Dentist pay in 2025's worst states for dental health

General dentists have an average annual salary of $168,760 in Arkansas, the worst-ranked state for dental health in 2025.

Personal finance site WalletHub ranked all 50 states and Washington, D.C., across two main categories: dental habits and health and oral health. The rankings were published Jan. 30. 

Compensation data for dentists is from the Bureau of Labor Statistics

Here is the average annual wage for general dentists in the 10 worst states for dental health in 2025:

Arkansas: $168,760

Mississippi: $130,550

West Virginia: $181,980

Texas: $220,000

Louisiana: $164,340

Montana: $204,410

Alaska: $201,720

Kentucky: $186,480

Alabama: $179,000

Florida: $181,950

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