When looking at the orthodontist salary in different countries, those in the United States will see a median salary of $167,671 per year, while in Canada it is approximately C$101,891 ($80,985). In the UK it stands at £70,000 ($98,112) per year. However, in Australia, it is at AU$101,857 ($79,395) each year and in New Zealand is NZ$300,206 ($216,511) per year.
While the pay for the same job in India averages Rs 707,497 ($10,994) per year, and in South Africa, it is at R420,000 ($34,759) each year. Use our orthodontist salary guide to explore pay ranges by country and evaluate how experience and industry impact the pay. Also covered is the orthodontist career outlook, typical working schedule, and bonuses.
How Much Does an Orthodontist Make per Year by Country?
| Orthodontist Salary | US | Canada | UK | Australia | New Zealand | India | South Africa |
| Hourly Pay | $79.14 | C$30.00 ($23.84) | £60.00 ($84.07) | AU$95.00 ($74.08) | NZ$144 ($103.88) | Rs 340.14 * ($5.29) | R201.92* ($16.73) |
| Annual Pay | $167,671 | C$101,891 ($80,985) | £70,000 ($98,112) | AU$101,857 ($79,395) | NZ$300,206 ($216,511) | Rs 707,497 ($10,994) | R420,000 ($34,759) |
*These figures are estimated based on the annual pay. This assumes a 2,080 work hours per year.
Orthodontist Salary Influencing Factors
The information provided in this article comes from sources such as Payscale and SalaryExpert.
1. Location
How Much Does an Orthodontist Make in the US? How Much Does an Orthodontist Make per Hour?
| Orthodontist Salary US | Per Year | Per Hour |
| Minimum | $79,159 | $12.53 |
| Maximum | $292,533 | $143 |
| Bonus | $25,000 | $125 |
| Overtime | No additional pay | No additional pay |
| Total Pay | $58,603 to $294,097 |
How Much Does an Orthodontist Make in Canada?
| Orthodontist Salary Canada | Per Year | Per Hour |
| Minimum | C$49,225 | C$23.66* |
| Maximum | C$207,293 | C$99.66* |
| Bonus | C$2,500 | No additional pay |
| Overtime | No additional pay | C$70.00 |
| Total Pay | C$43,139 to C$201,392 |
The (*) means that the hourly rate was extrapolated from the annual pay.
How Much Does an Orthodontist Make in the UK?
| Orthodontist Salary UK | Per Year | Per Hour |
| Minimum | £24,948 | £11.99 |
| Maximum | £163,169 | £78.44 |
| Bonus | £3,500 | No additional pay |
| Overtime | No additional pay | £28.00 |
| Total Pay | £29,496 to £166,680 |
A (*) means that the hourly rate was extrapolated from the annual pay.
How Much Does an Orthodontist Make in Australia?
| Orthodontist Salary Australia | Per Year | Per Hour |
| Minimum | AU$58,175 | AU$27.96* |
| Maximum | AU$205,419 | AU$98.75* |
| Bonus | AU$15,260 | No additional pay |
| Overtime | No additional pay | No additional pay |
| Total Pay | AU$59,598 to AU$224,170 |
The (*) means that the hourly rate was extrapolated from the annual pay.
How Much Does an Orthodontist Make in New Zealand?
| Orthodontist Salary New Zealand | Per Year | Per Hour |
| Minimum | NZ$201,124 | NZ$96.69* |
| Maximum | NZ$394,607 | NZ$189.714* |
| Bonus | NZ$17,832 | No additional pay |
| Overtime | No additional pay | No additional pay |
| Total Pay | NZ$201,124 to NZ$394,607 |
A (*) means that the hourly rate was extrapolated from the annual pay
How Much Does an Orthodontist Make in India?
| Orthodontist Salary India | Per Year | Per Hour |
| Minimum | Rs 255,969 | Rs 123.06* |
| Maximum | Rs 4,079,626 | Rs 1,961.35* |
| Bonus | Rs 50,000 | No additional pay |
| Overtime | No additional pay | No additional pay |
| Total Pay | Rs 255,969 to Rs 4,633,108 |
The (*) means that the hourly rate was extrapolated from the annual pay
How Much Does an Orthodontist Make in South Africa?
| Orthodontist Salary South Africa | Per Year | Per Hour |
| Minimum | R51,521 | R24,76 |
| Maximum | R1,884,863 | R906,184 |
| Bonus | R15,000 | No additional pay |
| Overtime | No additional pay | No additional pay |
| Total Pay | R51,521 to R1,884,863 |
2. Experience
In the United States, a beginner orthodontist makes $152,000 per year, that rises to $189,000 after 5-10 years of experience. After 10-20 years of experience, the pay lowers to $188,000 per year, while professionals with more than 20 years of experience win $200,000 each year. Entry-level orthodontists in Australia start at 5 percent below the median while those in the middle of their career earn 48 percent above this number. There is a massive spike in income between entry-level and mid-career orthodontists in India of 387 percent.
An entry-level New Zealand orthodontist wins NZ$201,124 per year, while a senior professional makes about NZ$394,607 per year. The most common reported experience level is split between 1-4 years and 5-9 years of experience in Australia and India while in Canada it is split between 1-4 years and 10-19 years. In South Africa, 5-9 years is the most reported, and in the United Kingdom and the United States, it is 1-4 years. Therefore, how much an orthodontist make depends on their experience as well.
3. Industry
In New Zealand, the orthodontic industry is in private dentistry. People who use this dental care need to pay for their own work. These dentists do not have to set fixed or dictated rates. Rather, their rates are based on where they are located, what they practice, and if there are any specializations. If someone needs orthodontic work, these private dentist offices are the only ones who offer it, as hospital-based dentists do not specialize in this way. Thus, as far as orthodontist schooling and education are concerned, it can effectively affect their pay.
There are three major places that orthodontists work within the healthcare industry. They work in an exclusively orthodontic office, in a mixed-dental office, or in a hospital or surgery center. The following states have the highest median salary for orthodontists: Tennessee, Connecticut, Colorado, Minnesota, and Mississippi. The greatest concentration of orthodontists is in Los Angeles, Boston, New York City, Birmingham, Alabama, and Phoenix. Orthodontists will be needed in all parts of the world to help people with mouth alignment concerns. However, orthodontic work is expensive and may be cost prohibitive for some people.
Schedule & Working Hours
Orthodontists have a very flexible and forgiving work schedule. If they are part of private practice, they can set their own hours. However, if they are the only orthodontist or work in another healthcare facility the hours will be less flexible.
The vast majority of orthodontists work full-time, but this is not a requirement. Orthodontists who have their own practice or work for a shared practice must spend some of their time on business functions such as marketing and payroll. They might work evenings and weekends to make appointments easier to make for their patients.
Bonuses & Benefits
Many orthodontists will see benefits, but this highly depends on the nature and location of their work. If they have their own practice, they would have to purchase all of their benefits including life insurance, healthcare, retirement, and flexible savings accounts. A large intrinsic benefit is that they get to help children improve their smile. This is a rewarding activity.
The table below shows healthcare benefits by country. If there is a (–) line, it means that there was no data present for that particular country.
| Country | United States | Canada | United Kingdom | Australia | New Zealand | India | South Africa |
| Medical | 59 | 57 | 50 | 18 | — | 17 | 67 |
| Dental | 41 | 86 | 42 | 45 | — | 22 | — |
| Vision | 25 | 43 | 25 | — | — | — | 33 |
| None | 34 | 14 | 33 | 45 | — | 72 | — |
Career Outlook
In the United States, orthodontists will see an 18 percent increase in available positions. This is much higher than the average for all professions. Their growth will partially be dependent on how health insurance companies cover orthodontic work. For example, it is typical for the insurance to provide a lifetime dollar maximum toward orthodontic work per person.
In New Zealand, there is high demand for orthodontists in rural areas. It is smart in areas like this to check and see if there are any incentivized programs that provide additional bonuses or benefits such as a housing stipend for practicing in rural areas, additional to the orthodontist salary.
There is gender demographic information available for Australia and the United States. Australia sees a 50 percent ratio between males and females, while in the United States it is 56 percent male and 44 percent female.
Orthodontist Salary Conclusion
As far as orthodontists schooling is concerned, they need to practice. The orthodontist career is rewarding and rated favorably. Also, they see a high salary, in fact, when it comes to orthodontist vs. dentist salary, the former wins. However, they are also required to complete specialized tasks and challenging procedures including determining how long braces need to be worn and how tight they need to be fastened to create proper alignments.
