Dental therapists perform services in support of dentists and may undertake certain actions that otherwise would be performed by dentists. These include oral assessments, placement of preformed crowns, educating patients on oral care and making impressions. The mean dental therapist salary stands at $69,430 in the United States, C$71,937 ($55,783 USD) in Canada, and £39,499 ($55,345 USD) in the United Kingdom. For those in Australia, salaries average AU$86,767 ($66,643 USD). Dental therapists can expect mean earnings of NZD$87,710 ($63,530 USD) in New Zealand.
How Much Does a Dental Therapist Make?
| Dental Therapist Salary | US | Canada | UK | Australia | New Zealand |
| Annual Salary | $69,430 | C$71,937 | £39,499 | AU$86,767 | NZD$87,710 |
Dental Therapist Salary Determinant Factors
Self-employment factors into shaping pay, as many dental therapists can negotiate hourly rates and determine their hours of work. According to Job Bank Canada, nearly 16 percent of dental hygienists, therapists and other technical occupants in dentistry are self-employed. This rises slightly above the overall percentage of self-employed members of the Canadian labor force. In New Zealand, many dental therapists work as independent contractors for dentists and have hourly pay depending on experience.
Dentists and others that use dental therapists still value experience, which can increase the salaries or hourly rates commanded by dental therapists. Location also counts in determining the pay of dental therapists.
1. How Much Does a Dental Therapist Make by Country?
Dental Therapist Salary in US
PayScale reports the mean pay for dental therapists in the United States at $33.38 per hour. This equates to an annual salary, based on full-time hours, of $69,430. Total earnings run between $44,001 and $89,954.
Dental Therapist Salary in Canada
As stated by SalaryExpert, dental therapists in Canada earn a mean salary of C$71,937. The pay range starts at C$51,447 and reaches C$88,844.
Dental Therapist Salary in UK
Dental therapists in the United Kingdom have a mean salary of £39,499, according to SalaryExpert. The range as stated by SalaryExpert spans between £28,249 and £48,783.
Dental Therapist Salary in Australia
In Australia, the mean for dental therapists stands at AU$86,767. Those at the lower levels average AU$61,000, while therapists fetch up to AU$121,000.
Dental Therapist Salary in New Zealand
Overall, the mean pay for dental therapists in New Zealand stands at NZD$87,710. According to SalaryExpert, the pay range begins at NZD$62,780 and stretches to NZD$108,414. The New Zealand Government places hourly rates for dental therapists between NZD$30 and NZD$60.
2. How Much Does a Dental Therapist Make According to Experience?
The entry-level pay for Canadian dental therapists rests at C$51,447. The mean salary reaches C$88,844 for therapists with at least eight years of experience. For dental therapists overall in the United Kingdom, the mean with up to three years of experience is £28,249. Having eight or more years in the job affords a mean pay of £48,783.
As reported by Neuvoo, new dental therapists garner AU$61,000. Those who attain the highest levels of experience garner as much as AU$121,000.
Oral health therapists in the New Zealand earn NZD$30 per hour at entry-level. Hourly rates go up to NZD$45 for those with two to three years in the field. Oral health therapists with five or more years of experience or as supervisors can expect to make as much as NZD$60 per hour.
3. How Much Does a Dental Therapist Make According to Work Environment?
Dental therapists who work in the United Kingdom’s National Health Service have the classification of “oral health practitioners.” At the starting-level of Band 5, pay runs from £22,128 to £28,746. Oral health practitioner specialists are paid at Band 6, which translates to salaries from £26,565 to £35,577. Those rising to status as “Oral health practitioner advanced” make between £31,696 and £41,787 on “Band 7.”
Work environment can also mean location of practice. In New Zealand, oral health practitioners earn the highest pay in Auckland. While the median hourly rate in Canada sits at C$35, dental therapists and hygienists in Alberta earn on a median basis C$50 per hour. Those in British Columbia and Saskatchewan are tied for second among Canadian provinces in median wages, at C$41 per hour. Working Hours
Generally, dental therapists keep full-time hours, but many do work part-time. According to Job Bank Canada, 61 percent are full-time workers. Overall, 81 percent of Canadian employees work on a full-time basis. Job Outlook Australia says that full-time “Dental Hygienists, Technicians, and Therapists” average 39.6 hours per week, compared with 40 hours per week for all full-time workers in the country.
Most confine their work to daytimes and weekdays. The schedules of these therapists track the hours and days for dentists. Thus, some dental therapists may have evenings or weekends if the dentists whom they serve keep irregular hours to accommodate patients.
Bonuses and Benefits
According to PayScale, bonuses for dental therapists in the United States run from $208 to $5,068. These professionals collected reported commissions between $247 and $18,656 and profit-sharing benefits of $618 to $5,083.
SalaryExpert puts the mean bonus at C$1,324 for dental therapists in Canada and £727 for those in the United Kingdom. Bonuses run on a mean basis NZD$1,614 for those in New Zealand.
Salaried dental therapists may enjoy employer-provided benefits. Dental therapists in the United States enjoy medical coverage at a 32 percent rate. Four out of ten dental therapists have dental benefits, and 13 percent receive vision care.
Career Prospects
Demand for dental therapists will rise due to heightened awareness of oral health and its relation to a person’s overall health. The need for dental therapy comes as the population becomes increasingly older and conditions such as diabetes continue to be commonplace.
In New Zealand, aspiring dental therapists should find job prospects “Good” due to the demand for dental services and the increasing age of dental hygienists and therapists.
Job Bank Canada suggests that demand does not necessarily mean plentiful job openings. Instead, by 2024, the country should have 10,000 openings in the dental hygienist and therapist sector for 10,900 seekers. In Australia, the “Dental Hygienists, Technicians, and Therapists” occupation should grow from 6,200 in 2017 to 6,500 positions through 2022. These new creations and turnover could mean 3,000 openings for hygienists, technicians and therapists in the dental sector.
Conclusion
Dental therapists should find solid demand for services, but competition in finding work. In many areas, the occupation remains small compared with other health professionals. The ability to contract out services and maximize hours of work can enhance pay for dental therapists. Certain areas and accumulated experience can result in higher pay.
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