Average Starting Salaries

• As of November 2010, a dentist with less than a year's experience can expect to earn a salary between $81,564 and $116,338, according to PayScale, Inc. Those earnings are roughly the same for dentists who have less than four years' experience. However, experienced dentists can expect to earn a lot more: The Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Outlook Handbook lists the median salary of all dentists as $142,870 as of May 2008.
  
  

Low-End Dentist Earnings

• Although experience levels are not the only factor in determining a dentist's earnings -- the cost of living of the area in which he practices plays a large role -- it's likely that the majority of the poorly paying positions are held by dentists who are building up experience until they can transfer to a more lucrative position. The Occupational Outlook Handbook reports that the lowest 10 percent of dentists earned an hourly wage at or below $33.55 per hour.
  
  

Self-Employed Dentists

• Dentists who begin their own practices after graduation may command higher earnings than those who work for another dentist, according to the Occupational Outlook Handbook. Dentists who operate a family dentistry clinic can expect an annual salary of between $91,149 and $141,397 in 2010, according to PayScale. Even if a self-employed dentist earns at the low end of that range, he'll make much more than an entry-level dentist employed in a dental office.
  
  

Benefits and Insurance

• Many dentists receive health benefits from their employers when they're a salaried employee, and most are covered by their employer's malpractice insurance coverage. Those who start their own practices must cover those expenses, which reduces their overall earnings.