General practice dentists have seen declines in revenue and income over the last few years as expenses have increased, according to data from the American Dental Association.
The ADA recently released data on the dentist workforce, including demographics, workplaces and retirement trends. The report also includes data on practice finances and dentist income.
Five key notes on general dentist revenue, salary and expenses from the report:
1. General dentists’ average annual income has decreased from $267,168 in 2010 to $207,980 in 2024 when adjusted for inflation.
2. The average general dentist salary saw a sharp decline between 2019 and 2020, when income dropped to $206,245. It then rose to $252,522 in 2021 and has steadily declined each year since.
3. The ADA also noted that annual net income declined for general dentists in all career stages between 2023 and 2024.
4. The ADA also compared changes in income, revenue and expenses between the periods of 2015-2019 and 2020-2024. Both income and revenue declined between these two periods, by 1.2% and 13.2% respectively, while expenses increased by 3%.
5. Dental practices in rural areas experienced a 6.1% increase in revenue between the combined periods of 2015-19 and 2020-24, while urban practices experienced a 1.2% decrease.
