Orthodontists Career, Salary and Skills
Orthodontists have a BLS-reported national median annual wage of $289,140 based on the 2025 OEWS dataset, with reported national employment of 6,210. Wage data is published for 29 locations.
Occupation description
Examine, diagnose, and treat dental malocclusions and oral cavity anomalies. Design and fabricate appliances to realign teeth and jaws to produce and maintain normal function and to improve appearance.
O*NET code
29-1023.00
Job zone
5
Typical education
Post-Doctoral Training
Experience
Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years
National salary and employment
Median annual
$289,140
Hourly median
$139.01
Employment
6,210
Data year
2025
National salary distribution
Top skills
| Skill | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Speaking | 4.00 | 4.00 |
| Critical Thinking | 4.00 | 4.00 |
| Monitoring | 4.00 | 4.00 |
| Active Listening | 4.00 | 4.00 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 4.00 | 4.00 |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.88 | 4.12 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.88 | 3.88 |
| Coordination | 3.88 | 3.88 |
| Active Learning | 3.75 | 4.00 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.75 | 3.88 |
Typical tasks
- Diagnose teeth and jaw or other dental-facial abnormalities.
- Examine patients to assess abnormalities of jaw development, tooth position, and other dental-facial structures.
- Study diagnostic records, such as medical or dental histories, plaster models of the teeth, photos of a patient's face and teeth, and X-rays, to develop patient treatment plans.
- Fit dental appliances in patients' mouths to alter the position and relationship of teeth and jaws or to realign teeth.
- Adjust dental appliances to produce and maintain normal function.
- Provide patients with proposed treatment plans and cost estimates.
- Advise patients to comply with treatment plans.
- Prepare diagnostic and treatment records.
Technology
- Ada
- Adstra Systems ADSTRA Management
- Advance Ortho Systems Program Director
- Algorithm Compu-Ceph
- American Orthodontics Compu-Ceph
- American Orthodontics Photo-Eze
- Dolphin Imaging & Management Solutions Dolphin Management
- EZappt
- FYI Technologies Dr. Ceph
- FYI Technologies Dr. View
- GAC International OrthoPlex
- ICE Dental Systems
- IMS Specialty Services IMS Digital Office
Orthodontists salary by location
Areas with the highest reported employment for this occupation.
- Orthodontists Salary in WAMedian $290,430 · Employment 290
- Orthodontists Salary in OHMedian $219,300 · Employment 250
- Orthodontists Salary in NCMedian $224,990 · Employment 160
- Orthodontists Salary in COMedian $416,000 · Employment 160
- Orthodontists Salary in MIMedian $357,090 · Employment 140
- Orthodontists Salary in NYMedian $172,980 · Employment 130
- Orthodontists Salary in AZMedian $272,330 · Employment 120
- Orthodontists Salary in Phoenix, AZMedian $272,330 · Employment 100
- Orthodontists Salary in WIMedian $212,860 · Employment 90
- Orthodontists Salary in MEMedian $301,250 · Employment 60
- Orthodontists Salary in MDMedian $361,030 · Employment —
- Orthodontists Salary in New York, NYMedian $281,850 · Employment —
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Career and skills data: O*NET 31.0 (onetcenter.org). Salary and employment data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, 2025 (bls.gov/oes). Figures are published survey estimates, not real-time market data.