Dentist salary in Australia
The median full-time salary for a dentist is $168,100 per annum, before tax, up $35,200 since 2018.
How you work matters more than the headline figure. Associates are often paid a percentage of what they bill, sometimes with a guaranteed base for the first few months, so earnings follow how full the appointment book stays, while practice owners carry the rent, equipment and indemnity insurance and keep what's left. Specialist registration, public or private sector and how far the practice sits from a capital city all move the number too.
Roles that pay more than dentist
The largest typical pay rise is $65,900 a year, moving into Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon.
- Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon+$65,900/yr
- Prosthodontist+$13,900/yr
How to negotiate a higher dentist salary
- Know the market rate before you ask. The median full-time dentist salary is $168,100; use that, not a guess, as your anchor, and adjust for your experience and employer.
- Use demand as leverage. Dentists are on the national skills shortage list, so employers are more likely to move on price to keep or attract someone in a role they're struggling to fill.
- Lead with what's scarce, not just tenure. Skills like Clinical assessment and treatment and Patient care and support tend to command a premium over general dentist experience, name them specifically when you ask.
- Bring a real alternative to the table. Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon pays a typical $65,900 a year more and draws on similar skills, even mentioning you're weighing it up is a legitimate data point in a pay conversation.
- Time it deliberately. Reviews, the end of a project you delivered, or taking on responsibility beyond your job description are stronger moments to ask than an arbitrary date on the calendar.
- Ask for a number, not a raise. "Based on the market rate and [specific contribution], I'd like to move to X" gets a clearer answer than "I think I deserve more."
Dentist salary questions
How much do dentists earn in Australia?
The median full-time salary for a dentist is $168,100 a year before tax. Seniority, specialisation, sector and the award or agreement you're employed under all move it.
Is dentist pay rising or falling?
The median dentist salary is up $35,200 since 2018. Figures from 2025 onward on this page are a projection, not a measured result.
What pays more than dentist?
Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon pays a typical $65,900 a year more and draws on similar skills to dentist.