Dentists, all other specialists
May 2005 employment and annual earnings distribution, wage and salary workers
Dentists, All Other Specialties: All dentists not listed separately.
Median annual earnings of salaried dentists were $129,920 in May 2004. Earnings vary according to number of years in practice, location, hours worked, and specialty.
Self-employed dentists in private practice tend to earn more than do salaried dentists, and a relatively large proportion of dentists is self-employed. Like other business owners, these dentists must provide their own health insurance, life insurance, and retirement benefits.
Dentists held about 150,000 jobs in 2004. Employment was distributed among general practitioners and specialists as follows:
| Dentists, general | 128,000 |
| Orthodontists | 10,000 |
| Oral and maxillofacial surgeons | 6,000 |
| Prosthodontists | 1,000 |
| Dentists, all other specialists | 5,000 |
About one third of dentists were self-employed and not incorporated. Almost all dentists work in private practice. According to ADA, 78 percent of dentists in private practice are sole proprietors, and 14 percent belong to a partnership. A few salaried dentists work in hospitals and offices of physicians.
(from the Occupational Outlook Handbook: Dentists)
See more recent statistics for employed workers below.
May 2005 employment and annual earnings distribution, wage and salary workers
National, State, and Metropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Earnings
State maximums: employment earnings: mean 10th
Metro maximums: employment earnings: mean 10th
| Dentists, all other specialists | |||||
| Percentile annual earnings, $ | |||||
| 10th | 25th | 50th | 75th | 90th | |
| National | |||||
| U.S. employment: 3,480 mean earnings: $115,640 | 39,910 | 52,960 | 94,600 | >$145K | >$145K |
| State and Metro Area | |||||
| California (ACS) (EAG) employment: 170 mean earnings: $93,430 | 43,610 | 75,680 | 86,470 | 100,820 | >145K |
| Georgia (ACS) (EAG) employment: n.a. mean earnings: $168,500 | 44,510 | >145K | >145K | >145K | >145K |
| Atlanta - Sandy Springs - Marietta, GA employment: n.a. mean earnings: $169,920 | 44,210 | >145K | >145K | >145K | >145K |
| Illinois (ACS) (EAG) employment: n.a. mean earnings: $112,340 | 49,440 | 59,120 | 99,210 | >145K | >145K |
| Indiana (ACS) (EAG) employment: n.a. mean earnings: $140,440 | 75,080 | 84,590 | 144,470 | >145K | >145K |
| Maryland (ACS) (EAG) employment: n.a. mean earnings: $98,230 | 76,100 | 85,830 | 103,840 | 113,820 | 119,890 |
| Massachusetts (ACS) (EAG) employment: n.a. mean earnings: $124,150 | 67,510 | 77,780 | 89,160 | >145K | >145K |
| Minnesota (ACS) (EAG) employment: n.a. mean earnings: $173,980 | 107,340 | 145,380 | >145K | >145K | >145K |
| New Jersey (ACS) (EAG) employment: n.a. mean earnings: $176,860 | 119,490 | >145K | >145K | >145K | >145K |
| Edison, NJ Metropolitan Division employment: n.a. mean earnings: $173,920 | 36,280 | >145K | >145K | >145K | >145K |
| New York (ACS) (EAG) employment: 290 mean earnings: $52,740 | 42,600 | 46,940 | 50,640 | 54,340 | 56,550 |
| New York - White Plains - Wayne, NY - NJ Metropolitan Division employment: 80 mean earnings: $78,360 | 43,330 | 47,560 | 52,120 | 56,670 | >145K |
| Oklahoma (ACS) (EAG) employment: n.a. mean earnings: $49,330 | 36,580 | 38,710 | 42,260 | 52,330 | 83,320 |
| Oklahoma City, OK employment: n.a. mean earnings: $49,290 | 36,580 | 38,710 | 42,250 | 52,150 | 83,280 |
| Pennsylvania (ACS) (EAG) employment: n.a. mean earnings: $179,190 | 106,450 | >145K | >145K | >145K | >145K |
| Virginia (ACS) (EAG) employment: n.a. mean earnings: $174,520 | 102,690 | >145K | >145K | >145K | >145K |
| Wisconsin (ACS) (EAG) employment: 40 mean earnings: $151,400 | 74,010 | 100,000 | >145K | >145K | >145K |
source: Occupational Employment Statistics Program; about these estimates
The highlighted text indicates the maximum values in each column among the states and metropolitan areas.
The (ACS) links lead to data from the American Community Survey from the Census Bureau.
The (EAG) links lead to U.S. Economy at a Glance data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.