cities for General Dentists

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • San Jose: $248,660
  • San Francisco: $245,938
  • Oakland: $240,755

What Skills Can Increase a General Dentist's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Leadership (Mentioned in 6.53% Job Postings): Knowledge of and ability to employ effective strategies that motivate and guide other members within our business to achieve optimum results.
  • Clinical Skills (Mentioned in 3% Job Postings): The term 'clinical skills' involves history-taking, physical examination, clinical investigations, using diagnostic reasoning, procedural perfection, effective communication, team work and professionalism.
  • HIPAA (Mentioned in 1.98% Job Postings): The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 is a federal law that required the creation of national standards to protect sensitive patient health information from being disclosed without the patient's consent or knowledge.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Leadership 6.53%
Clinical Skills 3%
HIPAA 1.98%
What skills can make your compensation higher?
Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a General Dentist's salary.
  • Medical Prescriptions: Can increase your salary by up to 10%.
  • Coaching: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
  • Insight: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Medical Prescriptions
$216,861
10%
Coaching
$210,946
7%
Insight
$210,946
7%
Pediatric
$207,003
5%
Leadership
$205,032
4%
Support Services
$203,060
3%
Get Latest Data

How Education impacts a General Dentist's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many General Dentists enter the field with a JD, MD, PhD or Equivalent degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for a General Dentist with a JD, MD, PhD or Equivalent is between $190,456 and $203,180).

General Dentist Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for General Dentist
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 1.7%
High School 4.3%
Associates 8.4%
Bachelors 10.8%
Masters 10.1%
Doctorate 64.7%
view as graph

General Dentist Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a General Dentist's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on May 01, 2026

Salary Trends for General Dentist

Salaries for a General Dentist can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $111,991 in 2023 to around $111,559 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of General Dentist salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of General Dentist Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$111,991
2024
$113,346
2025
$111,559
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $111,991
2024 $113,346
2025 $111,559
2026
View More
2027
View More

Most common benefits for General Dentist

Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
For Employers

If your compensation planning software is too rigid to deploy winning incentive strategies, it’s time to find an adaptable solution.

Compensation Planning

Common company salaries for General Dentist

Here are companies hiring for General Dentist and their salaries, click below for more details.

Find Your Next General Dentist Job

Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current General Dentist job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.

United States
For Employees

Get a Salary Increase

Analyze the market and your qualifications to negotiate your salary with confidence.

Search Job Openings

Search thousands of open positions to find your next opportunity.

For Employers

Adjust Employee Salary

Individualize employee pay based on unique job requirements and personal qualifications.

Price My Industry Jobs

Get the latest market price for benchmark jobs and jobs in your industry.

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

Are you an HR manager or compensation specialist?

Salary.com's CompAnalyst platform offers:

  • Detailed skills and competency reports for specific positions
  • Job and employee pricing reports
  • Compensation data tools, salary structures, surveys and benchmarks.
Learn about CompAnalyst