Pay by state / District of Columbia
DC · BLS OEWS May 2025
Dental pay in District of Columbia
District of Columbia's 320 dental hygienists earned a mean of $127,910 in May 2025, 29% above the US mean and number 3 of 50 states. BLS published no wage for District of Columbia's salaried general dentists; orthodontists' pay is not published for District of Columbia. Dental assistants earned $63,360.
- 1Dental hygienists $127,910
- 2General dentists not published
- 3Orthodontists not published
- 4Dental assistants $63,360
| Occupation | Employed | Per 1,000 jobs | DC mean | US mean | vs US |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Orthodontists | – | – | – | $259,400 | – |
| General dentists | 340 | 0.484 | – | $191,350 | – |
| Dental hygienists | 320 | 0.45 | $127,910 | $98,990 | +29% |
| Dental assistants | 630 | 0.897 | $63,360 | $50,200 | +26% |
How District of Columbia ranks
- Orthodontists: no row at all in the BLS May 2025 state file for District of Columbia.
- General dentists: 340 employed; BLS does not publish their pay here.
- Dental hygienists: number 3 of 50 published states for mean pay ($127,910, median $137,220), with 0.45 per 1,000 jobs.
- Dental assistants: number 2 of 50 published states for mean pay ($63,360, median $60,580), with 0.897 per 1,000 jobs.
District of Columbia and the South Atlantic division
Among the 9 South Atlantic jurisdictions with published figures, District of Columbia ranks 1 for dental hygienists' pay; half of its hygienists earn more than $137,220 and half less. The Census Bureau groups these states as a division, which makes a fairer comparison than the national figure when living costs differ by region.
| South Atlantic | Hygienists | Dentists | Assistants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delaware | $100,660 | – | $47,520 |
| District of Columbia | $127,910 | – | $63,360 |
| Florida | $88,320 | $195,930 | $48,500 |
| Georgia | $91,220 | $214,040 | $46,870 |
| Maryland | $109,090 | $185,740 | $50,720 |
| North Carolina | $93,640 | $207,550 | $51,510 |
| South Carolina | $84,980 | $181,570 | $47,310 |
| Virginia | $105,120 | $197,820 | $47,490 |
| West Virginia | $71,290 | $200,640 | $41,280 |
Staffing in District of Columbia
There are 0.9 salaried hygienists for every salaried general dentist in District of Columbia, fewer than the national ratio of about 1.8. Owners of practices are not counted in these BLS figures, so dentist and orthodontist numbers understate how many work in District of Columbia.
What it means for your braces
BLS publishes no orthodontist wage for District of Columbia. Wages are one input to what practices charge, alongside rent, equipment and competition, so they explain only part of why quotes differ. Your quote is what matters: put it, your insurance's orthodontic benefit and your FSA or HSA plans into the calculator.
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (state and national files). “–” = not published by BLS. Checked 2026-10-24. Methodology.