Dental Salaries in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Orthodontist: a median of $311,180 a year ($149.61 an hour) in BLS's May 2025 estimate. BLS did not publish an employment estimate for Philadelphia orthodontists, so the size of the workforce behind these figures is unknown, and BLS rates the Philadelphia orthodontist wage estimate at ±12.2%. Treat the Philadelphia orthodontist figure as a rough signal, not a market rate.

Dentist: a median of $163,390 a year ($78.56 an hour). That is level with the Pennsylvania dentist median of $163,390 and $7,560 below the national median of $170,950. It ranks 5th of the 14 Pennsylvania metro areas where BLS publishes a dentist median.

Dental Hygienist: a median of $100,820 a year ($48.47 an hour). That is $20,210 above the Pennsylvania dental hygienist median of $80,610 and $2,720 above the national median of $98,100. It ranks 1st of the 16 Pennsylvania metro areas where BLS publishes a dental hygienist median.

Dental Lab Technician: a median of $50,850 a year ($24.45 an hour). That is $1,570 above the Pennsylvania dental lab technician median of $49,280 and $1,240 above the national median of $49,610. It ranks 2nd of the 7 Pennsylvania metro areas where BLS publishes a dental lab technician median.

Dental Assistant: a median of $49,570 a year ($23.83 an hour). That is $1,640 above the Pennsylvania dental assistant median of $47,930 and $1,500 above the national median of $48,070. It ranks 1st of the 16 Pennsylvania metro areas where BLS publishes a dental assistant median.

Orthodontist: the middle half of Philadelphia orthodontists earn $311,180 to $311,180. The lowest-paid tenth earn under $170,450. The top tenth earn over $413,360. The gap between the two is $242,910.

Dentist: the middle half of Philadelphia dentists earn $119,990 to $215,420. The lowest-paid tenth earn under $65,520 (against $65,520 statewide and $86,250 nationally). The top tenth earn over $331,950 (against $316,950 statewide and $319,630 nationally). The gap between the two is $266,430.

Dental Hygienist: the middle half of Philadelphia dental hygienists earn $96,560 to $103,480. The lowest-paid tenth earn under $83,590 (against $63,130 statewide and $74,880 nationally). The top tenth earn over $103,920 (against $103,540 statewide and $126,050 nationally). The gap between the two is $20,330.

Dental Lab Technician: the middle half of Philadelphia dental lab technicians earn $46,000 to $75,090. The lowest-paid tenth earn under $35,820 (against $31,680 statewide and $36,660 nationally). The top tenth earn over $84,570 (against $84,570 statewide and $76,940 nationally). The gap between the two is $48,750.

Dental Assistant: the middle half of Philadelphia dental assistants earn $47,490 to $57,070. The lowest-paid tenth earn under $40,040 (against $38,040 statewide and $37,130 nationally). The top tenth earn over $69,250 (against $61,430 statewide and $62,250 nationally). The gap between the two is $29,210.

The Bureau of Economic Analysis puts the Philadelphia metro's 2024 price level at 102.6 (U.S. = 100), so prices overall run 2.6% above the national average, and housing costs (index 113.1) run 13.1% above. Pennsylvania as a whole sits at 97.6.

Converted to national average prices:

• Orthodontist: $311,180 here buys about what $303,430 buys at national average prices (low-reliability estimate).
• Dentist: $163,390 here buys about what $159,320 buys at national average prices — $11,630 below the national median of $170,950.
• Dental Hygienist: $100,820 here buys about what $98,310 buys at national average prices — $210 above the national median of $98,100.
• Dental Lab Technician: $50,850 here buys about what $49,580 buys at national average prices — $30 below the national median of $49,610.
• Dental Assistant: $49,570 here buys about what $48,340 buys at national average prices — $270 above the national median of $48,070.

Dentists: about 2,570 jobs in the metro, or 0.886 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 4,180 jobs in the metro, or 1.444 per 1,000 jobs of all kinds. Dental hygienists hold about the same share of local jobs as nationally (location quotient 1.01).

Dental Lab Technicians: about 640 jobs in the metro, or 0.22 per 1,000 jobs of all kinds. Dental lab technicians hold about the same share of local jobs as nationally (location quotient 1.00).

Dental Assistants: about 6,510 jobs in the metro, or 2.247 per 1,000 jobs of all kinds. Dental assistants hold a 10% smaller share of local jobs than nationally (location quotient 0.90).

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

Orthodontist: Baltimore, Maryland (77 mi) pays $361,040, New York, New York (98 mi) pays $281,850 and Washington, District of Columbia (138 mi) pays $248,110.

Dentist: Vineland, New Jersey (40 mi) pays $169,280, Trenton, New Jersey (42 mi) pays $216,750 and Reading (48 mi) pays $151,850. Philadelphia's $163,390 is below 2 of the 3.

Dental Hygienist: Vineland, New Jersey (40 mi) pays $99,160, Trenton, New Jersey (42 mi) pays $100,920 and Reading (48 mi) pays $80,300. Philadelphia's $100,820 is below 1 of the 3.

Dental Lab Technician: Reading (48 mi) pays $49,550, Allentown (62 mi) pays $49,920 and Baltimore, Maryland (77 mi) pays $47,200. Philadelphia's $50,850 is above all 3.

Dental Assistant: Vineland, New Jersey (40 mi) pays $48,790, Trenton, New Jersey (42 mi) pays $57,400 and Reading (48 mi) pays $47,160. Philadelphia's $49,570 is below 1 of the 3.