Dentist salary in Singapore
What the job is: General dental practitioner performs diagnostic, preventive and curative services for dental and oral diseases and disorders. Also called: General dentist, Orthodontist. SSOC 2024, 22611
- General dental practitioner: S$5,007 median a month. Middle 50% earn S$4,937 to S$5,409.
- Specialised dentist: S$5,104 median. Middle 50% earn S$4,702 to S$5,515.
- Dental technician: S$2,990 median, S$2,017 below a general dental practitioner.
- Dental graduates: S$4,550 median at NUS, with 100.0% in full-time permanent jobs.
- Private-sector employers only: MOM surveys private establishments with 25 or more employees.
How much do dentists earn?
A general dental practitioner earns S$5,007 at the median and a specialised dentist S$5,104. Dental technicians earn S$2,990.
Gross monthly wage, June 2025, all industries.
| Occupation, all industries | Basic wage, median | Gross, 25th percentile | Gross, median | Gross, 75th percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General dental practitionerLimited detail | 4,984 | 4,937 | 5,007 | 5,409 |
| Specialised dentistLimited detail | 5,059 | 4,702 | 5,104 | 5,515 |
| Dental technicianLimited detail | 2,978 | 2,500 | 2,990 | 3,540 |
Source cells (MOM spreadsheet)
T4!C142:I142, T4!C215:I215, T4!C274:I274- General dental practitioners have a range of S$472 between the 25th and 75th percentile. Specialised dentists have a range of S$813.
- The basic median is S$4,984 for general dental practitioners and S$5,059 for specialised dentists.
- Specialised dentists work in a branch of dentistry such as orthodontics, periodontics or oral surgery (SSOC 2024).
- Dental technicians make and repair dentures and other dental aids (SSOC 2024).
Starting salary for dental graduates
NUS Dental Surgery graduates earned S$4,550 at the median in 2025.
Graduates in full-time permanent jobs, surveyed on 1 November 2025.
| University and programme | Basic, median | Gross, median | Gross, mean | Gross, middle 50% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NUS, Bachelor of Dental Surgery | 4,550 | 4,550 | 4,595 | 4,500 to 4,597 |
- The middle 50% earned S$4,500 to S$4,597.
- NUS is the only university in MOE's survey with a dental surgery degree.
- 51% of the class answered MOE's survey, as reported in MOE's survey.
Job outcomes for dental graduatesAll responding NUS Dental Surgery graduates in the labour force were in full-time permanent jobs.
All responding NUS Dental Surgery graduates in the labour force were in full-time permanent jobs.
Share of graduates in the labour force.
| Programme | Course response rate | Currently employed | In full-time permanent employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| NUS, Bachelor of Dental Surgery | 51% | 100.0% | 100.0% |
- The employment rate and the full-time permanent rate were both 100.0%.
How pay changes with age
MOM publishes no age breakdown for dentists or dental technicians in June 2025.
Median gross monthly wage by age group.
| Occupation | 25–29 | 30–39 | 40–49 | 50–59 |
|---|
- MOM's Table 3 shows no age figure for any of the three jobs.
- The pay history below shows how the medians have moved from year to year.
By sex and employer sizeMale specialised dentists earn S$5,729 at the median and female specialised dentists S$4,702.
Male specialised dentists earn S$5,729 at the median and female specialised dentists S$4,702.
| Occupation | All, median gross | Men | Women | Women vs men |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General dental practitioner | 5,007 | – | 4,972 | – |
| Specialised dentist | 5,104 | 5,729 | 4,702 | -17.9% |
| Dental technician | 2,990 | – | – | – |
Source cells (MOM spreadsheet)
T1.2!C128:E128, T1.1!C188:E188, T1.2!C184:E184| Occupation | Firms with 25 to 199 employees | Firms with 200 or more | Large vs small |
|---|---|---|---|
| General dental practitioner | – | 4,972 | – |
| Specialised dentist | – | 5,115 | – |
| Dental technician | – | 3,288 | – |
Source cells (MOM spreadsheet)
T2!C142:G142, T2!C208:G208, T2!C265:G265- Female general dental practitioners earn S$4,972 at the median. MOM publishes no figure for men.
- MOM publishes dentist pay only for employers with 200 or more staff: S$4,972 for general dental practitioners and S$5,115 for specialised dentists.
- Dental technicians at employers with 200 or more staff earn S$3,288.
- These compare two groups. They are not an adjusted pay gap.
By employer industry
MOM publishes no industry figure for general dental practitioners or specialised dentists. Dental technicians in health and social services earn S$3,200.
| Employer industry | Median gross wage | Gross wage, middle 50% |
|---|
- The middle 50% of dental technicians in health and social services earn S$2,793 to S$3,803.
- Across all industries, dental technicians earn S$2,990 at the median.
Pay over time and 2026 outlook
Dental technician pay is projected at S$3,180 for June 2026. General dental practitioner pay has moved too much to project, and specialised dentists lack a linked figure for 2024.
Official medians for the last six years, then a projection for June 2026.
| Occupation | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General dental practitioner | – | – | – | 4,854 | 5,163 | 5,007 | |
| Specialised dentist | – | 5,587 | – | 4,117 | – | 5,104 | |
| Dental technician | – | – | – | 2,895 | 3,032 | 2,990 |
June 2026 projection Estimate
| Occupation | June 2025 (MOM) | June 2026 projection | 80% range | Range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General dental practitioner | 5,007 | Not projected: too volatile | ||
| Specialised dentist | 5,104 | Not projected: not enough history | ||
| Dental technician | 2,990 | 3,180 | 2,740 to 3,700 | |
- The estimate is our projection, not MOM data.
- General dental practitioner pay was S$4,854 in 2023, S$5,163 in 2024 and S$5,007 in 2025.
- Specialised dentist pay was S$5,587 in 2021, S$4,117 in 2023 and S$5,104 in 2025. Our linked series has no figure for the years between.
- Dental technician pay was S$2,895 in 2023, S$3,032 in 2024 and S$2,990 in 2025.
Is dentistry affected by AI?
The ILO rates dentists and dental technicians Not exposed to generative AI. Dentists have an average task score of 0.15 and technicians 0.18. The technician score is for the ILO group of medical and dental prosthetic technicians.
Based on the International Labour Organization's 2025 index, which scores every core task of a job from 0 (AI cannot help) to 1 (AI could do nearly all of it).
AI can do very little of this job. Most tasks are hands-on or face to face.
- Most exposed taskSupervising dental hygienists, dental assistants
- Least exposed taskAdministering anaesthetics
- In numbersNone of its 12 main tasks is one AI could do a large part of.
AI can do very little of this job. Most tasks are hands-on or face to face.
- Most exposed taskSupervising dental hygienists, dental assistants
- Least exposed taskAdministering anaesthetics
- In numbersNone of its 12 main tasks is one AI could do a large part of.
AI can do very little of this job. Most tasks are hands-on or face to face.
- Most exposed taskInterpreting prescriptions or specifications
- Least exposed taskBending, forming, and shaping fabric or material so that it…
- In numbersNone of its 10 main tasks is one AI could do a large part of.
- Not exposed
- Minimal
- Some
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
Scored as ILO group 2261 Dentists. Average task score 0.15, higher than 17% of the 427 jobs the ILO scored.
- Not exposed
- Minimal
- Some
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
Scored as ILO group 2261 Dentists. Average task score 0.15, higher than 17% of the 427 jobs the ILO scored.
- Not exposed
- Minimal
- Some
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
Scored as ILO group 3214 Medical and dental prosthetic technicians. Average task score 0.18, higher than 27% of the 427 jobs the ILO scored.
| Factor | General dental practitioner | Specialised dentist | Dental technician |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Exposure levelThe ILO's rating for the whole job, from not exposed up to very high. | Not exposed | Not exposed | Not exposed |
| 2Average task scoreHow much of each core task generative AI could do, averaged. 0 means none, 1 means nearly all. | 0.15 higher than 17% of jobs | 0.15 higher than 17% of jobs | 0.18 higher than 27% of jobs |
| 3Tasks AI could do much ofTasks scoring 0.5 or more. These are the parts of the job most likely to change. | 0 of 12 | 0 of 12 | 0 of 10 |
| 4Hands-on or people tasksTasks scoring under 0.25: physical, in-person or judgement work that AI barely touches. | 10 of 12 | 10 of 12 | 8 of 10 |
| 5How even the exposure isEven means AI touches most tasks a little. Uneven means a few tasks are exposed and the rest are not. | Even (0.06) | Even (0.06) | Even (0.05) |
| 6Most exposed taskWhere AI tools are likely to show up first. | Supervising dental hygienists, dental assistants and other… 0.27 | Supervising dental hygienists, dental assistants and other… 0.27 | Interpreting prescriptions or specifications to determine… 0.28 |
| 7Least exposed taskThe task AI can help with least. | Administering anaesthetics to limit the amount of pain… 0.07 | Administering anaesthetics to limit the amount of pain… 0.07 | Bending, forming, and shaping fabric or material so that it… 0.13 |
| 8Pay trend so farChange in the MOM median since the first year on record. Any AI effect would show here in later years. | +3% S$4,854 (2023) to S$5,007 (2025) | -9% S$5,587 (2021) to S$5,104 (2025) | +3% S$2,895 (2023) to S$2,990 (2025) |
- 0.27Supervising dental hygienists, dental assistants and other staff
- 0.26Educating patients and families on dental hygiene, nutrition and other…
- 0.20Assisting in diagnosing general diseases having oral manifestations such as…
- 0.07Administering anaesthetics to limit the amount of pain experienced by…
- 0.10Providing restorative oral care such as implants, complex crown and bridge…
- 0.10Measuring and taking impressions of patients' jaws and teeth in order to…
- 0.27Supervising dental hygienists, dental assistants and other staff
- 0.26Educating patients and families on dental hygiene, nutrition and other…
- 0.20Assisting in diagnosing general diseases having oral manifestations such as…
- 0.07Administering anaesthetics to limit the amount of pain experienced by…
- 0.10Providing restorative oral care such as implants, complex crown and bridge…
- 0.10Measuring and taking impressions of patients' jaws and teeth in order to…
- 0.28Interpreting prescriptions or specifications to determine the type of product…
- 0.25Conferring with medical and dental practitioners in order to formulate…
- 0.19Fitting appliances and devices onto patients, testing and evaluating them…
- 0.13Bending, forming, and shaping fabric or material so that it conforms to…
- 0.14Fabricating full and partial dentures and constructing mouth guards, crowns…
- 0.15Designing and making orthotic and prosthetic devices using materials such as…
Source cells (MOM spreadsheet)
SSOC 22611 to ISCO 2261 (SSOC2024-ISCO08!B226); SSOC 22612 to ISCO 2261 (SSOC2024-ISCO08!B227); SSOC 32143 to ISCO 3214 (SSOC2024-ISCO08!B530)- For dentists, supervising dental hygienists and dental assistants is the most exposed task, at 0.27.
- Administering anaesthetics is the least exposed dentist task, at 0.07.
- For the ILO technician group, interpreting prescriptions or specifications is the most exposed task, at 0.29.
- Exposure measures how much of the work AI could do or speed up. It does not measure job cuts.
Which figure should you compare with?
Match your title first, then whether you are a general practitioner, a specialist or a technician.
| You are | Compare with | Figure |
|---|---|---|
| Choosing dentistry as a course | NUS Dental Surgery, 2025 | S$4,550 |
| General dental practitioner | All-industry median | S$5,007 |
| Specialised dentist | All-industry median | S$5,104 |
| Specialised dentist at a large employer | 200 or more staff | S$5,115 |
| Dental technician | All-industry median | S$2,990 |
| Dental technician in health and social services | Health and social services figure | S$3,200 |
About these figures
What the pay figures includeMonthly gross pay with allowances and overtime, without bonuses or employer CPF
Every figure is monthly, includes allowances and overtime, and excludes bonuses and employer CPF.
| Measure | Includes | Excludes |
|---|---|---|
| Basic wage | Basic pay | Allowances, overtime, bonus, employer CPF |
| Gross wage | Basic + allowances + overtime + commissions | Bonus, employer CPF, lump sums |
| Graduate salary | Same as gross, full-time permanent jobs only | Bonus, employer CPF |
- S$5,007 × 12 = S$60,084 a year before bonus. It is not a total package.
What this data does not coverMOM surveys private-sector employers with 25 or more staff.
MOM surveys private-sector employers with 25 or more staff.
- Establishments with fewer than 25 employees are outside the survey.
- MOM publishes no age breakdown for dentists or dental technicians in June 2025.
- Specialised dentists are one group. MOM does not separate orthodontists, oral surgeons or other branches.
- MOM figures exclude bonuses.
Questions
What is the dentist salary in Singapore?
MOM's median gross monthly wage for general dental practitioner was S$5,007 in June 2025. The middle half earned S$4,937 to S$5,409. Basic pay alone had a median of S$4,984.
What is the dentist salary per year in Singapore?
S$5,007 a month is S$60,084 a year before bonus. Bonuses and the employer's CPF contribution come on top and are not in MOM's monthly figure.
What is the starting salary for dental graduates?
Graduates of the related degree had a median gross starting pay of S$4,550 a month in MOE's 2025 survey.
Which of these jobs pay the most?
Specialised dentist has the highest median, S$5,104 a month, and dental technician the lowest, S$2,990 (MOM, June 2025).
What is the difference between a general dental practitioner and a dental technician?
General dental practitioner performs diagnostic, preventive and curative services for dental and oral diseases and disorders. Dental technician makes and repairs dentures and other dental aid. In June 2025 the median gross monthly wage was S$5,007 for general dental practitioners and S$2,990 for dental technicians (MOM; definitions from SSOC 2024).
Where do these figures come from?
From MOM's Occupational Wages 2025, which covers full-time resident employees in private firms with at least 25 staff, as at June 2025. Gross wages include allowances and overtime but not bonuses or employer CPF.
Related guides
Sources
MOM Occupational Wages 2025 and MOE Graduate Employment Survey 2025
- MOM, Occupational Wages 2025, Tables 1 to 4. June 2025, released 30 June 2026. SSOC 22611, 22612, 32143. Exact cells are listed under each table.
- MOE, NUS GES 2025. Bachelor of Dental Surgery.
- MOM, Coverage and Methodology 2025.
- ILO generative AI exposure index 2025, matched to SSOC through the SingStat correspondence table.