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.

Dental Board of California · Last verified: September 2026

Dentist licensure requirements in California →

Salary data

Dentist Salary in California

Statewide California figures for dentists.

California median

$165,950

BLS OEWS (SOC 29-1021), May 2025

California range

$124,470–$213,260

vs. national

-3%

See full salary breakdown →

Employers

Who’s Hiring Dentists in California

7 employers have 121 open dentist roles in California, led by Pacific Dental Services with 73 openings.

Pacific Dental Services73 open Western Dental / Sonrava Health27 open Smile Brands10 open Children's Dental FunZone7 open Enable Dental2 open Positive Impact Dental Alliance1 open Westphalia Holdings1 open

Dentist Jobs by City in California

Sacramento (7)Roseville (4)San Diego (4)Temecula (4)Fresno (3)Rancho Cordova (3)Visalia (3)Bakersfield (2)Folsom (2)Long Beach (2)Los Angeles (2)Modesto (2)Moreno Valley (2)Oakland (2)San Marcos (2)Simi Valley (2)Stockton (2)Tracy (2)Wildomar (2)Alameda (1)Azusa (1)Carlsbad (1)Castro Valley (1)Chico (1)Chino (1)Clovis (1)Corona (1)Downey (1)El Dorado Hills (1)Elk Grove (1)Escondido (1)Fairfield (1)Fontana (1)Glendale (1)Hanford (1)Indio (1)Inglewood (1)La Mesa (1)Lakewood (1)Martinez (1)Murrieta (1)Novato (1)Oceanside (1)Ontario (1)Oxnard (1)Palm Springs (1)Pasadena (1)Pittsburg (1)Placerville (1)Redding (1)Redlands (1)Redwood City (1)Reseda (1)Rohnert Park (1)San Francisco (1)San Jacinto (1)San Mateo (1)Santa Maria (1)Santee (1)Turlock (1)Upland (1)Vacaville (1)Victorville (1)West Covina (1)Whittier (1)Winchester (1)Woodland (1)Alhambra Anaheim Antioch Arcadia Beaumont Berkeley Beverly Hills Brea Brentwood Burbank Burlingame Camarillo Campbell Canoga Park Carson Cathedral City Chatsworth Chino Hills Chula Vista Citrus Heights Claremont Concord Corte Madera Costa Mesa Crenshaw Culver City Cypress Daly City Davis Del Mar Dublin Eastvale El Cajon El Cerrito El Monte Encinitas Fremont Fullerton Glendora Goleta Hacienda Heights Hemet Hermosa Beach Hesperia Huntington Beach Irvine La Puente La Verne Lake Forest Lancaster Lincoln Lodi Los Gatos Manteca Marina Del Rey Menifee Milpitas Mission Viejo Montebello Mountain View Napa National City Newport Beach North Hollywood Orange Palo Alto Perris Petaluma Pico Rivera Playa Vista Pleasant Hill Poway Rancho Cucamonga Rancho Mirage Rancho Palos Verdes Rialto Riverside San Bernardino San Carlos San Dimas San Fernando San Jose San Juan Capistrano San Ramon Santa Ana Santa Barbara Santa Clara Santa Clarita Santa Monica Santa Rosa Sherman Oaks Studio City Sunnyvale Tarzana Thousand Oaks Torrance Tustin Union City Van Nuys Vista Walnut Creek West Hollywood West Los Angeles Westminster Woodland Hills Yuba City

About This Role

A general dentist provides restorative and preventive care and usually leads the clinical team at a dental practice.

Dental practices across California hire for this role — the listings above are the live openings on DentistryHires right now.

Learn more about the dentist career path →

Dentist Career Resources

Dentist Salary in CaliforniaPay data, city breakdowns, and commission structures for California.Read guide →Dentist Career GuideScope of practice, career path, and how to get started.Read guide →

More Dentist Resources

Dentist career guide →Dentist salary guide →Dentist salary in California →Dentist licensure requirements in California →

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

01How many dentist jobs are open in California right now?

As of November 2026, DentistryHires is showing 121 live dentist openings in California. They come from 7 employers. The listings at the top of this page are that feed.

02What does a dentist earn in California?

The California median for dentists is $165,950 a year, -3% against the national median (BLS OEWS (SOC 29-1021), May 2025).

03What licence does a dentist need in California?

The Dental Board of California sets the licensing rules for dentists in California. The summary on this page was last verified in September 2026. See the California licensure page for the current rules.

04Which employers are hiring dentists in California?

The California listings currently come from 7 employers, including Pacific Dental Services (73), Western Dental / Sonrava Health (27), and Smile Brands (10). 4 other employers have openings too.

05Which California cities have the most dentists openings?

Across the California listings on this page, the cities with the most open roles are Sacramento (7), Roseville (4), San Diego (4), Temecula (4), and Fresno (3).