Pay by state / Vermont
VT · BLS OEWS May 2025
Dental pay in Vermont
Vermont's 560 dental hygienists earned a mean of $97,540 in May 2025, 1% below the US mean and number 19 of 50 states. Salaried general dentists averaged $214,130 (+12% against the US); orthodontists' pay is not published for Vermont. Dental assistants earned $54,550.
- 1Dental hygienists $97,540
- 2General dentists $214,130
- 3Orthodontists not published
- 4Dental assistants $54,550
| Occupation | Employed | Per 1,000 jobs | VT mean | US mean | vs US |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Orthodontists | – | – | – | $259,400 | – |
| General dentists | 240 | 0.802 | $214,130 | $191,350 | +12% |
| Dental hygienists | 560 | 1.832 | $97,540 | $98,990 | -1% |
| Dental assistants | 580 | 1.909 | $54,550 | $50,200 | +9% |
How Vermont ranks
- Orthodontists: no row at all in the BLS May 2025 state file for Vermont.
- General dentists: number 8 of 47 published states for mean pay ($214,130, median $204,960), with 0.802 per 1,000 jobs.
- Dental hygienists: number 19 of 50 published states for mean pay ($97,540, median $97,470), with 1.832 per 1,000 jobs.
- Dental assistants: number 11 of 50 published states for mean pay ($54,550, median $52,760), with 1.909 per 1,000 jobs.
Vermont and the New England division
Among the 6 New England jurisdictions with published figures, Vermont ranks 4 for dental hygienists' pay; half of its hygienists earn more than $97,470 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.
| New England | Hygienists | Dentists | Assistants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Connecticut | $98,720 | $183,990 | $53,970 |
| Maine | $96,440 | $237,360 | $57,140 |
| Massachusetts | $102,160 | $223,200 | $56,640 |
| New Hampshire | $102,640 | $200,420 | $57,200 |
| Rhode Island | $88,660 | $162,440 | $52,790 |
| Vermont | $97,540 | $214,130 | $54,550 |
Staffing in Vermont
There are 2.3 salaried hygienists for every salaried general dentist in Vermont, more than the national ratio of about 1.8 — hygienists carry more of the routine work here. A practice here employing one hygienist and one assistant at the state's mean wages pays $152,090 a year in their salaries alone, before benefits. Owners of practices are not counted in these BLS figures, so dentist and orthodontist numbers understate how many work in Vermont.
What it means for your braces
BLS publishes no orthodontist wage for Vermont. 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.