Highest-paying dental jobs
Every dental role ranked by median annual pay, as of BLS OEWS May 2025. Surgeons and orthodontists top the list (BLS reports them at the top of its wage scale), followed by general dentists, then clinical and administrative roles. Open any role for the full distribution.
- Top role
- Oral Surgeon
- $352,220
- Roles ranked
- 9
- Verified by BLS
- 7 of 9
- Source
- BLS OEWS
- May 2025
| Role | Median annuali | Median hourly | Top 10% (90th)i | Data |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon | $352,220 | $169.34/hr | $622,640 | Verified |
| Prosthodontist | $311,180 | $149.61/hr | $344,750 | Verified |
| Orthodontist | $289,140 | $139.01/hr | $416,000 | Verified |
| General Dentist | $170,950 | $82.19/hr | $319,630 | Verified |
| Pediatric Dentist | $170,950 | — | $319,630 | Modeled estimate |
| Dental Hygienist | $98,100 | $47.16/hr | $126,050 | Verified |
| Dental Office Manager | $60,000 | $28.85/hr | $85,000 | Modeled estimate |
| Dental Laboratory Technician | $49,610 | $23.85/hr | $76,940 | Verified |
| Dental Assistant | $48,070 | $23.11/hr | $62,250 | Verified |
- Median annual
- $352,220
- Median hourly
- $169.34/hr
- Top 10% (90th)
- $622,640
- Data
- Verified
- Median annual
- $311,180
- Median hourly
- $149.61/hr
- Top 10% (90th)
- $344,750
- Data
- Verified
- Median annual
- $289,140
- Median hourly
- $139.01/hr
- Top 10% (90th)
- $416,000
- Data
- Verified
- Median annual
- $170,950
- Median hourly
- $82.19/hr
- Top 10% (90th)
- $319,630
- Data
- Verified
- Median annual
- $170,950
- Median hourly
- —
- Top 10% (90th)
- $319,630
- Data
- Modeled estimate
- Median annual
- $98,100
- Median hourly
- $47.16/hr
- Top 10% (90th)
- $126,050
- Data
- Verified
- Median annual
- $60,000
- Median hourly
- $28.85/hr
- Top 10% (90th)
- $85,000
- Data
- Modeled estimate
- Median annual
- $49,610
- Median hourly
- $23.85/hr
- Top 10% (90th)
- $76,940
- Data
- Verified
- Median annual
- $48,070
- Median hourly
- $23.11/hr
- Top 10% (90th)
- $62,250
- Data
- Verified
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Submit your salary →For May 2025, BLS publishes real medians for the top dental specialists — earlier releases censored them at a $239,200+ top-code, so older sources may still show that floor instead of the real figure.
Frequently asked questions
What is the highest-paying dental job?
Oral and maxillofacial surgeons and orthodontists are the highest-paid dental professionals, with median pay around $352,220 and $289,140 respectively. General dentists follow at a $170,950 median.
Do dental hygienists or assistants earn more?
Dental hygienists earn more than dental assistants — a $98,100 vs $48,070 median ($47.16/hr vs $23.11/hr).
Verified figures: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025. Administrative roles are modeled and labelled accordingly. How DentalSalary works →
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