TN · Chattanooga · Updated October 15, 2026

Dentist jobs in Chattanooga, TN

The median dentist pay in the Chattanooga area is $70.96 per hour ($147,590 a year), with the typical range running from $54.63 to $109.28. That ranks 257th of 302 U.S. metro areas for dentist pay, and 215th of 279 once local prices are factored in. Tell us your role and we email current openings near Chattanooga.

More open Dentist roles in Chattanooga

1 more open role from employers in Chattanooga. Each employer’s range arrives with your free pay report.

PermanentPosted 7 days ago

Locum General Dentist

Smile Brands · Chattanooga, TN

Pay range with your report
  • Full-time or Part-time
  • Req 39775
New this week
View role

Dentist pay in Chattanooga, TN

The metro median is 4% below the Tennessee statewide median of $74.26 per hour. Nationally the median is $83.07 per hour. BLS counts about 160 dentists, general employed in the Chattanooga metro area, 0.6 per 1,000 jobs. Employment is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole (location quotient 0.81).

LevelPer hourPer yearCompared with U.S.
Lowest 10%$36.53$75,98056% below U.S. median
Lower quartile$54.63$113,63034% below U.S. median
Median$70.96$147,59015% below U.S. median
Upper quartile$109.28$227,30032% above U.S. median
Top 10%$115+$239,200+38% above U.S. median

How Chattanooga ranks

  • 257th of 302 U.S. metro areas by median hourly pay
  • 215th of 279 after adjusting for local prices
  • 6th of 8 Tennessee metro areas

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024, Dentists, General (SOC 29-1021), all industries. Figures marked $115+ are the BLS top-coded maximum. This is what employers report paying, not an offer for a specific role.

Get the Chattanooga Dentist pay report

Named employers near Chattanooga, what they pay and the roles open now. Free for candidates, email only.

Get my free pay report

What your pay buys in Chattanooga

  • Overall prices in Chattanooga run 9% below the U.S. average (index 91.5, U.S. = 100).
  • Housing is the biggest driver: 23% below the U.S. average (index 76.5).
  • Adjusted for local prices, a $70.96 median hour buys what $77.58 buys at the national price level, 7% below the national median.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024. Prices are for the metro area, not for a single neighborhood.

Estimate your Chattanooga paycheck

Estimated weekly gross$2,555
  • Per year: $127,728
  • Per month: $10,644
  • Tennessee has no state income tax on wages.

Gross pay before taxes and benefits, from BLS pay levels for the Chattanooga metro area. For take-home pay use the take-home pay calculator.

Open Dentist roles in Tennessee

Nearest open roles with published pay. Your free report adds roles in Chattanooga as they open.

PermanentPosted 30+ days ago

Dentist – DDS / DMD

Aspen Dental · Spring Hill, TN

$300k–$450k/ year
  • Full time
  • Req R2026-011034
Top 25% pay
View role
PermanentPosted 30+ days ago

Associate Dentist

Aspen Dental · Smyrna, TN

$180k–$215k/ year
  • Full time
  • Req R2026-010969
View role

All Dentist jobs in Tennessee

Dental health shortage areas in Hamilton County

HRSA lists 4 active dental health shortage designations that include Hamilton County (1 population-group, 3 facility). The highest-scoring one rates 25 on a 0 to 26 scale, where a higher score means a greater shortage.

Shortage areas are where demand for dentists, hygienists and dental assistants is greatest. Federal loan repayment programs such as the NHSC and Nurse Corps cover some clinicians who work at eligible shortage-area sites. Eligibility is set by each program and by the site, so ask your recruiter before you plan around it.

Source: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas data warehouse, designated areas only. A designation can cover part of a county.

Dentist pay in nearby cities

CityDistanceMedian payPopulation
Cleveland, TN23 mi$79.75/hr50,232
Murfreesboro, TN86 mi$75.12/hr168,387
Marietta, GA87 mi$103.12/hr63,122
Roswell, GA87 mi$103.12/hr92,227
Alpharetta, GA88 mi$103.12/hr67,275
Johns Creek, GA93 mi$103.12/hr81,167

Dentist jobs in Tennessee · Dentist jobs nationwide

License and tax basics in Tennessee

Active dental license in the state of the job. Credentials are issued state by state, so confirm what Tennessee requires for your role with the Tennessee licensing board and with your recruiter before you commit to a start date.

Tennessee does not tax wage income at the state level, so take-home pay is higher than the same gross pay in a state that does.

Tennessee state guide

Other healthcare roles in Chattanooga

Chattanooga city guide: hospitals, employers and licensing

Common questions

How much do dentists make in Chattanooga, TN?

Dentists in the Chattanooga metro area have a median pay of $70.96 per hour, about $147,590 a year. The middle half earn between $54.63 and $109.28 per hour (BLS, May 2024).

Is Chattanooga a good place for dentists once cost of living is counted?

Chattanooga ranks 215th of 279 metro areas for dentist pay after adjusting for local prices, and 257th of 302 before adjusting. Overall prices run 9% below the U.S. average.

Do I need a Tennessee license to work in Chattanooga as a dentist?

Active dental license in the state of the job. Credentials are issued state by state, so confirm what Tennessee requires for your role with the Tennessee licensing board and with your recruiter before you commit to a start date. Confirm with the board before you accept a role.

Is Chattanooga in a shortage area?

HRSA lists 4 active dental health shortage designations that include Hamilton County. Shortage areas often have more openings, and some loan repayment programs cover clinicians who work at eligible sites.

Does Valorem Health place dentists in Chattanooga?

Yes. We place healthcare staff in Chattanooga and across Tennessee. Tell us your profession and we email the roles open near Chattanooga.

Free for every candidate

What do employers near Chattanooga pay dentists? Get the report.

Tell us your role and city. Within 24 hours you get an email with three things, by employer name. It costs you nothing, because employers pay us.

  1. 1
    Pay for your role at other employers

    The hourly pay at named employers near you, so you see who pays most.

  2. 2
    What they are offering now

    The pay range and median across current postings, and how many were posted this month.

  3. 3
    Roles open for you right now

    Every current opening near you with pay, shift and start date. Reply with one click.

Get your free pay report

70+ Dentist roles in Tennessee, sent free by email

Tell us who you are and what you do. We email the report within 24 hours on business days.

Please enter your first name.
Please enter your last name.
That email doesn't look quite right.
Please choose your role.
Please enter your city or ZIP.

Free for candidates. No phone number, no cold calls. One-click unsubscribe.

The Joint Commission Gold Seal of Approval: Health Care Staffing Services Certification, since 2022American Staffing Association memberNATHO member: National Association of Travel Healthcare OrganizationsNALTO member: National Association of Locum Tenens Organizations

Pay report · Dentist near Chattanooga, TN
Valorem Health Shift ReportFrom your recruiting team · [email protected]

Your Dentist pay reportChattanooga, TN · pay published by employers and employer-reported wage offers in federal filings

1Pay for your role at other employers

  • Nashville Dentures & Implants, PLLCAntioch, TN · 1 wage offer$144.23/ hr$144–$144
  • Aspen DentalSpring Hill, TN · 2 postings$137.62/ hr$87–$216
  • Tennessee Dental Professionals PCHendersonville, TN · 1 wage offer$96.15/ hr$96–$96
  • Oak Ridge Smiles Dentistry, PCOak Ridge, TN · 1 wage offer$87.50/ hr$88–$88

Median pay per hour, with the range each employer published or reported in federal filings.

2What they are offering now

Low$68Median$81.73High$96

7 employer-reported wage offers for Dentist in federal filings in Tennessee, July 2025 – June 2026. Month-by-month history by employer comes with your full report.

3Open now: 2 Dentist roles

  1. Dentist – DDS / DMDPermanent
    $300k–$450k/ year
    Aspen Dental · Spring Hill, TN · posted 30+ days ago
  2. Associate DentistPermanent
    $180k–$215k/ year
    Aspen Dental · Smyrna, TN · posted 30+ days ago

Each one has pay, shift and start date.

I'm interestedOne click. A recruiter writes only after you reply.
Check my pay