How Much Money Do Orthodontists Make?
To enter dental school, you must complete at least two or three years of college, although most dental school students already have their bachelor's degree. The dental degree requires an additional four academic years. Orthodontists must complete two to three years training in addition to the training necessary to become a dentist. You would expect their salaries to be considerably higher.
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Median Dentist Salary
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According to a 2008 salary survey by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median salary for a dentist in the United States is $142,870, but earnings vary based on a variety of factors, including experience, location and hours worked.
Average Salary for an Orthodontist
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According to a May 2009 survey also by the BLS, the mean salary for an orthodontist in the United States is $206,190. Generally, orthodontists' pricing structures are different than those of dentists. Dentists generally charge on a per-visit basis. Orthodontists usually charge for the entire procedure, which involves multiple visits over a year or more.
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Salaries By Office Type
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Many different factors affect orthodontists' salaries, including the type of practice they have or whom they work for. Roughly one-third of all orthodontists work in the offices of other health care practitioners, according to Health Care Salary Online. These group offices are where orthodontists earn the highest salaries. Orthodontists who work with other professionals earn an annual mean salary of $208,910, while orthodontists who work in the office of a medical doctor earn only $100,260.
Salaries By Location
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Various locations around the country have different salaries for orthodontists based on the local cost of living and the local economy. Salaries also vary based on the size of the community. But even among larger cities, orthodontist salaries vary. According to Payscale, the average orthodontist salary in Los Angeles is from $141,499 to $196,527. Dallas is similar, but with a broader range of $132,500 to $209,524, but in New York City the salary range was considerably lower, ranging from $95,000 to $175,000.
Salary Varys According to Locatiion
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The BLS' May 2009 occupational employment and wage survey notes that surprisingly some of the poorer states, including Alabama, ranked very high for orthodontist salaries. The mean annual pay for orthodontists in Alabama was $224,070. while the mean annual salary in Oregon was $205,100 and in Colorado it was only $139,100. Even in a high-cost city like Los Angeles,where you would expect orthodontists to earn more, the mean annual salary was only $156,110.
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