How Much Do Dentists Make in Ontario? Your Guide to Earnings & What Affects Pay
Table of Contents
a. General Dentists: What You Can Expect to Make
b. Specialist Dentists: How Much More Can You Make?
a. Where You Work: Associate or Owner
b. Location: City, Suburb, or Country
c. How Long You’ve Been Working
d. Special Skills and What Treatments You Offer
e. How Much You Work and How Many Patients You See
f. Expenses and Running a Business
a. What is Gross Income?
b. What is Net Income?
c. Usual Deductions and Costs for Dentists
Introduction: My Look at Dentist Income in Ontario
When I first wanted to know how much dentists make in Ontario, I really just wanted a straight answer. Turns out, it’s not that simple. Dentist pay here can go up or down for all kinds of reasons—where you work, how much you’ve practiced, and even what kind of clinic you’re in. After talking to other dentists, reading reports, and seeing things for myself, I learned that there’s a lot that changes how much you end up taking home.
So whether you’re a student thinking about dentistry, just starting out, or you’ve worked a while and want to check up on your pay, I’ll break down the real numbers. Plus, I’ll explain what matters most, and how you can earn more.
Average Dentist Salary in Ontario: The Main Numbers
First off, let’s talk numbers. Most dentists in Ontario have a gross income between $150,000 and $300,000+ a year. But this is just the starting point—new grads make less, and top specialists or clinic owners can earn much more.
General Dentists: What You Can Expect to Make
New Dentists/Associates
When I started, I wanted to know what a new dentist might earn. In Ontario, associates (basically employees) usually start between $100,000 and $200,000 per year. You don’t get a regular salary—instead, you often get a cut of the money you bring in (usually 35–50%).
Sometimes a clinic gives you a minimum pay, but mostly what you make depends on how many patients you see and how many jobs you do. A friend working in a busy Toronto office made close to $200,000 her first year. Another friend in a smaller town earned less until she built up a group of regular patients.
Dentists with Some Experience (3-10 years)
After a few years, pay usually goes up. Most mid-career general dentists earn $200,000 to $350,000 a year. By now, they have more experience and see more people, and sometimes offer extra treatments (like cosmetic work or Invisalign) which help bump up their earnings.
Experienced Dentists (10+ years)
Dentists with ten years or more—especially those who own part or all of a clinic—can get $250,000 to $500,000+ gross each year. But remember, this is before you take out expenses and taxes.
Specialist Dentists: How Much More Can You Make?
If you study more and become a specialist, the pay can go up a lot.
Orthodontists
Orthodontists (braces and aligners) usually make $300,000 to $600,000+ per year. There’s lots of repeat business and higher fees.
Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
Oral surgeons can make even more. For hard surgeries and things like implants or wisdom tooth pulls, it’s common to see over $400,000 and sometimes above $700,000 yearly for those who have been working a long time.
Other Specialties
Other dental specialists (like endodontists, pediatric dentists, etc.) usually make somewhere in the $250,000–$500,000+ range, depending on how busy they are and what kinds of treatments they do.
Main Things That Change How Much a Dentist Makes in Ontario
Here’s what really makes a difference in how much you earn.
Where You Work: Associate or Owner
Associates: Pay System
As an associate, you usually get a 35–50% share of what you bring in. You don’t pay for rent, staff, or supplies—that’s the owner’s problem. The plus is it’s more stable, but there’s a cap.
Practice Owners: Revenue, Expenses, and Take-Home Pay
Owners can make much more—but also have much more stress. Clinic costs like rent, salaries, and supplies in Ontario can eat up 60–75% of gross income. So if your clinic brings in $600,000, you might only actually get $250,000 or even less after paying all the bills.
Location: City, Suburb, or Country
Where you work can matter even more than how long you’ve been a dentist.
Income by Area
Toronto is busy and has more patients, but rent is high and there’s lots of competition. Smaller cities like Ottawa or London can offer steadier patient lists, sometimes with less rent.
Move to rural Ontario, and you might see fewer people, but you may charge higher fees or even get bonuses to move there. One friend who moved to the north soon had a full schedule and earned as much as her friends in Toronto.
Type of Patients
City dentists might do more checkups and cosmetic work for a younger crowd. In smaller towns, you might do more big jobs (like dentures or extractions) and see more repeat patients, which can actually bring in more money per person.
How Long You’ve Been Working
Experience helps—big time. When I started, I worked harder and slower. Later on, I worked faster, had regular patients, and got more referrals. That meant more money. Old pros often earn more because they:
- Have more regular patients
- Do harder jobs
- Get recommended more
- Work faster and smarter
Special Skills and What Treatments You Offer
The more skills you have, the higher your pay can grow. For example, when I learned how to do implants and crowns, my average earnings per patient went up.
Doing only basic checkups and fillings? It’s hard to make the big money. Offer braces, wisdom tooth removal, or things like veneers, and you can make a lot more. Having a relationship with a good dental lab can also help you increase what you can offer.
How Much You Work and How Many Patients You See
If you work more days and see more patients, you earn more—it’s that simple. When I picked up extra shifts in different offices, I made over $20,000 extra in one year.
Working smarter also helps—better scheduling, less wasted time, and getting help with non-dental work so you can focus on seeing people.
Expenses and Running a Business
If you own a clinic, your costs can add up fast. Staff, rent, and supplies are some of the biggest expenses. I found that buying new equipment (especially digital) made things cheaper in the long run, and made my clinic more popular with patients too, though it cost a lot at first.
Keeping good track of your spending, and finding cheaper labs or tools, can make a big difference to how much you actually keep each year.
Gross Income vs. Net Income: What’s the Difference?
One thing that confused me at first—the number you see before anything is taken off (gross income) is not what ends up in your account (net income). Here’s what that means.
What is Gross Income?
Gross income is just the total amount you make before taking out any costs. For employees, it means what you bill for. For clinic owners, it’s everything the clinic brings in before paying bills.
What is Net Income?
Net income is what’s left after you pay for everything: rent, staff, bills, taxes, supplies, and so on.
Usual Deductions and Costs for Dentists
Biggest expenses for dentists are:
- Clinic costs (usually 60-75% of gross for owners)
- Income taxes (higher if you make more)
- Student loans (about $1,000/month or more if you just finished school)
- Fees (for licenses, insurance, and memberships)
- Practice insurance
- Lab fees (for crowns, dentures, etc.—you might use a dental ceramics lab, for example)
- Equipment and computer programs
- Courses or training
After all that, the number left is your real pay—what you live on and save.
Dentist Pay in Different Ontario Cities
Here’s a quick look at what dentists make across Ontario:
- Toronto & GTA: Most general dentists earn $180,000–$350,000+ gross, but costs are high, so take-home may be less than it sounds.
- Ottawa, Hamilton, Mississauga: Similar pay, but less competition, sometimes easier to get regular patients.
- London, Waterloo, others: Pay is mostly the same, and you often find less stress about new patients or rent.
- Rural or small town: You may see fewer patients, but higher fees, less competition, and sometimes more incentives or bonuses—and cost of living is much lower.
Remember to think about living costs—bigger cities usually mean you’ll spend more, even if your pay is higher.
Job Outlook and What’s Next for Dentists in Ontario
Dentistry in Ontario seems pretty solid for the future. More people need dental work, especially with an older population. Even small towns need dentists.
Technology is changing the field. Things like digital x-rays and 3D printing mean dentists can work faster and offer more treatments. Sending cases to a modern digital dental lab makes things quicker for patients too.
People’s needs are changing. Older folks need bigger treatments (like implants), while young people want their teeth to look nice. Dentists who can offer both types will do best.
Large dental companies and group clinics are becoming more common, which can make the job more stable—but sometimes pay less than if you own your own small office.
Is Dentistry a Good Job in Ontario?
So, is it worth it? For most people, yes—if you plan and work smart.
Pros:
- Good pay—few jobs move from $100,000 to $300,000+ after a few years.
- Job stability—people always need dentists.
- Chance to own your own business.
Cons:
- Dental school debt—often over $150,000.
- Busy schedule and lots of bills—especially if you own a clinic.
- Easy to burn out if you work too many hours.
But if you keep learning, offer special treatments, and watch your costs, you can earn well and build a career you’re proud of.
Conclusion: What I Learned About Dentist Pay in Ontario
After years in dentistry, I can say pay goes up and down for many reasons. To earn the most, keep your skills sharp, try new treatments, pick a place to work that fits you, and always keep an eye on your spending.
Starting out, most earn over $100,000; the best can break $500,000. For dentists in Ontario, hard work and good planning pay off. The best advice? Keep getting better at your job and don’t be scared to learn new things. The rewards are there—you just have to go for them.
Content reviewed and approved by Dr. Joe Dental—Ontario dentist, mentor, and financial educator
