Are you considering dentistry as a career option? Or perhaps you’re simply interested in the salaries that a dentist can expect to earn?

It’s important to realise that earnings will depend on a variety of factors however rest assured, dentistry is a well paid career that is highly respected and always in demand.

Becoming a Dentist

Before you start to think that dentists earn a good salary and have a great quality of life, bear in mind that any qualified dentist will have studied for at least five years. Anyone considering a career in dentistry should understand that due to the limited number of universities in Australia which offer dentistry degree courses, there may be additional relocation and living costs to consider.

Average Salary for a dentist

It’s hard to estimate exactly how much dentists earn as an average salary due to the differences in location, type of surgery and level of experience. Each situation will be different and wages vary from city to city and state to state.

According to the Dental Board, rough figures predict that a dentist earn an average salary of just under $100,000 per year. Pay increases depending on experience however there is a level (around 20 years) when salary levels may plateau and many dentists choose to specialise in a particular field.

Comparative Salaries

Compared to GPs and other medical practitioners, dentists generally earn slightly more per year. However, dentists often see fewer patients and may have higher operating costs such as machinery and dental assistants.

Dentists are often able to operate on flexi time or part time contracts, with many choosing to specialise in particular fields. There has been an increase in the number of female dentists in recent decades however the majority of Australian dentists are still male.

Find Out More

If you’d like more information about dentistry and how much dentists can earn, check out here: http://www.ada.org.au/Home