Dentist demographics and statistics in the US
Dentist demographics research summary. Zippia estimates dentist demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our dentist estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about dentists after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 108,843 dentists currently employed in the United States.
- 54.5% of all dentists are women, while 45.5% are men.
- The average dentist age is 46 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of dentists is White (62.5%), followed by Asian (22.0%), Hispanic or Latino (9.0%) and Unknown (3.2%).
- Dentists are most in-demand in New York, NY.
- Lynn, MA pays an annual average wage of $185,221, the highest in the US.
- In 2022, women dentists earned 91% of what men earned.
- Alaska is the best state for dentists to live.
- Dentists are 81% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to government companies.
On this page
Dentist demographics by:
Dentist gender statistics
54.5% of dentists are women and 45.5% of dentists are men.
- Female, 54.5%
- Male, 45.5%
Dentist gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 54.5% |
| Male | 45.5% |
Dentist gender pay gap
Women earn 91¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$136,189
Female income
$123,851
Dentist gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in dentist positions over time. Currently, 54.5% of dentists are female.
Dentist gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 56.52% | 43.48% |
| 2011 | 57.74% | 42.26% |
| 2012 | 56.13% | 43.87% |
| 2013 | 56.29% | 43.71% |
| 2014 | 49.17% | 50.83% |
| 2015 | 51.16% | 48.84% |
| 2016 | 50.50% | 49.50% |
| 2017 | 48.57% | 51.43% |
| 2018 | 46.08% | 53.92% |
| 2019 | 49.20% | 50.80% |
| 2020 | 46.71% | 53.29% |
| 2021 | 45.51% | 54.49% |
Dentist related jobs gender ratio
We compared dentists with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, flight surgeon and optometrist, owner have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Staff Nurse Midwife | 2% | 98% |
| Perinatal Nurse | 3% | 97% |
| Therapeutic Dietitian | 3% | 97% |
| Dentist | 46% | 54% |
| Radiology Resident | 75% | 25% |
| Optometrist, Owner | 76% | 24% |
| Flight Surgeon | 82% | 18% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Dentist demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among dentists is White, which makes up 62.5% of all dentists. Comparatively, 22.0% of dentists are Asian and 9.0% of dentists are Hispanic or Latino.
- White, 62.5%
- Asian, 22.0%
- Hispanic or Latino, 9.0%
- Unknown, 3.2%
- Black or African American, 3.1%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%
Dentist race
| Dentist race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 62.5% |
| Asian | 22.0% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 9.0% |
| Unknown | 3.2% |
| Black or African American | 3.1% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.2% |
Dentist race and ethnicity over time
See how dentist racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Dentist race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 69.91% | 3.80% | 16.66% | 7.80% |
| 2011 | 73.14% | 2.97% | 15.16% | 6.97% |
| 2012 | 71.51% | 3.36% | 15.56% | 7.74% |
| 2013 | 70.27% | 3.51% | 16.48% | 7.99% |
| 2014 | 69.38% | 3.54% | 17.67% | 7.60% |
| 2015 | 71.43% | 2.50% | 16.57% | 7.33% |
| 2016 | 69.49% | 3.11% | 17.48% | 7.90% |
| 2017 | 67.29% | 3.77% | 18.93% | 7.93% |
| 2018 | 68.02% | 3.51% | 19.00% | 7.55% |
| 2019 | 68.29% | 3.61% | 18.68% | 7.71% |
| 2020 | 64.01% | 3.36% | 21.32% | 8.07% |
| 2021 | 62.53% | 3.05% | 21.95% | 9.00% |
Dentist wage gap by race
According to our data, white dentists have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american dentists have the lowest average salary at $129,125.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $133,691 |
| White | $151,843 |
| Black or African American | $129,125 |
| Asian | $138,118 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $129,406 |
Average dentist age
See how the average age of dentists varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Dentist age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 45 | 38 |
| White | 48 | 42 |
| Black or African American | 47 | 39.5 |
| Asian | 44 | 44 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 51 | 41 |
Dentist age breakdown
The average age of dentists is 40+ years years old, representing 66% of the dentist population.
Dentist age breakdown
| Dentist Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 66% |
| 30-40 years | 29% |
| 20-30 years | 5% |
Dentist educational attainment
The most common degree for dentists is bachelor's degree, with 46% of dentists earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are doctoral degree degree at 39% and doctoral degree degree at 5%.
- Bachelor's, 46%
- Doctorate, 39%
- Master's, 5%
- Associate, 3%
- Other Degrees, 7%
Dentists by degree level
| Dentist degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 46% |
| Doctorate | 39% |
| Master's | 5% |
| Associate | 3% |
| Other Degrees | 7% |
Dentist jobs you might like
Dentist employment statistics
Most dentists work for a private in the health care industry.
Company size where dentists work
Below, you can see the size of companies where dentists work.
Dentist jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 6% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 25% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 36% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 11% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 19% |
| > 10,000 employees | 3% |
Dentist jobs by company type
Employees with the dentist job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most dentists prefer to work at private companies over government companies.
Dentist jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 4% |
| Public | 4% |
| Private | 81% |
| Government | 10% |
Dentist jobs by industry
The most common industries for dentists are health care, government and professional.
Dentist industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Health Care | 75% |
| Government | 7% |
| Professional | 5% |
| Education | 3% |
| Non Profits | 2% |
| Insurance | 2% |
| Media | 1% |
| Start-up | 1% |
| Manufacturing | 1% |
| Technology | 1% |
Dentist turnover and employment statistics
Dentist unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for dentists between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Dentist unemployment rate by year
| Year | Dentist unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 0.62% |
| 2011 | 0.79% |
| 2012 | 0.74% |
| 2013 | 0.50% |
| 2014 | 0.33% |
| 2015 | 0.58% |
| 2016 | 0.50% |
| 2017 | 0.50% |
| 2018 | 0.55% |
| 2019 | 0.61% |
| 2020 | 0.98% |
| 2021 | 0.99% |
Average dentist tenure
The average dentist stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 7,450 dentists resumes in Zippia's database.
Dentist tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 22% |
| 1-2 years | 33% |
| 3-4 years | 12% |
| 5-7 years | 13% |
| 8-10 years | 5% |
| 11+ years | 14% |
Dentist LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of dentists that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Baby Doctor | 9.88% | 1,178 |
| Senior Physician | 11.62% | 56,029 |
| Dentist | 11.94% | - |
| Sex Therapist | 13.00% | 33,260 |
| Emergency Room Physician | 13.05% | 85,836 |
| Chief, Optometry Service | 17.57% | 20,889 |
| Chief Nurse Anesthetist | 31.64% | 17,242 |
Similar dentist jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Baby Doctor | 9.88% | 1,178 |
| Senior Physician | 11.62% | 56,029 |
| Sex Therapist | 13.00% | 33,260 |
| Emergency Room Physician | 13.05% | 85,836 |
| Chief, Optometry Service | 17.57% | 20,889 |
| Chief Nurse Anesthetist | 31.64% | 17,242 |
Foreign languages spoken by dentists
The most common foreign language among dentists is Spanish at 50.1%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is Arabic at 6.9% and Hindi is the third-most popular at 6.5%.
- Spanish, 50.1%
- Arabic, 6.9%
- Hindi, 6.5%
- French, 6.0%
- Portuguese, 5.7%
- Other, 24.8%
Dentist languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 50.1% |
| Arabic | 6.9% |
| Hindi | 6.5% |
| French | 6.0% |
| Portuguese | 5.7% |
| Other | 24.8% |
