Dental Salaries in St. Louis, Missouri

Dentist: a median of $210,430 a year ($101.17 an hour) in BLS's May 2025 estimate. BLS rates the St. Louis dentist wage estimate at ±14.3%. Treat the St. Louis dentist figure as a rough signal, not a market rate.

Dental Hygienist: a median of $97,650 a year ($46.95 an hour). That is $4,900 above the Missouri dental hygienist median of $92,750 and $450 below the national median of $98,100. It ranks 1st of the 8 Missouri metro areas where BLS publishes a dental hygienist median.

Dental Assistant: a median of $48,120 a year ($23.13 an hour). That is $2,150 above the Missouri dental assistant median of $45,970 and $50 above the national median of $48,070. It ranks 2nd of the 8 Missouri metro areas where BLS publishes a dental assistant median.

Dental Lab Technician: a median of $47,160 a year ($22.67 an hour). That is $290 above the Missouri dental lab technician median of $46,870 and $2,450 below the national median of $49,610. It ranks 2nd of the 3 Missouri metro areas where BLS publishes a dental lab technician median.

Dentist: the middle half of St. Louis dentists earn $130,300 to $373,770. The lowest-paid tenth earn under $96,300. The top tenth earn over $559,260. The gap between the two is $462,960.

Dental Hygienist: the middle half of St. Louis dental hygienists earn $83,430 to $98,820. The lowest-paid tenth earn under $78,760 (against $59,880 statewide and $74,880 nationally). The top tenth earn over $99,400 (against $99,400 statewide and $126,050 nationally). The gap between the two is $20,640.

Dental Assistant: the middle half of St. Louis dental assistants earn $44,110 to $58,240. The lowest-paid tenth earn under $37,780 (against $36,580 statewide and $37,130 nationally). The top tenth earn over $60,530 (against $59,410 statewide and $62,250 nationally). The gap between the two is $22,750.

Dental Lab Technician: the middle half of St. Louis dental lab technicians earn $40,000 to $64,050. The lowest-paid tenth earn under $40,000 (against $38,650 statewide and $36,660 nationally). The top tenth earn over $78,430 (against $78,430 statewide and $76,940 nationally). The gap between the two is $38,430.

The Bureau of Economic Analysis puts the St. Louis metro's 2024 price level at 95.1 (U.S. = 100), so prices overall run 4.9% below the national average, and housing costs (index 79.0) run 21.0% below. Missouri as a whole sits at 90.8.

Converted to national average prices:

• Dentist: $210,430 here buys about what $221,300 buys at national average prices (low-reliability estimate).
• Dental Hygienist: $97,650 here buys about what $102,690 buys at national average prices — $4,590 above the national median of $98,100.
• Dental Assistant: $48,120 here buys about what $50,610 buys at national average prices — $2,540 above the national median of $48,070.
• Dental Lab Technician: $47,160 here buys about what $49,600 buys at national average prices — $10 below the national median of $49,610.

Dentists: about 1,250 jobs in the metro, or 0.932 per 1,000 jobs of all kinds. Dentists hold a 17% larger share of local jobs than nationally (location quotient 1.17).

Dental Hygienists: about 2,150 jobs in the metro, or 1.603 per 1,000 jobs of all kinds. Dental hygienists hold a 12% larger share of local jobs than nationally (location quotient 1.12).

Dental Assistants: about 2,990 jobs in the metro, or 2.228 per 1,000 jobs of all kinds. Dental assistants hold an 11% smaller share of local jobs than nationally (location quotient 0.89).

Dental Lab Technicians: about 500 jobs in the metro, or 0.371 per 1,000 jobs of all kinds. Dental lab technicians hold a 67% larger share of local jobs than nationally (location quotient 1.67).

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: Springfield, Illinois (83 mi) pays $209,430, Jefferson City (94 mi) pays $208,630 and Columbia (122 mi) pays $207,450.

Dental Hygienist: Springfield, Illinois (83 mi) pays $83,070, Jefferson City (94 mi) pays $85,290 and Columbia (122 mi) pays $86,300. St. Louis's $97,650 is above all 3.

Dental Assistant: Springfield, Illinois (83 mi) pays $45,390, Jefferson City (94 mi) pays $44,090 and Columbia (122 mi) pays $46,920. St. Louis's $48,120 is above all 3.

Dental Lab Technician: Peoria, Illinois (148 mi) pays $48,730, Kansas City (221 mi) pays $56,790 and Indianapolis, Indiana (237 mi) pays $51,750. St. Louis's $47,160 is below all 3.