Dentist income in California
Employed general dentists in California earn $170,690 on average, 11% below the national mean.
General dentists vs. the U.S.
After inflation, the mean wage in California is down 25% since 2006. In 2025 dollars; hover a year for the numbers.
Specialists in California
Mean wage of employed dentists, May 2025. BLS publishes a state figure only when enough are surveyed.
| Type | CA | U.S. | On payroll |
|---|---|---|---|
| General dentist | $170,690 | $191,350 | 16,770 |
| Oral surgeon | — | $346,490 | 670 |
| Other specialists* | $218,050 | $247,930 | 340 |
*Endodontists, periodontists, pediatric dentists and other specialists. Self-employed owners are not included in BLS data; nationally, the ADA puts the median specialist's net income at $258,880 (2025).
Going to dental school in California
Four years of in-state tuition and mandatory fees at California's public schools, compared with a year of a general dentist's pay here.
Tuition at every school → · Where California students go to dental school → · Loan calculator →
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2006–2025; wage-and-salary dentists only. Inflation adjustment: CPI-U (2025 dollars). Tuition: ADA/CODA Survey of Dental Education 2025-26.