Dental Salary Data · BLS OEWS May 2025
Dental Specialist Salary in California
The median dental specialist earns $230,730 a year in California, with most between $147,540 and $265,150.
25th percentile
$147,540
Entry / lower range
Median
$230,730
The typical pay
75th percentile
$265,150
Experienced / upper range
That's roughly $230,730 per year or $110.93/hr at the median. California runs about 3% above the national median.
What drives dental specialist pay in California
Pay for a dental specialistdepends on experience, setting, and metro. Group practices and dental support organizations (DSOs) often sit toward the upper end of the range, since they compete for talent across multiple locations and can offer benefits and advancement a single practice can't.
Across dentistry, hiring is hard and getting harder: staffing is consistently ranked among dentists' top challenges, and open roles routinely take well over two months to fill. For candidates, that means leverage; for employers, it means speed and fit matter more than ever.
For dental pros
Know your worth, then go get it
Build a free, ATS-ready resume and get matched to practices that fit how you want to work, in California and beyond.
Dental Specialist salary in California: FAQ
What is the average dental specialist salary in California?
The median dental specialist salary in California is about $230,730 per year ($110.93/hr), based on BLS OEWS data (May 2025). Most earn between $147,540 and $265,150.
How does California compare to the national average?
At a $230,730 median, dental specialist pay in California runs about 3% above the national median. Local cost of living and demand drive most of the difference.
Which California cities pay dental specialists the most?
Among California metros, San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont is at the top, with a median around $279,820.
Hiring in California?
Fill dental specialist roles across every location.
Other roles in California
Dental Specialist salary by state