The average dentist salary in South Africa is R42,300.00 per month. Dentists are at the pinnacle of oral health and treatment, and they are among the highest-paid professionals in the world. Females dominate the field, accounting for 66.7% of the workforce (Payscale).
On average, men and women dentists earn different salaries in South Africa. However, male dentists earn a salary that is 8% higher than that of a woman on average in South Africa. As much as the field is mainly dominated by women, men are paid higher than women.
Dentists’ salaries can be supplemented by bonuses and commissions. Commissions for dentists can amount to up to 22% of a dentist’s salary. Dentists’ commissions range from R0.00 to R225,000.00 per year. A dentist’s bonuses can account for up to 10% of his or her salary and can range from R7,000.00 to R103,000.00.
Dentists’ salaries, bonuses, and commissions may vary from year to year. Here is a brief analysis of how much a Dentist’s salary increases, including bonuses.
Salary increments
The salary of a dentist rises year after year. A Dentist’s salary increases by 12% every 19 months on average, for a 7.5% annual increase. A dentist’s salary increase is 4% higher than the national average for all professions during the same time period.
Every 18 months, professionals in South Africa receive an 8% average salary increase. This represents a 5.3% annual salary increase across all professions. This is 2.3% less than the annual salary increase for dentists in South Africa.
Dentist bonuses in South Africa also rise year after year. Dentists’ bonuses increase from 5% to 9% of their annual salary in 2023. This represents an 80% increase in the bonus rate for dentists in 2023. In South Africa, the majority of dentists receive bonuses, with 86% of all working dentists receiving bonuses and only 14% not receiving bonuses.
A Dentist’s salary rises primarily as a result of their level of experience. Based on their level of experience, we analyze the salary level of Dentists in South Africa below.
Salary of Dentists based on their level of experience
Average Dentist salary with 0 – 2 years of work experience in 2024
A Dentist with 0 to 2 years of experience can expect to earn R39,200.00 per month on average. Dentists with 0 years of experience earn the lowest salary in this group, R34,600.00 per month.
Dentists with 2 years of experience earn the highest salaries in this category, with an average monthly salary of R45,900.00. Dentists can receive contributions from their employers that can cover up to 50% of their premiums.
Average Dentist salary with 3 – 5 years of work experience in 2024
A Dentist with 3 to 5 years of experience can expect to earn R52,400.00 per month on average. The salary represents a 34% increase over the average salary of Dentists with 0 to 2 years of experience.
Dentists with 3 years of experience are the lowest paid in this group, with an average monthly salary of R47,500.00. Dentists with 5 years of experience earn the highest salaries in this category, with an average monthly salary of R63,700.00.
Average Dentist salary with 6 – 10 years of work experience in 2024
A Dentist with 6 to 10 years of experience can expect to earn R77,400.00 per month on average. The salary increase is a 48% increase over the average salary of Dentists with 3 to 5 years of experience.
Dentists with 6 years of experience earn the lowest salaries in this group, with an average monthly salary of R69,000.00. Dentists with 10 years of experience earn the highest salaries in this group, with an average monthly salary of R84,400.00.
Average Dentist salary with 11 – 15 years of work experience in 2024
A Dentist with 11 to 15 years of experience earns an average monthly salary of R94,000.00. The salary is a 22% increase over the average salary of Dentists with 6 to 10 years of experience.
Dentists with 15 years of experience earn the highest salaries in this group, with an average monthly salary of R98,500.00. Dentists with 11 years of experience earn the least in this category, with an average monthly salary of R88,200.00.
Average Dentist salary with 16 – 20 years of work experience in 2024
A Dentist with 16 to 20 years of experience earns an average monthly salary of R103,000.00. The salary is 9% higher than the average salary for Dentists with 11 to 15 years of experience.
Dentists with 16 years of experience earn the lowest salaries in this group, with an average monthly salary of R100,000.00. Dentists with 20 years of experience earn the highest salaries in this category, with an average monthly salary of R109,000.00.
Dentists with more than 20 years of experience can expect to earn up to R119,000.00 per month. When a Dentist has more than 20 years of experience, their salary does not rise significantly.
Conclusion
A Dentist’s salary in South Africa is high, and it is higher than the national average even for entry-level Dentists. Dentists’ salaries are solely justified by the amount of work and education required to become a dentist in South Africa. Obtaining the highest salary in the field requires staying in the field for a longer period of time.