What are the main factors that influence a General Dentist's salary?

The primary factors are: 1) Experience Level, 2) Geographic Location, 3) Education/Skills, 4) Company Size & Industry

How does experience change A General Dentist's salary?

A General Dentist's salary grows with experience: starting around $191,410 for beginners, reaching about $192,758 at mid-level, and approach $197,146 for experts.

What are the highest paying states for a General Dentist?

General Dentist salary varies significantly by state. The top 3 highest paying states for General Dentist roles are District of Columbia $218,280, California $217,452, Massachusetts $214,554. These tech hubs typically pay 10-15% above the national average.

How much do different types of General Dentist roles make?

Salaries for General Dentist level roles vary by specialization: Pediatric Dentist: $200,940; General Dentist Associate: $198,687; Senior Dentist: $196,572; Dentist: $195,518; Associate Dentist: $194,675.

How do different companies affect a General Dentist's salary?

Company size, industry, and compensation structure create significant salary variations for General Dentist roles. Large, established industry leaders like C R Bard Inc ($128,509) and Henry Schein Canada ($124,697) offer base salaries 35-40% above the national average. In contrast, smaller firms or startups may offer closer to $82,041.

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

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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

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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

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What Am I Worth?

How Do General Dentist Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract General Dentists. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

District of Columbia: $218,280.
California: $217,452.
Massachusetts: $214,554.

District of Columbia $218,280 California $217,452 Massachusetts $214,554 Washington $213,765 New Jersey $213,687 Alaska $213,411 Connecticut $210,690 New York $209,586

Hawaii $206,057 Rhode Island $204,401 Maryland $203,277 Minnesota $201,740 Colorado $201,148 Illinois $200,951 Oregon $200,202 Delaware $199,650

New Hampshire $199,303 Virginia $198,526 Pennsylvania $196,259 Nevada $195,115 North Dakota $194,741 Michigan $194,149 Wisconsin $193,933 Vermont $193,499

Texas $192,296 Maine $192,217 Arizona $192,099 Ohio $191,961 Georgia $190,147 Indiana $189,240 Wyoming $189,063 Utah $188,787

Iowa $188,669 Kansas $187,722 Louisiana $187,446 North Carolina $187,348 Missouri $187,308 Florida $186,540 Montana $186,126 Nebraska $185,731

Kentucky $185,514 South Carolina $184,726 Tennessee $184,233 Idaho $184,036 New Mexico $182,597 Oklahoma $182,281 Alabama $181,118 South Dakota $179,166

Arkansas $178,102 West Virginia $177,530 Mississippi $175,815

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

San Jose, CA $248,660

San Francisco, CA $245,938

Oakland, CA $240,755

New York, NY $226,992

Paramus, NJ $224,232

Queens Village, NY $224,222

Passaic, NJ $224,035

Bergenfield, NJ $224,017

Stamford, CT $223,583

Huntington, NY $223,502

Newark, NJ $222,046

Bridgeport, CT $221,630

Vallejo, CA $221,237

New Brunswick, NJ $221,158

Petaluma, CA $221,040

Middlesex, NJ $220,666

Somerset, NJ $220,528

Santa Cruz, CA $220,271

Boston, MA $219,069

Monterey, CA $218,377

Seattle, WA $217,925

Santa Rosa, CA $217,886

Los Angeles, CA $217,827

Juneau, AK $217,314

Washington, DC $217,097

Orange, CA $216,395

Santa Ana, CA $215,875

Long Beach, CA $215,678

Anaheim, CA $215,638

Anchorage, AK $215,540

Santa Maria, CA $214,948

Everett, WA $214,909

Danbury, CT $214,215

Bremerton, WA $213,943

Tacoma, WA $213,233

New Suffolk, NY $213,229

Sacramento, CA $213,174

Santa Barbara, CA $212,957

Trenton, NJ $212,740

San Diego, CA $212,740

Brockton, MA $212,523

Fairbanks, AK $212,040

Lompoc, CA $211,538

Lowell, MA $211,378

Ventura, CA $211,341

Nashua, NH $211,301

Stockton, CA $211,281

Modesto, CA $209,842

Poughkeepsie, NY $209,408

Olympia, WA $209,034

Kennewick, WA $209,034

New Haven, CT $208,955

Lawrence, MA $208,245

Hartford, CT $208,048

Riverside, CA $208,009

New Bedford, MA $207,812

Richland, WA $207,812

Bakersfield, CA $207,536

San Bernardino, CA $207,457

New Britain, CT $207,437

Atlantic City, NJ $207,437

New London, CT $207,358

Norwich, CT $207,299

Portsmouth, NH $207,260

Boulder, CO $206,842

Portland, OR $206,570

Worcester, MA $206,550

Minneapolis, MN $205,939

Philadelphia, PA $205,663

Honolulu, HI $205,012

Saint Paul, MN $204,917

Vineland, NJ $204,874

Providence, RI $204,302

Chicago, IL $203,731

Bellingham, WA $203,494

Springfield, MA $203,336

Baltimore, MD $203,277

Chico, CA $202,784

Pittsfield, MA $202,252

Manchester, NH $201,878

Spokane, WA $201,010

Denver, CO $200,990

Albany, NY $200,064

Troy, NY $199,985

Nassau, NY $199,774

Schenectady, NY $199,571

Wilmington, DE $199,413

Burlington, VT $199,137

Salem, OR $199,058

Portland, ME $198,447

Yakima, WA $198,250

Rochester, MN $197,639

Reno, NV $197,540

Fresno, CA $197,540

Milwaukee, WI $197,363

Detroit, MI $197,166

Ann Arbor, MI $197,132

Allentown, PA $197,107

Colorado Springs, CO $196,771

Syracuse, NY $196,673

Carson City, NV $196,673

Houston, TX $196,397

Eugene, OR $196,298

Gary, IN $196,062

Springfield, OR $195,904

Bismarck, ND $195,865

Galveston, TX $195,727

Medford, OR $195,431

Fort Collins, CO $195,352

Concord, NH $195,253

Austin, TX $195,194

Mesa, AZ $194,780

Reading, PA $194,761

Phoenix, AZ $194,741

Dallas, TX $194,682

Saint Cloud, MN $194,492

Madison, WI $194,228

Utica, NY $193,696

Rochester, NY $193,381

Des Moines, IA $193,361

Raleigh, NC $193,341

Atlanta, GA $193,045

Battle Creek, MI $192,986

Salt Lake City, UT $192,927

Lancaster, PA $192,631

Harrisburg, PA $192,355

Kansas City, MO $192,158

Champaign, IL $192,119

Kansas City, KS $192,119

Fort Worth, TX $192,099

Columbus, OH $192,066

Boca Raton, FL $192,020

Pittsburgh, PA $191,941

Richmond, VA $191,862

Indianapolis, IN $191,823

Cleveland, OH $191,803

Las Vegas, NV $191,567

Cincinnati, OH $191,567

Petersburg, VA $191,271

Huntsville, AL $190,975

Lansing, MI $190,843

Lebanon, PA $190,818

Pueblo, CO $190,798

Appleton, WI $190,739

Buffalo, NY $190,660

Dayton, OH $190,601

Racine, WI $190,561

Charlotte, NC $190,542

Saint Louis, MO $190,482

York, PA $190,364

Elkhart, IN $190,364

Gastonia, NC $190,327

Billings, MT $190,279

Beaumont, TX $190,226

Lorain, OH $190,187

Benton Harbor, MI $190,147

Toledo, OH $190,108

Binghamton, NY $190,009

Rock Hill, SC $189,990

Rockford, IL $189,891

Springfield, IL $189,812

Elyria, OH $189,792

Fargo, ND $189,792

Flagstaff, AZ $189,654

Fort Lauderdale, FL $189,536

Duluth, MN $189,418

Miami, FL $189,418

Cheyenne, WY $189,280

Grand Forks, ND $189,280

Bangor, ME $188,846

Cedar Rapids, IA $188,629

Durham, NC $188,546

Louisville, KY $188,531

Grand Rapids, MI $188,491

Hialeah, FL $188,472

Casper, WY $188,196

Scranton, PA $187,959

New Orleans, LA $187,900

Virginia Beach, VA $187,880

Akron, OH $187,782

Peoria, IL $187,525

Sarasota, FL $187,486

Nashville, TN $187,348

Omaha, NE $187,348

Green Bay, WI $187,348

Baton Rouge, LA $187,249

Charleston, SC $187,210

Jamestown, NY $187,111

Davenport, IA $187,111

Tucson, AZ $187,013

Saint Petersburg, FL $186,894

Tampa, FL $186,855

Evansville, IN $186,737

Port Arthur, TX $186,737

Bradenton, FL $186,658

Santa Fe, NM $186,303

Orlando, FL $185,948

Clearwater, FL $185,889

Canton, OH $185,475

La Crosse, WI $185,475

Albuquerque, NM $185,357

Newport News, VA $185,337

High Point, NC $185,278

Ogden, UT $185,199

Corpus Christi, TX $185,041

Norfolk, VA $184,923

Laramie, WY $184,923

Rock Island, IL $184,805

Saginaw, MI $184,765

Jacksonville, FL $184,746

Salisbury, NC $184,706

Boise, ID $184,667

Moline, IL $184,568

Fort Myers, FL $184,509

Memphis, TN $184,470

Tulsa, OK $184,371

Waterloo, IA $184,253

Spartanburg, SC $184,056

Lincoln, NE $183,957

Fort Wayne, IN $183,918

Provo, UT $183,898

Cedar Falls, IA $183,661

San Antonio, TX $183,582

Greensboro, NC $183,503

South Bend, IN $183,484

Savannah, GA $183,267

Muskegon, MI $183,188

Birmingham, AL $183,168

Winston Salem, NC $183,072

Lake Charles, LA $182,597

Anderson, IN $182,557

Lexington, KY $182,498

Augusta, GA $182,439

Greenville, SC $182,439

Lima, OH $182,281

Wichita, KS $182,261

Tuscaloosa, AL $182,261

Columbia, SC $182,084

Springfield, OH $182,045

Asheville, NC $181,729

Bloomington, IN $181,591

Knoxville, TN $180,881

Shreveport, LA $180,862

Wilmington, NC $180,605

Roanoke, VA $180,605

Topeka, KS $180,251

Frankfort, KY $180,229

Oklahoma City, OK $180,093

Chillicothe, OH $180,014

Longview, TX $179,994

Melbourne, FL $179,975

Sioux Falls, SD $179,659

Mobile, AL $179,639

Terre Haute, IN $179,561

Altoona, PA $179,442

Amarillo, TX $179,304

Killeen, TX $179,245

Fayetteville, AR $179,087

Chattanooga, TN $179,028

Sioux City, IA $178,851

Idaho Falls, ID $178,811

Lynchburg, VA $178,654

Gainesville, FL $178,397

Portsmouth, OH $178,299

Little Rock, AR $178,259

Lafayette, LA $178,181

Youngstown, OH $178,181

Daytona Beach, FL $178,062

Clarksville, TN $178,043

Pensacola, FL $178,023

Temple, TX $178,009

Hopkinsville, KY $177,431

Erie, PA $177,392

Florence, SC $177,313

Charleston, WV $176,998

Great Falls, MT $176,899

Macon, GA $176,623

Tallahassee, FL $176,603

Fayetteville, NC $176,564

Waco, TX $176,525

Helena, MT $176,387

Pine Bluff, AR $176,312

Vincennes, IN $176,071

Lubbock, TX $175,992

Alamogordo, NM $175,874

Twin Falls, ID $175,697

Rapid City, SD $175,637

Jackson, MS $175,283

Huntington, WV $175,269

Greenville, MS $175,263

Parkersburg, WV $175,062

Montgomery, AL $175,026

Wichita Falls, TX $174,829

Springfield, MO $174,829

Biloxi, MS $174,730

Monroe, LA $174,533

Johnstown, PA $174,395

Sumter, SC $174,316

Columbus, GA $174,297

Pascagoula, MS $173,922

Abilene, TX $173,922

Kingsport, TN $173,410

Albany, GA $173,410

Gulfport, MS $173,350

Alexandria, LA $172,700

Fort Smith, AR $172,207

El Paso, TX $171,675

Las Cruces, NM $170,788

Harlingen, TX $170,287

Pocatello, ID $170,255

Florence, AL $169,999

Brownsville, TX $169,960

Mcallen, TX $169,546

Dothan, AL $169,270

Columbus, MS $168,099

Altus, OK $167,180

Lawton, OK $166,805

Pierre, SD $166,096

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%

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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

No Diploma 1.7%

High School 4.3%

Associates 8.4%

Bachelors 10.8%

Masters 10.1%

Doctorate 64.7%

view as table

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

$186,828

Average $197,146/year

$225,661

$15,569

Average $16,429/month

$18,805

$3,593

Average $3,791/week

$4,340

$90

Average $95/hour

$108

	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

Salaries of jobs related to General Dentist

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

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401(k)

Disability

Healthcare

Pension

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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.)

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