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Benchmarking

The median hourly wage for dental assistants was $21.55 in 2022, a 7.3% increase from 2021, according to the American Dental Association's Health Policy Institute.

The average annual salary for dentists decreased in 15 states between 2021 and 2022, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. 

The median hourly wage for dental hygienists was $39.14 in 2022, a 3.1% decrease from 2021, according to the American Dental Association's Health Policy Institute.

California, Texas and New York have the highest number of orthodontists and dentofacial orthopedists in the U.S., according to data from KFF.

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New dentists in affiliated private practices have an average of $309,355 of educational debt plus an additional $78,188 in other debt, the highest of any practice setting, according to research from the American Dental Association Health Policy Institute. 

The East Carolina University School of Dental Medicine is the cheapest dental school for first-year, non-resident dental students, according to data from the American Dental Association. 

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