The Best US Cities for Dentists

Where Dentists Are Currently Thriving

The best cities for dentists aren't always the ones with the biggest paychecks. In many cases, things like job availability, patient demand, and local business conditions matter more when choosing where to build your career.

Scottsdale, Arizona, came out on top as the best city for dentists. It offers a great mix of job openings and strong patient demand. The city ranked 5th for "dentist near me" searches and 21st for dental employment, showing that people are looking for care and there are jobs to match. Even though it placed 22nd for salary, Scottsdale ranked 2nd for expected job growth over the next decade, making it a smart place to build a long-term career.

Raleigh, North Carolina, landed in second place. It has the highest concentration of dental jobs in the country and placed 16th for average salary. That means there are plenty of opportunities, and the pay isn't bad either.

Orlando, Florida, came in third with strong search interest from patients and a solid job market for dental professionals. It ranked in the top five for online searches and 15th for dental employment, which is a good sign for anyone looking to open or expand a practice.

Charlotte, North Carolina, took the fourth spot and had the second-highest search interest in the country. Miami, Florida, rounded out the top five. These cities show that the best places to work in dentistry aren't just about high pay. It's also about finding a community where people need your services and your business can grow.

Where the Money and Momentum Are

With high educational debt weighing on many new dentists, strong income and growth potential matter more than ever. Unlike the overall rankings above, this list focuses on the best and worst cities in each key category.

Cape Coral, Florida, came in first for pay, with dentists earning an average of $275,110 a year — about $24,000 more than the next city on the list. Boston, Massachusetts, followed at $251,390, and Houston, Texas, wasn't far behind at $240,340.

When it comes to patient demand, Cleveland, Ohio, topped the charts with more than 57,000 "dentist near me" searches per 100,000 residents. Charlotte and Atlanta also saw high search interest, showing that plenty of people in those cities are actively looking for dental care.

The outlook for job growth is stronger in some states than others. New Mexico, Arizona, and New York are expected to see the biggest increases in dental employment over the next decade, at 26.6%, 20.5%, and 19.8% growth, giving new graduates and expanding practices plenty of room to grow.

Dentists in Santa Ana, Anaheim, and Irvine, California, also earned top marks from patients. Yelp ratings in these cities averaged between 4.72 and 4.74 stars, showing that patients are happy with the care they're getting. For dentists thinking about relocating, these high ratings suggest strong patient satisfaction and communities that value quality dental care.

Some areas also have more dentists per resident than others. Irvine, California, had the highest concentration with about 1,014 dentists per 100,000 residents on Yelp. That means more competition, but also strong demand and a thriving dental community.

Shortages, Staffing Struggles, and Shifting Priorities

The survey portion of this study revealed that demand for care is growing faster than the workforce can keep up. Across the country, dental offices are struggling to hire and retain qualified staff, creating challenges for both practices and patients.

More than half of dental practices (60%) said they're currently hiring, and most of those (84%) said it's been tough to fill open positions. Dental workers shared that it's harder to find dental hygienists (40%) than dentists (22%) and that these two roles are the hardest to staff.

Nearly 3 in 4 dental professionals (72%) said there's a shortage of dentists in their area, and more than half (57%) reported that the lack of staff is causing delays in patient care. Some offices are finding creative ways to ease the pressure. About 1 in 10 practices (11%) now offer student loan repayment to help attract new hires.

When asked how they'd use additional funding from a business loan, dental professionals shared clear priorities for improving their practices. Nearly half (47%) said they would invest in new equipment, while 45% would offer raises or retention bonuses to their staff. Another 43% said they would hire more employees to meet patient demand, and 29% would expand or renovate their facilities to create a better experience for both patients and employees.

Dentistry's Future Depends on Smart Business Decisions

Dentistry is changing quickly, and success today takes more than clinical skill. Where you choose to practice and how you invest in your business can make a big difference in your income, growth, and long-term stability. Cities like Scottsdale, Raleigh, and Cape Coral show that opportunity is strongest where patient demand and local support come together.

For many dental professionals, the biggest challenges are staffing shortages and financial strain. Quick and easy access to reliable dental practice financing can help cover the costs of hiring, equipment, or expanding a practice. With the right business loan and a solid plan, dentists can stay focused on providing quality care while keeping their practices growing for years to come.

Methodology

To identify the best U.S. cities for dentists in 2025, Clarify Capital conducted a data-driven meta-analysis using multiple, weighted metrics reflecting both economic opportunity and patient demand. We analyzed data across 98 major U.S. metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) using the most recent data available from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), ONet, Yelp, and Google Trends.

Each city was evaluated across six core metrics, weighted as follows by their relevance to dental career and business success:

• Average dentist salary (BLS): Salary estimates reflect MSA-level earnings for general dentists (25%)

• Employment per 1,000 jobs (BLS): Employment estimates reflect MSA-level workforce concentration (25%)

• 2024/2025 search interest per 100K residents "dentists near me" (Google Trends: Captures consumer demand for dental care (20%)

• Number of dentist listings on Yelp per 100K residents: Used as a proxy for dental service availability (10%)

• Average Yelp rating of dentists: Reflects public satisfaction and perceived care quality (10%)

• State estimated 10-year job increase (ONet): Captures future employment potential (10%)

Limitations:

• Only U.S. cities with complete data across all six metrics were included.

• Where specific data were unavailable or incomplete, city-level averages were used to maintain consistency.

• Yelp listings were filtered to include only businesses under the "Dentists" category, though some suburban providers may be included due to API radius limits. Yelp data may also include providers outside strict city limits.

• Job growth projections are state-level rather than city-specific due to available data granularity.

• All metrics reflect the most recent reporting periods available.

To provide context on workforce challenges and professional sentiment, we also conducted a national survey of 156 dental industry employees, including dentists, dental assistants, hygienists, and dental office managers.

About Clarify Capital

Clarify Capital helps small business owners and entrepreneurs access fast, flexible funding solutions tailored to their needs. Whether you're launching a new dental practice or expanding to a second location, Clarify provides no-doc business loans and fast business loans to help you invest in equipment, hire staff, and grow with confidence.

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