2026 Best Dentistry Schools in California
Dentistry is a field worth a close look when choosing where to study. While the number of schools offering the program varies, there are still top-quality ones to be found.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 7 schools to find the best for dentistry students.
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Best Schools for Dentistry in California
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest overall dentistry education in California.
Top Schools in Dentistry
Our analysis ranked University Of Southern California the best school in the country for a degree in dentistry. This very large private not-for-profit university is located in the city of Los Angeles. The six-year graduation rate is 92%. University Of Southern California awarded about 172 dentistry degrees in the most recent data year. Graduates of the dentistry program make about $79,887 in their early career. Typical student debt for the program is $15,625.
Get the full dentistry details for University Of Southern California
A rank of #2 makes University Of The Pacific one of the top schools for dentistry. Located in the city of Stockton, University Of The Pacific is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university. The six-year graduation rate is 68%. There were roughly 174 dentistry students who graduated with this degree at University Of The Pacific in the most recent data year. Dentistry graduates of University Of The Pacific earn a median of $102,531 early in their careers. Students borrow a median of $23,514 to complete this degree.
More information about a degree in dentistry from University Of The Pacific
Loma Linda University is one of the finest schools in the country for a degree in dentistry, ranking #3. This mid-sized private not-for-profit university is located in the suburb of Loma Linda. Loma Linda University awarded about 128 dentistry degrees in the most recent data year. Students who receive their dentistry degree from Loma Linda University earn around $125,367 in the first couple years of their career. Typical student debt for the program is $25,094.
See the full dentistry program report for Loma Linda University
Students looking for a strong dentistry program will find one at University Of California Los Angeles, which ranked #4. Set in the city of Los Angeles, University Of California Los Angeles is a very large public institution. Roughly 93% of students complete a degree within six years here. University Of California Los Angeles awarded about 114 dentistry degrees in the most recent data year. Students who receive their dentistry degree from University Of California Los Angeles earn around $78,035 in the first couple years of their career. Students borrow a median of $16,097 to complete this degree.
Get the full dentistry details for University Of California Los Angeles
Students looking for a strong dentistry program will find one at University Of California San Francisco, which ranked #5. Located in the city of San Francisco, University Of California San Francisco is a mid-sized public university. About 126 dentistry degrees were awarded at University Of California San Francisco in the most recent year. Soon after graduation, dentistry degree recipients from University Of California San Francisco generally make around $81,971.
Read more about the dentistry program at University Of California San Francisco
Western University Of Health Sciences ranked #6 on our 2026 list of the best dentistry schools. Set in the suburb of Pomona, Western University Of Health Sciences is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. About 71 dentistry degrees were awarded at Western University Of Health Sciences in the most recent year. Graduates of the dentistry program make about $91,130 in their early career.
See the full dentistry program report for Western University Of Health Sciences
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs graduation rate, post-graduation earnings, cost, and program quality, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 7 schools evaluated.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.