Dentist Salary in Rhode Island: What Dentists Earn in 2026
25th percentile
$124,990
Median (50th)
$161,560
75th percentile
$197,350
National median
$170,950
BLS OEWS (SOC 29-1021), May 2025
What does a dentist make in Rhode Island?
The median dentist in Rhode Island earns $161,560 a year ($77.67 an hour), which is $9,390 below the national median of $170,950, and more than in nearby Connecticut ($160,440) but less than in Massachusetts ($181,600). The mean is $162,440.
That ranks 37th of the 47 states where BLS publishes a dentist median.
Entry-level vs top earners in Rhode Island
The middle half of Rhode Island dentists earn $124,990 to $197,350. The lowest-paid tenth earn under $103,490, $17,240 above the national 10th percentile. The top tenth earn over $240,650, $78,980 below the national 90th percentile.
How far the pay goes in Rhode Island
The Bureau of Economic Analysis puts Rhode Island's 2024 price level at 102.3 (U.S. = 100): prices overall run 2.3% above the national average, and housing (index 105.6) runs 5.6% above.
Converted to national average prices, the $161,560 median is worth about $157,960 — $12,990 below the national median of $170,950.
How many dentists work in Rhode Island
BLS counts about 360 dentist jobs in Rhode Island, 0.3% of the 124,390 nationwide, or 0.725 per 1,000 jobs in the state. Dentists hold a 9% smaller share of local jobs than nationally (location quotient 0.91). BLS rates this count as imprecise (relative standard error 29%).
Dentist Salary by City in Rhode Island
All dental roles by metro: Providence
Who's hiring dentists in Rhode Island now
DentistryHires has 1 open dentist listing in Rhode Island from 1 employer, in Rumford. It does not post a pay figure.
Dentist Regulatory Context in Rhode Island
Dentist practice in Rhode Island is regulated by the Rhode Island Board of Examiners in Dentistry.
Scope of practice — what a dentist may do, and under what level of supervision — is set by state law and changes over time, so verify current rules with the board before relying on them.
How Rhode Island Compares
Other dental salaries in Rhode Island
- Dental Hygienist salary in Rhode Island: median $86,910, $74,650 below the dentist median
- Dental Assistant salary in Rhode Island: median $50,150, $111,410 below the dentist median
- Dental Lab Technician salary in Rhode Island: median $45,320
- Oral Surgeon salary in Rhode Island: median $414,060
Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (state and national estimates, all industries); U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities, 2024. Price-adjusted pay divides the median by the price level. Listing counts and posted pay are live DentistryHires listings, refreshed hourly. A dash means BLS did not publish that figure; nothing is estimated.