Prevailing Wage for Dentists, All Other Specialists
Prevailing wages for Dentists, All Other Specialists are set by DOL using Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics data specific to each job's worksite location. DOL assigns four experience-based wage levels, and the floor varies considerably from city to city. Sponsored candidates on H-1B, E-3, or green card pathways must clear the level that matches their actual role.
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Entry-level specialists with limited post-training experience, typically within the first two years of independent practice after residency. The scope is routine specialist casework performed under some oversight, with no expectation of supervisory or program leadership duties.
Qualified specialists with a few years of independent practice and demonstrated competency across the standard scope of their specialty. Level 2 is the most common filing level for Dentists, All Other Specialists, covering the broadest share of sponsored positions.
Experienced specialists who handle complex or atypical cases independently and may provide informal guidance to other clinical staff. Employers typically file at Level 3 for candidates with substantial post-residency experience and a documented record of advanced casework.
Fully competent senior specialists at the top of the clinical or academic hierarchy. Level 4 applies to candidates in program director, department chief, or principal investigator roles where the position carries formal supervisory authority and policy-level responsibility.
Prevailing Wage for Dentists, All Other Specialists by OES area
Each shape is a DOL OES area, the unit prevailing wage is published for.
What’s an OES area?
The Department of Labor publishes prevailing wages for geographic zones called OES areas. Every U.S. county belongs to exactly one, and the wage floor applies across the whole area. A worker in Oakland gets the San Francisco metro wage, not a separate Oakland wage.
Top 10 cities · Level 1
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See which U.S. employers are actively hiring for Dentists, All Other Specialists and sponsoring H-1B, OPT, and green card visas at or above the prevailing wage.
Search visa-sponsored jobsPrevailing Wage Guide for Dentists, All Other Specialists
Match your residency specialty to the correct SOC
Oral surgeons, orthodontists, and periodontists each hold their own SOC codes with separate prevailing wages. If your offer letter uses a generic title, confirm the employer filed the LCA under SOC 29-1029 and not a more specific code that carries a different floor.
Watch how Portland and Dallas distort the national floor
Top-paying metros for this occupation set L1 floors well above the national median. If your offer is in a lower-wage metro but references national benchmarks, the applicable prevailing wage is the worksite city's OES figure on the LCA, not any national average.
Verify which employers have sponsored dental specialists before
Migrate Mate shows historical visa sponsorship counts by employer, so you can see which health systems and group practices have actually filed for Dentists, All Other Specialists. Use that data to target outreach before you invest time in an application.
Exclude production bonuses when checking the base wage floor
Many specialist dental practices structure compensation with a base plus production percentage. DOL prevailing wage compliance is measured against guaranteed base salary only. Variable production bonuses do not count toward meeting the wage floor on the LCA.
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Find Jobs for this rolePrevailing Wage by Reported Job Title
DOL classifies these titles under SOC 29-1029.00 alongside Dentists, All Other Specialists, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.
Cosmetic Dentist Prevailing Wage
Cosmetic Dentist Prevailing Wage
Cosmetic Dentist positions fall under SOC 29-1029.00 (Dentists, All Other Specialists). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Endodontist Prevailing Wage
Endodontist Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Endodontist for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 29-1029.00 (Dentists, All Other Specialists). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Maxillofacial Pathology Prevailing Wage
Maxillofacial Pathology Prevailing Wage
Maxillofacial Pathology is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 29-1029.00 (Dentists, All Other Specialists). All roles in this SOC share the same prevailing wage tiers. The level an employer files at depends on what the role requires, not which title is used.
Oral Pathologist Prevailing Wage
Oral Pathologist Prevailing Wage
Oral Pathologist positions fall under SOC 29-1029.00 (Dentists, All Other Specialists). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Pediatric Dentist Prevailing Wage
Pediatric Dentist Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Pediatric Dentist for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 29-1029.00 (Dentists, All Other Specialists). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Pedodontist Prevailing Wage
Pedodontist Prevailing Wage
Pedodontist is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 29-1029.00 (Dentists, All Other Specialists). All roles in this SOC share the same prevailing wage tiers. The level an employer files at depends on what the role requires, not which title is used.
Periodontist Prevailing Wage
Periodontist Prevailing Wage
Periodontist positions fall under SOC 29-1029.00 (Dentists, All Other Specialists). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Public Health Dentist Prevailing Wage
Public Health Dentist Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Public Health Dentist for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 29-1029.00 (Dentists, All Other Specialists). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does DOL set the prevailing wage for Dentists, All Other Specialists?
DOL uses Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics across metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas. For SOC 29-1029, the agency calculates four wage levels from that regional data. Employers requesting H-1B or PERM sponsorship must file a Labor Condition Application with OFLC, which certifies the offered wage meets or exceeds the prevailing wage for the relevant level and worksite location.
What do the four wage levels mean and how do I know which one applies to my offer?
DOL defines levels by experience and responsibility. Level 1 covers entry-level practice; Level 2 covers qualified independent practitioners; Level 3 covers experienced specialists handling complex cases; Level 4 covers senior or supervisory roles. The level on the certified LCA governs your offer. Review the LCA your employer files through OFLC to confirm the level matches the actual duties and experience your position requires.
Why does the prevailing wage for this occupation vary so much from city to city?
DOL calculates wages from regional OES surveys, so the prevailing wage reflects what employers in each metropolitan area actually pay. A position in Portland carries a substantially higher floor than the same title in Minneapolis because local dental specialist compensation differs. The worksite address listed on the LCA determines which metro's wage applies, regardless of where the employer's headquarters is located.
What happens if my job offer falls below the prevailing wage for a sponsored position?
OFLC will not certify an LCA if the offered wage is below the prevailing wage for the stated level and worksite. Without a certified LCA, USCIS cannot approve an H-1B petition. For PERM-based green card cases, DOL will audit or deny applications where the offered wage fails to meet the prevailing wage determination. The employer must either increase the offered salary or refile at the correct level before the petition can proceed.
How do I find and verify the prevailing wage for Dentists, All Other Specialists in a specific U.S. city?
Use the OFLC Wage Search to look up current prevailing wages by SOC code 29-1029 and the specific metropolitan area where the job is located. Select the wage year that matches your intended filing period, as DOL updates the data annually. You can also cross-reference with BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics tables for the same area. Migrate Mate lists employers with sponsorship history for this role so you can prioritize outreach alongside your wage research.
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