Benchmarking

Mississippi has more than 1,200 dentists and was ranked the worst state for dental health.

Wisconsin has more than 3,000 dentists and was ranked the best state for dental health.

Rochester, N.Y., is the top-paying metropolitan area for orthodontists, with a mean annual wage of $229,560, according to compensation data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. 

The average out-of-pocket cost to visit a dentist in Alaska is $153.74, the highest of any state, according to data from personal finance website WalletHub.

San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, Calif., is the top paying metropolitan area for dental assistants, with an annual mean wage of $62,830, according to compensation data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. 

Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, Calif., is the top-paying metropolitan area for dental hygienists, with an annual mean wage of $131,200, according to compensation data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. 

Spokane-Spokane Valley, Wash., is the top paying metropolitan area for general dentists, with an annual mean wage of $290,860, according to compensation data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Offices of physicians are the top-paying practice setting for orthodontists in the U.S., according to salary data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. 

Dentists have an average salary of $145,300 in West Virginia, the lowest-ranked state for dentists to live and work in. 

Dentists have an average salary of $118,030 in Alaska, the top-ranked state for dentists to live and work in.