The average annual salary for dentists ranks below that of other medical specialties, while the salary for orthodontists ranks above 10 other medical specialties, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and Medscape's 2023 "Physician Compensation" report.
Here is how the average annual salaries for six dental jobs compare to 29 other medical specialties:
Dentist: $180,900
Dental hygienist: $84,860
Dental assistant: $44,710
Dental laboratory technicians: $49,930
Oral and maxillofacial surgeon: $309,410
Orthodontist: $216,320
Plastic surgery: $619,000
Orthopedics: $573,000
Cardiology: $507,000
Urology: $506,000
Gastroenterology: $501,000
Otolaryngology: 485,000
Radiology: $483,000
Oncology: $463,000
Anesthesiology: $448,000
Dermatology: $443,000
Surgery, General: $412,000
Critical Care: $406,000
Ophthalmology: $388,000
Pulmonary medicine: $378,000
Emergency medicine: $352,000
Pathology: $339,000
OB-GYN: $337,000
Neurology: $313,000
Nephrology: $312,000
Psychiatry: $309,000
Physical medicine and rehabilitation: $306,000
Allergy and immunology: $282,000
Rheumatology: $281,000
Internal medicine: $273,000
Diabetes and endocrinology: $267,000
Infectious diseases: $262,000
Family medicine: $255,000
Pediatrics: $251,000
Public health and preventive medicine: $249,000