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Job outlook for dental surgeons in the United States
Dental surgeon job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected dental surgeon job growth rate is 7% from 2018-2028.
About 55,400 new jobs for dental surgeons are projected over the next decade.
Dental surgeon salaries have increased 5% for dental surgeons in the last 5 years.
There are over 3,536 dental surgeons currently employed in the United States.
There are 32,596 active dental surgeon job openings in the US.
The average dental surgeon salary is $279,537.
Are dental surgeon jobs in demand?
Dental surgeon job and salary trends over time
Dental surgeon jobs over time
Dental surgeon job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 3,536 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 2,733 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 3,085 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 2,605 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 2,924 | 0.00% |
Average dental surgeon salary over time
Dental surgeon salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $279,537 | $134.39 | +2.5% |
| 2025 | $272,750 | $131.13 | +1.7% |
| 2024 | $268,148 | $128.92 | +1.3% |
| 2023 | $264,763 | $127.29 | --0.4% |
| 2022 | $265,836 | $127.81 | +2.2% |
Dental surgeon jobs by state
Most common states for dental surgeons
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wisconsin | 5,795,483 | 417 | 7% |
| 2 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 61 | 7% |
| 3 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 462 | 6% |
| 4 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 347 | 6% |
| 5 | New Mexico | 2,088,070 | 129 | 6% |
| 6 | Maine | 1,335,907 | 84 | 6% |
| 7 | Alaska | 739,795 | 41 | 6% |
| 8 | Florida | 20,984,400 | 1,116 | 5% |
| 9 | Georgia | 10,429,379 | 487 | 5% |
| 10 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 273 | 5% |
| 11 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 204 | 5% |
| 12 | Oklahoma | 3,930,864 | 181 | 5% |
| 13 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 63 | 5% |
| 14 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 40 | 5% |
| 15 | Michigan | 9,962,311 | 428 | 4% |
| 16 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 244 | 4% |
| 17 | South Carolina | 5,024,369 | 221 | 4% |
| 18 | Missouri | 6,113,532 | 219 | 4% |
| 19 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 45 | 4% |
| 20 | Vermont | 623,657 | 25 | 4% |
Dental Surgeon job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of dental surgeon experts
University of California - Los Angeles
Creighton University
Creighton University
University of Virginia
Morehouse School of Medicine
Marc Hayashi DMD, MBA, FACD, FICD
Associate Clinical ProfessorUniversity of California - Los Angeles
Dentistry
What Dental Surgeon skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Marc Hayashi DMD, MBA, FACD, FICD: It is a stable career that provides you a lot of options in terms of career interests and growth, and allows you to provide a needed service to patients.
What Dental Surgeon skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Mary Melo DDS, M.Sc, PhD, FADM, FACD: Digital Dentistry is also growing and becoming part of our dental routine. Skills in digital scanning, CAD/CAM (Computer-Aided Design and Computer-Aided Manufacturing), and 3D printing will become increasingly essential as these technologies become standard in practice.
Another growing and always important aspect of our dental profession is interprofessionalism. A deeper understanding of how dental health intersects with overall health will be critical.
Scott Radniecki
Assistant ProfessorCreighton University
School of Dentistry
What certifications/licenses/courses can have the biggest impact for Dental Surgeons?
Scott Radniecki: There are many ways a new graduate can differentiate themselves from other potential job candidates, but the most impact likely would be having skills and experience in more difficult procedures. Being able to place and restore implants, extract wisdom teeth, do molar root canals, and do complex surgeries would really set apart a new grad from their peers. Many students will do weekend implant education courses their senior year to get a jumpstart on something most dental schools don't have a great opportunity to teach comprehensively due to many factors.
Scott Radniecki
Assistant ProfessorCreighton University
School of Dentistry
What will help Dental Surgeons increase their earning potential?
Scott Radniecki: -The earning potential of a new graduate is mostly based on their skill level and efficiency. For an associate dentist right out of school, being able to do more complex procedures and being efficient with your time are the two key factors to increase earning potential. Also, having good report with patients and a great "chairside manner" help with patient retention, and in turn, income potential.
-I encourage all 4th year dental students to get the most out of their dental school experience and to push themselves to get more comfortable with complex dental procedures prior to graduation, such as: extracting wisdom teeth, implant placement, molar root canals, or periodontal surgery. Many students will do externships their 4th year or take continuing education classes to improve their dental skillset. Beyond improvement of your skills and efficiency, the greatest earning potential for a new dentist is to own their office, acting as both dentist and business owner. Owning your office can add work hours outside normal business hours, or take time away from seeing patients, though, which may not be the path chosen for all.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Dental Surgeons to find work opportunities?
Rajesh Balkrishnan Ph.D.: Areas close to IT Hubs or where there are many new startups (For example, Northern Virginia or Bay Area)
Areas where health care technology industry is growing (Boston, NJ)