Dentist Salary in Rhode Island (2026)

25th percentile

$124,990

Lower end of the middle half

Median

$161,560

Half earn more, half earn less

75th percentile

$197,350

Upper end of the middle half

That's roughly $161,560 per year or $77.67/hr at the median. Rhode Island runs about 5% lower than the national median.

Note: BLS figures reflect employed dentists. Many dentists own their practices, and owner earnings aren't included. That can make high-ownership areas read lower than you'd expect.

The full pay range in Rhode Island

BLS publishes five points on the pay curve. The 10th percentile is a reasonable read on entry pay, and the 90th shows what the best-paid dentists in Rhode Island earn. The U.S. figures are shown alongside for comparison.^[1][2]

Dentist wages, Rhode Island vs. U.S. (BLS OEWS, May 2025)
Percentile	Rhode Island hourly	Rhode Island annual	U.S. hourly	U.S. annual
10th percentile	$49.76	$103,490	$41.47	$86,250
25th percentile	$60.09	$124,990	$60.44	$125,710
Median	$77.67	$161,560	$82.19	$170,950
75th percentile	$94.88	$197,350	$107.71	$224,040
90th percentile	$115.70	$240,650	$153.67	$319,630
Mean (average)	$78.10	$162,440	$91.99	$191,350

Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Wages are gross pay for employees and exclude the self-employed. Annual figures assume full-time, year-round work (hourly rate × 2,080 hours) where BLS reports hourly pay.

How many dentists work in Rhode Island

Employed

360

About 0.3% of all U.S. dentists (calculation)

Per 1,000 jobs

0.72

Share of all jobs in the state

Location quotient

0.91

1.00 = U.S. average; Rhode Island is close to the national average

Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.^[2] A location quotient above 1 means the role makes up a bigger share of jobs here than nationally.

How Rhode Island compares to the U.S.

Median pay: $161,560 in Rhode Island vs. $170,950 nationally, $9,390 (5%) lower.
Entry pay (10th percentile): $103,490 vs. $86,250, 20% higher.
Top pay (90th percentile): $240,650 vs. $319,630, 25% lower.

DSO Hire calculation: (state figure minus U.S. figure) divided by the U.S. figure, from BLS OEWS May 2025^[1]. Not adjusted for cost of living.

Dentist pay by metro area in Rhode Island

BLS publishes one Rhode Island metro area for this role.^[2]

Dentist pay by Rhode Island metro area (BLS OEWS, May 2025)
Metro area	Median	Middle half	Employed
Providence-Warwick	$172,310	$124,990–$212,480	580

Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Gross wages, not adjusted for cost of living. Metro areas cross state lines where noted in the name.

Job outlook for dentists in Rhode Island

Nationally, the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook projects dentist (all dentists, including specialists) employment to grow 6% over 2025–35, faster than the average for all occupations, with about 4,800 openings a year.^[3]

Openings include replacements for people who retire or change careers, which is why they can far exceed net growth. For what this means for hiring, see The dental hiring shortage, by the numbers.

What drives dentist pay in Rhode Island

Pay for a dentist depends on experience, setting, and metro. The metro table above shows how much location alone moves the median. Group practices and dental support organizations (DSOs) compete for talent across many locations, and benefits, schedules and bonuses can matter as much as base pay.

Hiring an outside agency is one way practices fill gaps, and it is expensive. See what agencies charge in What dental staffing agencies actually charge.

For dental pros

Know your worth, then go get it

Browse open dentist roles in Rhode Island, or build a free, ATS-ready resume and get matched to practices that fit how you want to work.

Rhode Island dentist jobs Build a free resume

Dentist salary in Rhode Island: FAQ

How much do dentists make in Rhode Island?

The median annual wage for dentists in Rhode Island was $161,560 ($77.67 an hour) in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The middle half earned between $124,990 and $197,350. The lowest-paid 10% earned under $103,490 and the top 10% earned over $240,650. These figures cover employed workers in the BLS "Dentists, General" category and exclude practice owners.

Do dentists in Rhode Island earn more than the national median?

No. The Rhode Island median of $161,560 is lower than the U.S. median of $170,950. That is $9,390 (5%) lower. This is a DSO Hire calculation from BLS figures and does not adjust for cost of living.

How many dentists work in Rhode Island?

BLS estimates 360 workers in the BLS "Dentists, General" category were employed in Rhode Island in May 2025. That is 0.72 per 1,000 jobs in the state. The location quotient is 0.91, meaning the role is close to the national average.

Hiring in Rhode Island?

Fill dentist roles across every location.

See how it works

Sources

All sources accessed October 19, 2026.

1.U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025: Dentists, General (29-1021), national, state and metro estimatesGovernment · May 2025
2.U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 time-series data files (percentiles, employment, location quotients)Government; data file · released May 15, 2026
3.U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Dentists (all dentists, including specialists)Government · last modified August 27, 2026