Dental Salaries in Burlington, North Carolina

Dentist: a median of $166,330 a year ($79.96 an hour) in BLS's May 2025 estimate. BLS rates the Burlington dentist wage estimate at ±10.4%. Treat the Burlington dentist figure as a rough signal, not a market rate.

Dental Hygienist: a median of $97,210 a year ($46.73 an hour). That is $640 below the North Carolina dental hygienist median of $97,850 and $890 below the national median of $98,100. It ranks 5th of the 15 North Carolina metro areas where BLS publishes a dental hygienist median.

Dental Assistant: a median of $50,140 a year ($24.10 an hour). That is $240 below the North Carolina dental assistant median of $50,380 and $2,070 above the national median of $48,070. It ranks 5th of the 14 North Carolina metro areas where BLS publishes a dental assistant median.

Dentist: the middle half of Burlington dentists earn $128,980 to $218,350. The lowest-paid tenth earn under $111,600. The top tenth earn over $318,380. The gap between the two is $206,780.

Dental Hygienist: the middle half of Burlington dental hygienists earn $95,020 to $102,080. The lowest-paid tenth earn under $80,100 (against $77,270 statewide and $74,880 nationally). The top tenth earn over $102,800 (against $103,850 statewide and $126,050 nationally). The gap between the two is $22,700.

Dental Assistant: the middle half of Burlington dental assistants earn $47,340 to $56,310. The lowest-paid tenth earn under $37,910 (against $38,240 statewide and $37,130 nationally). The top tenth earn over $57,360 (against $60,200 statewide and $62,250 nationally). The gap between the two is $19,450.

The Bureau of Economic Analysis puts the Burlington metro's 2024 price level at 93.2 (U.S. = 100), so prices overall run 6.8% below the national average, and housing costs (index 77.9) run 22.1% below. North Carolina as a whole sits at 94.3.

Converted to national average prices:

• Dentist: $166,330 here buys about what $178,470 buys at national average prices (low-reliability estimate).
• Dental Hygienist: $97,210 here buys about what $104,310 buys at national average prices — $6,210 above the national median of $98,100.
• Dental Assistant: $50,140 here buys about what $53,800 buys at national average prices — $5,730 above the national median of $48,070.

Dentists: about 60 jobs in the metro, or 0.891 per 1,000 jobs of all kinds. Dentists hold an 11% larger share of local jobs than nationally (location quotient 1.11).

Dental Hygienists: about 100 jobs in the metro, or 1.505 per 1,000 jobs of all kinds. Dental hygienists hold a 5% larger share of local jobs than nationally (location quotient 1.05).

Dental Assistants: about 150 jobs in the metro, or 2.281 per 1,000 jobs of all kinds. Dental assistants hold a 9% smaller share of local jobs than nationally (location quotient 0.91).

The closest metro areas with their own salary page and a published median for each role (distance between metro centers, up to 250 miles).

Dentist: Durham (17 mi) pays $208,490, Greensboro (22 mi) pays $163,910 and Winston (53 mi) pays $168,700.

Dental Hygienist: Durham (17 mi) pays $101,460, Greensboro (22 mi) pays $84,250 and Winston (53 mi) pays $95,930. Burlington's $97,210 is below 1 of the 3.

Dental Assistant: Durham (17 mi) pays $51,670, Greensboro (22 mi) pays $49,800 and Winston (53 mi) pays $50,060. Burlington's $50,140 is below 1 of the 3.