Dentistry is one of the highest-earning professions in Canada (see our income percentile calculator to see where dentists rank), but the numbers can be deceptive. Practice owners gross $600,000-$1,200,000+ per year, but 60-70% of that revenue goes to overhead — staff salaries, supplies, lab fees, rent, and equipment. The real question for aspiring dentists is whether to work as an associate (lower earnings, no business risk) or invest in ownership (higher ceiling, significant financial commitment). Associates typically net $120,000-$220,000, while practice owners can net $180,000-$450,000+ and build equity in a practice worth $500,000-$1,500,000 on sale.
Verified Against Statistics Canada Data
The figures below come directly from Statistics Canada’s 2021 Census (employment income reported for 2020), the most detailed occupation-level income data StatCan publishes. Because the Census figures are from 2020, they are shown alongside an inflation-adjusted equivalent so the numbers reflect today’s purchasing power. This is an employment income figure for dentists as employees/associates; it does not capture practice-ownership net income or gross billings discussed elsewhere on this page.
Dentist Income by Province (StatCan Verified)
Province
Median (2020 Census)
Median (Today, Inflation-Adjusted)
Average (Today, Inflation-Adjusted)
Canada
$108,000
$134,000
$152,300
Newfoundland and Labrador
$180,000
$223,300
$327,500
PEI
Too few workers to report*
Too few workers to report*
Too few workers to report*
Nova Scotia
$126,000
$156,300
$171,200
New Brunswick
$132,000
$163,700
$188,600
Quebec
$106,000
$131,500
$150,300
Ontario
$102,000
$126,500
$145,100
Manitoba
$116,000
$143,900
$153,800
Saskatchewan
$110,000
$136,500
$129,000
Alberta
$118,000
$146,400
$179,600
British Columbia
$84,000
$104,200
$122,100
Source: Statistics Canada, 2021 Census of Population, Table 98-10-0586-01. Figures are for those who worked full year, full time in 2020, and are inflation-adjusted to today’s dollars using the Consumer Price Index. *Some province/occupation combinations show “too few workers to report” because StatCan suppresses Census income cells with too few respondents to protect individual privacy — the data isn’t missing, it’s withheld for confidentiality.
Average Dentist Income by Role
Role
Gross Revenue/Billings
Overhead
Net Income
Notes
Associate (new graduate)
N/A (paid %)
0% (owner covers)
$120,000–$160,000
Typically 40–45% of billings collected
Associate (experienced)
N/A
0%
$150,000–$220,000
40–50% of billings
Practice owner (solo)
$600,000–$1,000,000
60–70%
$180,000–$400,000
Higher risk, builds equity
Practice owner (group)
$1,000,000–$3,000,000+
60–70%
$200,000–$500,000+
Economies of scale
Corporate dentist (employee)
N/A (salaried)
0%
$130,000–$200,000
Less autonomy, no equity
Income by Specialty
Specialty
Gross Billings
Overhead
Net Income
Training Beyond DDS
General dentistry (owner)
$700,000–$1,200,000
60–70%
$210,000–$480,000
None
Orthodontics
$800,000–$1,500,000
55–65%
$280,000–$675,000
2–3 years
Oral & maxillofacial surgery
$700,000–$1,200,000
50–60%
$280,000–$600,000
4–6 years
Prosthodontics
$600,000–$1,000,000
60–70%
$180,000–$400,000
3 years
Endodontics (root canal)
$600,000–$1,000,000
55–65%
$210,000–$450,000
2–3 years
Periodontics
$500,000–$900,000
55–65%
$175,000–$405,000
3 years
Pediatric dentistry
$500,000–$900,000
60–70%
$150,000–$360,000
2–3 years
Oral pathology/radiology
$200,000–$350,000
Low (academic)
$150,000–$300,000
3 years
Dentist Income by Province
Alberta stands out as the highest-paying province for dentists because dental fees are unregulated — dentists set their own rates rather than following a provincial fee guide, which allows higher charges in competitive urban markets. Ontario and BC also pay well but have more intense competition in large cities. Rural areas across all provinces tend to be underserved, creating strong demand and higher effective earnings for dentists willing to practise outside major cities.
Province
Associate Income
Owner Net Income
Fee Guide Level
Notes
Alberta
$150,000–$220,000
$200,000–$450,000
Highest
No fee guide cap, unregulated fees
Ontario
$130,000–$200,000
$180,000–$400,000
High
Largest market, competitive
British Columbia
$130,000–$190,000
$170,000–$380,000
High
Competitive market
Saskatchewan
$140,000–$200,000
$180,000–$350,000
Moderate-High
Less competition, rural demand
Manitoba
$130,000–$180,000
$160,000–$320,000
Moderate
Smaller market
Quebec
$110,000–$170,000
$150,000–$300,000
Lower
Lower fee schedule, higher taxes
Nova Scotia
$120,000–$170,000
$150,000–$300,000
Moderate
Growing market
New Brunswick
$110,000–$160,000
$140,000–$280,000
Moderate
Rural opportunities
Overhead Breakdown for Dental Practice Owner
Expense
% of Gross Revenue
On $800K Gross
Staff salaries (hygienists, assistants, admin)
25–30%
$200,000–$240,000
Dental supplies and lab fees
10–14%
$80,000–$112,000
Rent/occupancy
5–10%
$40,000–$80,000
Equipment leases/depreciation
4–7%
$32,000–$56,000
Insurance (malpractice, business)
1–3%
$8,000–$24,000
Administrative/technology
2–4%
$16,000–$32,000
Marketing
1–3%
$8,000–$24,000
Continuing education
0.5–1%
$4,000–$8,000
Total overhead
60–70%
$388,000–$576,000
Net before tax
30–40%
$224,000–$412,000
Associate vs Owner: Career Earnings Comparison
The associate-vs-owner decision is the most important financial choice a dentist will make. Associates earn a predictable income from day one with no business risk, but their earnings are capped. Practice owners face significant upfront costs ($500,000-$1,500,000 to buy or start a practice) and management headaches, but they build equity in an appreciating asset and have unlimited earning potential. Over a 30-year career, the lifetime earnings difference can exceed $2-4 million in the owner’s favour, even after accounting for the cost of acquisition.
Metric
Associate (Lifetime)
Practice Owner (Lifetime)
Starting income
$120,000–$150,000
Lower initially (paying off purchase)
Peak income
$180,000–$220,000
$250,000–$450,000+
Practice equity at retirement
$0
$500,000–$1,500,000 (sale value)
30-year career earnings (net)
~$5,000,000–$6,000,000
~$6,000,000–$10,000,000
Practice purchase/startup cost
$0
$500,000–$1,500,000
Management burden
None
Significant
Schedule flexibility
Limited
Full control
Risk level
Low
Moderate-High
Path to Becoming a Dentist
Stage
Duration
Cost/Earnings
Undergraduate degree
3–4 years
$20,000–$60,000 tuition
DAT preparation and writing
6–12 months
$1,000–$3,000
Dental school (DDS/DMD)
4 years
$80,000–$250,000 total tuition
Specialty residency (optional)
2–6 years
$50,000–$70,000/year (stipend)
Total training
7–14 years post-high school
—
Average dental school debt
—
$100,000–$200,000
Dental Practice Valuation
Metric
Range
Notes
Valuation multiple (% of gross)
60–85%
Higher for profitable, growing practices
Practice grossing $800K
$480,000–$680,000 sell price
Practice grossing $1.2M
$720,000–$1,020,000 sell price
Practice grossing $2M
$1,200,000–$1,700,000 sell price
Goodwill value
75–90% of total value
Patient relationships, reputation
Tangible asset value
10–25% of total value
Equipment, leasehold improvements
Similar-Paying Professions
At a StatCan-verified median of $134,000/year (inflation-adjusted to today’s dollars), dentists earn about the same as several other professions covered on this site:
Based on the same Statistics Canada 2021 Census occupation income data (Table 98-10-0586-01) used throughout this page, inflation-adjusted to today’s dollars.