Dental practitioners: average salary and pay in the UK
A full-time median is published for women only; the sample of men is too small.
What the figures show
The Annual Population Survey counts 34,800 people in this line of work across the UK.
Pay distribution, 2025 provisional
| Gross pay | All, hourly |
|---|---|
| 25th percentile | £23.09* |
| 30th percentile | £23.72* |
| 40th percentile | £25.83* |
| Median (50th percentile) | £32.37* |
| 60th percentile | £36.42* |
Pay since 2021
| ASHE year | Full-time, annual median | Full-time, weekly median | Full-time, hourly median | All, weekly median | Jobs (thousands, indicative) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 revised | £49,954 | £812.80* | £20.68* | – | – |
| 2023 revised | – | £904.70* | £23.13* | – | 8* |
| 2024 revised | – | £1,095.40* | £31.32 | £721.00* | 9* |
| 2025 provisional | – | – | – | – | 8* |
Dental practitioners by region
UK: 34,800 (± 7,200), April 2025 to March 2026.
Annual Population Survey (Nomis)
What dental practitioners do
Dental practitioners diagnose dental and oral diseases, injuries and disorders, prescribe and administer treatment, recommend preventative action and, where necessary, refer the patient to a specialist. (ONS SOC 2020, 2253)
Also covers: dental surgeon, dentist, orthodontist, periodontist, dental consultant, dental officer, fellow (dentistry), lecturer (dentistry), professor (dentistry), reader (dentistry), fellow (research, dentistry) and general dental practitioner.
- Examines patient’s teeth, gums and jaw, using dental and x-ray equipment, diagnoses dental conditions
- Assesses and recommends treatment options to patients
- Administers local anaesthetics
- Carries out clinical treatments, restores teeth affected by decay etc., treats gum disease and other disorders
- Constructs and fits braces, inlays, dentures and other appliances
- Supervises patient’s progress and advises on preventative action
Entrants require an approved university degree and must have completed a period of postgraduate vocational training. Graduate entry to dental school is sometimes possible. Registration with the General Dental Council is a pre-requisite to practise. Specialist fields require further study and training.
Related
Other health professionals (median £47,939) · Optometrists · Medical radiographers · salary percentile · UK average weekly earnings growth · Median
ASHE Table 14: 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 · coding index · notes · 15 October 2026