Dentist income in Tennessee
Employed general dentists in Tennessee earn $210,700 on average, 10% above the national mean.
General dentists vs. the U.S.
After inflation, the mean wage in Tennessee is down 11% since 2006. In 2025 dollars; hover a year for the numbers.
Specialists in Tennessee
Mean wage of employed dentists, May 2025. BLS publishes a state figure only when enough are surveyed.
| Type | TN | U.S. | On payroll |
|---|---|---|---|
| General dentist | $210,700 | $191,350 | 2,200 |
| Oral surgeon | — | $346,490 | 50 |
| Orthodontist | $302,050 | $259,400 | — |
*Endodontists, periodontists, pediatric dentists and other specialists. Self-employed owners are not included in BLS data; nationally, the ADA puts the median specialist's net income at $258,880 (2025).
Going to dental school in Tennessee
Four years of in-state tuition and mandatory fees at Tennessee's public school, compared with a year of a general dentist's pay here.
Tuition at every school → · Where Tennessee students go to dental school → · Loan calculator →
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2006–2025; wage-and-salary dentists only. Inflation adjustment: CPI-U (2025 dollars). Tuition: ADA/CODA Survey of Dental Education 2025-26.