Wisconsin has more than 3,000 dentists and was ranked the best state for dental health.
Benchmarking
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.
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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.
West Virginia was ranked as the worst state for dentists to live and work in by career website Zippia.