Where dentists practice plays as big a role as experience in determining their income.
DentalPost released its 2022 Salary Survey conducted in late July through early September 2021 that included more than 13,000 dental professionals.
Five key findings regarding the relationship between dentist salary and experience:
1. Dentists in corporate practices with five to 14 years of experience reported higher annual incomes than dentists in private practices with the same amount of experience. However, after 14 years of experience, those in private practices consistently earn more.
2. Military, public health, prison, hospital and university dentists make less than those working in both private and corporate practices regardless of experience.
3. Owners and partners in dental practices on average make $100,000 more per year than employee and associate dentists in both corporate and private practices regardless of experience.
4. Peak income for dentists in corporate practices typically occurs by 15 years of experience, compared to 25-plus years of experience for dentists in private practices.
5. Dentists working in private practices with five or fewer years of experience make about $30,000 more than dentists working in corporate practices with the same amount of experience and $70,000 more than those working in military, public health, prison, hospital or university practices.