Vets vs Dentists, what do they get paid and how profitable is a locally owned business?

Have you ever joked about getting your dental work done at the vet? While we don’t recommend it, the comparison isn’t as far-fetched as it sounds. Veterinarians and dentists share many of the same skills, responsibilities, and challenges, despite treating very different patients. 

From diagnosing problems and performing delicate procedures, to communicating with clients and running businesses, the two professions have more in common than many people realise. But how similar are they really, what do they earn, and how do independent veterinary and dental practices compare financially? 

How similar are a vet and a dentist’s job? 

Before vets and dentists even begin life in the working world, both professions require five years of vocational training. During this time, students complete hundreds of hours of lectures, practical teaching and clinical placements, equipping them with the knowledge, technical skills, and professional experience needed to practice safely and confidently. 

The most obvious difference between a veterinarian and a dentist is their patients. Dentists are trained exclusively to treat conditions affecting human teeth. Veterinarians, on the other hand, are qualified to care for a wide variety of animal species, each with their own unique anatomy and physiology. Neither profession is trained or registered to treat the other’s patients. 

The scope of each role also differs. Dentists focus solely on oral health, whereas veterinary surgeons are trained across a much broader range of disciplines. Alongside veterinary dentistry, they diagnose and treat medical conditions, perform soft-tissue and orthopaedic surgery, prescribe medications, and provide preventative healthcare throughout an animal’s life. 

Despite these differences, the two professions share many of the same core skills. Both require excellent manual dexterity, attention to detail, and strong problem-solving abilities. Lifelong learning is also essential, with both vets and dentists expected to maintain and develop their knowledge through continuing professional development. 

Communication is another key part of both careers. Although veterinarians treat animal patients, they spend much of their day communicating with owners, explaining diagnoses, discussing treatment options, and supporting informed decision-making. Dentists similarly rely on effective communication to understand patients’ concerns, explain procedures, and build trust, particularly with nervous or anxious patients. 

Working patterns can differ, however. Veterinary practices are more likely to provide emergency and out-of-hours care, meaning many vets work evenings, weekends or on-call shifts, particularly in small animal emergency hospitals or farm and equine practices. Dentists are generally more likely to work regular daytime hours, although this varies depending on the practice, specialism and whether they provide emergency services. 

So how about salaries? How much do vets and dentists earn? 

The figures below provide a general guide to veterinary and dental salaries. However, earnings vary considerably depending on experience, location, specialisation, and whether someone works in the public or private sector. 

Most practicing vets providing clinical care in the UK work within privately funded veterinary practices. According to the Society of Practicing Veterinary Surgeons (SPVS), newly qualified vets typically start on a salary of around £35,000 per year. Across the profession, the median salary is estimated to be around £58,277. Veterinary specialists can earn over £100,000 annually, while locum vets may command competitive daily rates, with some earning around £500 per day depending on their role, experience and location. 

For dentists, newly qualified dentists completing their foundation training through the NHS receive a salary of around £38,000 in their first year. Salaried dentists employed by the NHS, particularly those working within community dental services, can earn between £54,502 and £116,573. Dentists working in private practice may have the potential to earn more, particularly if they have developed a large patient base or offer specialist treatments. As with veterinary medicine, dental specialists can earn well into six figures. 

However, an individual’s salary and the profitability of the practice they work in are two different things. Running a successful healthcare business involves managing significant costs, staffing requirements, and investment. 

So, what about vet and dental practice profitability? 

Both the veterinary and dental professions have seen a shift towards larger corporate ownership over recent decades. Today, both sectors include a mixture of independently owned practices and larger corporate groups, each with their own advantages and challenges. 

Independent practices are often valued for their continuity of care and greater autonomy. Practice owners generally have more control over clinical decisions, investment, staffing and pricing, allowing them to tailor services to the needs of their clientele. 

However, independence also comes with responsibility. Owners carry the financial risks of running a business, including staff costs, equipment investment, premises, insurance, utilities and regulatory requirements. 

Corporate practices can benefit from operating as part of a larger network. Their size can allow them to negotiate better supplier prices, share administrative resources, and access investment opportunities that may be more difficult for smaller independent practices. For example, larger groups may have dedicated teams supporting areas such as finance, recruitment, marketing, IT, and compliance. This can reduce some administrative pressures on individual practices and allow greater investment in facilities and technology. However, corporate ownership can also mean that some decisions are made at a wider organisational level rather than solely by the individual practice team. The impact of corporate ownership depends on how the organisation is structured, managed, and how well it balances commercial priorities with clinical care. 

Dentistry has one major distinction compared with veterinary medicine: a significant proportion of dental care is funded through the NHS. Many dentists work through NHS contracts alongside private dentistry.  

Veterinary care, by contrast, is a purely private sector, primarily funded directly by pet owners or through pet insurance. Veterinary practices must therefore generate income from clinical services, diagnostics, procedures and treatments to cover their operating costs, with salaries in privately owned practices generally reflecting this commercial structure. In comparison, veterinary charities tend to operate as non-profit organisations, which is often reflected in the lower salary levels relative to those offered by private practices. 

Why isn’t a consultation fee pure profit? 

At first glance, comparing consultation fees might suggest that veterinary practices should be highly profitable. A typical veterinary consultation may cost around £60, while a private dental examination may cost around £80. However, these fees support very different business models. 

Unlike most dental practices, veterinary surgeries often operate as small hospitals. Alongside consultation rooms, many veterinary practices provide a wide range of additional services and facilities. 

These facilities create significant costs. Veterinary practices must employ veterinary surgeons, veterinary nurses, reception teams and support staff, while maintaining anaesthetic equipment, patient monitoring equipment, laboratory analysers, imaging technology and pharmacy stock. Hospitalised animals also require ongoing care, including feeding, cleaning, medication, monitoring and nursing support, sometimes throughout the night and at weekends. 

As a result, a veterinary consultation fee contributes towards much more than the time spent with the vet. It helps fund the wider infrastructure required to diagnose, treat and care for animals throughout their treatment journey. This does not mean veterinary practices are necessarily less profitable than dental practices, or vice versa. Profitability depends on many factors, including patient numbers, staffing costs, premises, equipment, location, pricing structure, efficiency, and the range of services offered. 

The key point is that the price of a consultation alone does not reveal the full financial picture. Two appointments with similar fees can support very different businesses. 

Conclusion 

Although vets and dentists may appear similar at first glance, the businesses behind them operate in very different ways. Both professions require extensive training, advanced technical skills, and excellent communication, but their financial models reflect the different healthcare systems they operate within. 

Dentists can benefit from a combination of NHS funding and private income, while veterinary practices rely primarily on payments from owners and insurance providers. At the same time, veterinary practices often operate more like small hospitals, with additional costs associated with inpatient care, emergency services, diagnostic equipment, and ongoing patient monitoring. 

For both professions, owning an independent practice can provide greater autonomy and the opportunity to build a successful local business, but it also brings significant financial responsibility. Corporate ownership has introduced new opportunities for investment, shared resources and business support, while also changing the landscape of practice ownership. 

Ultimately, profitability is determined by far more than the price of a single appointment. Behind every consultation are the people, equipment, facilities, and expertise required to deliver high-quality healthcare. Whether treating a person or a pet, both vets and dentists run complex professional businesses where success depends on balancing clinical care with the realities of operating a sustainable practice.