PermanentPosted 23 days ago
Dentist
PDS Health · Knoxville, TN
Pay range with your report
Dentist jobs in Knoxville, TN
Pay for dentists in the Knoxville area centers on $61.98 per hour, or about $128,910 a year. The lower quarter earns under $47.13 and the upper quarter over $82.21. That ranks 281st of 302 U.S. metro areas for dentist pay, and 256th of 279 once local prices are factored in. Your free pay report adds named employers and the roles open near Knoxville.
- $61.98median pay per hour, Knoxville
- $47–$82typical range per hour
- 240dentists employed in the metro area
- 93cost of living index (U.S. = 100)
More open Dentist roles in Knoxville
2 more open roles from employers in Knoxville. Each employer’s range arrives with your free pay report.
PermanentPosted 28 days ago
Associate Dentist
Sonrava Health · Knoxville, TN
Pay range with your report
Dentist pay in Knoxville, TN
The metro median is 17% below the Tennessee statewide median of $74.26 per hour. Nationally the median is $83.07 per hour. BLS counts about 240 dentists, general employed in the Knoxville metro area, 0.6 per 1,000 jobs. Employment is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole (location quotient 0.76).
| Level | Per hour | Per year | Compared with U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% | $45.73 | $95,120 | 45% below U.S. median |
| Lower quartile | $47.13 | $98,030 | 43% below U.S. median |
| Median | $61.98 | $128,910 | 25% below U.S. median |
| Upper quartile | $82.21 | $171,000 | 1% below U.S. median |
| Top 10% | $115+ | $239,200+ | 38% above U.S. median |
How Knoxville ranks
- 281st of 302 U.S. metro areas by median hourly pay
- 256th of 279 after adjusting for local prices
- 8th 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 Knoxville Dentist pay report
Named employers near Knoxville, what they pay and the roles open now. Free for candidates, email only.
Get my free pay reportWhat your pay buys in Knoxville
- Overall prices in Knoxville run 7% below the U.S. average (index 92.6, U.S. = 100).
- Housing is the biggest driver: 17% below the U.S. average (index 82.8).
- Adjusted for local prices, a $61.98 median hour buys what $66.96 buys at the national price level, 19% 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 Knoxville paycheck
Estimated weekly gross$2,231
- Per year: $111,564
- Per month: $9,297
- Tennessee has no state income tax on wages.
Gross pay before taxes and benefits, from BLS pay levels for the Knoxville 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 Knoxville as they open.
PermanentPosted 30+ days ago
Dentist – DDS / DMD
Aspen Dental · Spring Hill, TN
$300k–$450k/ year
Top 25% pay
PermanentPosted 30+ days ago
Associate Dentist
Aspen Dental · Smyrna, TN
$180k–$215k/ year
For youUpdated weekly
70+ more Dentist roles for you in Tennessee
Most are never shown on this page. Tell us your role and get the full list, with the pay on every one, in your inbox within 24 hours.
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Dental health shortage areas in Knox County
HRSA lists 2 active dental health shortage designations that include Knox County (1 population-group, 1 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
| City | Distance | Median pay | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cleveland, TN | 75 mi | $79.75/hr | 50,232 |
| Asheville, NC | 83 mi | $90.17/hr | 94,992 |
| Kingsport, TN | 87 mi | $80.63/hr | 57,109 |
| Johnson City, TN | 91 mi | $104.69/hr | 73,635 |
| Chattanooga, TN | 96 mi | $70.96/hr | 191,496 |
| Greenville, SC | 119 mi | $63.68/hr | 74,371 |
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.
Other healthcare roles in Knoxville
Knoxville city guide: hospitals, employers and licensing
Common questions
How much do dentists make in Knoxville, TN?
Dentists in the Knoxville metro area have a median pay of $61.98 per hour, about $128,910 a year. The middle half earn between $47.13 and $82.21 per hour (BLS, May 2024).
Is Knoxville a good place for dentists once cost of living is counted?
Knoxville ranks 256th of 279 metro areas for dentist pay after adjusting for local prices, and 281st of 302 before adjusting. Overall prices run 7% below the U.S. average.
Do I need a Tennessee license to work in Knoxville 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 Knoxville in a shortage area?
HRSA lists 2 active dental health shortage designations that include Knox 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 Knoxville?
Yes. We place healthcare staff in Knoxville and across Tennessee. Tell us your profession and we email the roles open near Knoxville.
Free for every candidate
What do employers near Knoxville 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.
- 1Pay for your role at other employers
The hourly pay at named employers near you, so you see who pays most.
- 2What they are offering now
The pay range and median across current postings, and how many were posted this month.
- 3Roles open for you right now
Every current opening near you with pay, shift and start date. Reply with one click.
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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.
Valorem Health Shift ReportFrom your recruiting team · [email protected]
Your Dentist pay reportKnoxville, 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
- Dentist – DDS / DMDPermanent$300k–$450k/ year
- Associate DentistPermanent$180k–$215k/ year
Each one has pay, shift and start date.
I'm interestedOne click. A recruiter writes only after you reply.