The average retirement age for dentists in the U.S. has risen from 64.7 in 2001 to 68.9 in 2023, according to the American Dental Association's Health Policy Institute.
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Oral surgeons and maxillofacial surgeons have the highest mean hourly wage in North Carolina, where they make an average of $173.79 per hour, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Ann Arbor-based University of Michigan was ranked as the top dental school in the world by QS World University Rankings and has an average tuition of $59,946 for out-of-state, first-year students.
The cost of living in Michigan, the highest-paying state for orthodontists, is $42,187 for a single adult with no children.
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor was ranked as the top dental school in the world by QS World University Rankings.
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The average annual salary for orthodontists has fluctuated over the past five years, rising from $230,830 in 2019 to $243,620 in 2023, a total increase of nearly $13,000, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The cost of living in North Carolina, the highest-paying state for oral surgeons, is $44,848 for a single adult with no children.
The average annual salary for dental assistants has increased each of the last five years, rising from $41,170 in 2019 to $47,350 in 2023, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Specialty dentists have the highest mean hourly wage in Connecticut, where they make an average of $150.24 per hour, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Dental assistants make an average of $62,760 in Minnesota, the highest-earning state, compared to the state's average household income of $109,737.