The salary range for a dentist in Tennessee runs from $84,360 at the 10th percentile to $311,900 at the 90th percentile. When budgeting for a hire, use the 25th percentile of $133,710 as a floor for entry-level candidates and the 75th percentile of $269,120 as a realistic target for experienced practitioners. The range is wide enough that seniority and specialization should drive your offer more than any single benchmark figure.
Dentist salary in Tennessee (2026)
The average dentist salary in Tennessee is $210,700 per year. A small pool of very high earners pulls that average upward, so the median of $215,290 gives employers a more reliable starting point for most hiring decisions. Tennessee employs 2,200 dentists, and the $4,590 gap between the mean and median reflects real variation in the candidate pool you will be evaluating. Junior dentists in Tennessee typically earn around $84,360, while senior specialists reach and exceed the $311,900 level at the 90th percentile. Plan for a range rather than a single number when budgeting for a dentist hire in Tennessee, and anchor that range to the seniority and specialization of the role you are filling.
Metric / Value
Metric | Value |
Median Annual Salary | $215,290 |
Average Annual Salary | $210,700 |
vs. National Average | 10.1% above the national mean of $191,350 |
Data comes from the BLS OEWS and covers 2,200 employed dentists across Tennessee.
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Dentist salary percentiles in Tennessee
Percentile | Annual Salary |
10th Percentile | $84,360 |
25th Percentile | $133,710 |
75th Percentile | $269,120 |
90th Percentile | $311,900 |
Employers hiring experienced dentists in Tennessee should expect offers well above $200,000, with senior specialists reaching $311,900 at the 90th percentile. The wide spread from $84,360 to $311,900 signals that experience level and practice setting will drive compensation more than geography alone.
Dentist salary by city in Tennessee
City | Average Annual Salary |
Nashville | $228,100 |
Memphis | $208,090 |
Clarksville | $185,240 |
Chattanooga | $181,120 |
Knoxville | $174,200 |
Employers hiring in Nashville should budget meaningfully more than those hiring in Knoxville or Chattanooga, since location alone accounts for a notable spread across the state. Nashville's average of $228,100 sits $53,900 above Knoxville's average of $174,200, which means city-level benchmarks matter when setting offers. Use the metro figure closest to your practice location rather than the statewide average to anchor your compensation range.
How Tennessee compares to other states
State | Average Annual Salary | Median Annual Salary |
Tennessee | $210,700 | $215,290 |
Georgia | $214,040 | $206,760 |
North Carolina | $207,550 | $207,000 |
Virginia | $197,820 | $197,110 |
Kentucky | $157,630 | $134,160 |
Tennessee sits in the middle of the regional market, making it a broadly comparable hiring environment to Georgia and North Carolina but a more expensive one than Kentucky. Tennessee's mean of $210,700 tracks closely with Georgia's $214,040 and North Carolina's $207,550, so employers recruiting across state lines should expect similar compensation expectations from candidates. Kentucky's mean of $157,630 stands well below the rest of the region, so candidates relocating from Kentucky may have lower salary anchors than those coming from neighboring states.
Frequently asked questions about dentist salary in Tennessee
What is the salary range for a dentist in Tennessee?
What do the top-earning dentists make in Tennessee?
Dentists at the 90th percentile in Tennessee earn $311,900 per year. The 75th percentile sits at $269,120, which gives employers a practical upper anchor for most senior hires that fall short of the very top of the market. When competing for the highest-compensated candidates, expect offers to approach or exceed the $311,900 threshold.
What is the average dentist salary in Tennessee?
The average dentist salary in Tennessee is $210,700 per year, which sits 10.1% above the national mean of $191,350. The median of $215,290 is slightly higher than the mean, reflecting the distribution of salaries across the state's 2,200 employed dentists. Use the median as your primary benchmark when setting offers, since it is less sensitive to outliers at either end of the range.
How does Tennessee compare to other states for dentist salary?
Tennessee's average dentist salary of $210,700 places it above Virginia ($197,820) and well above Kentucky ($157,630), but slightly below Georgia ($214,040). North Carolina's mean of $207,550 is close to Tennessee's, so employers competing for candidates across those two states should expect similar compensation expectations. Tennessee is a mid-range market regionally, which gives employers reasonable flexibility when structuring offers relative to higher-cost neighboring states.
Dentist salary by state
Data sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2025, SOC code 29-1021 (Dentists, General).
Disclaimer
Rippling and its affiliates do not provide tax, accounting, or legal advice. This material has been prepared for informational purposes only, and is not intended to provide or be relied on for tax, accounting, or legal advice. You should consult your own tax, accounting, and legal advisors before engaging in any related activities or transactions.
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