Dentist Salary in Kentucky: What Dentists Earn in 2026
25th percentile
$103,720
Median (50th)
$134,160
75th percentile
$165,180
National median
$170,950
BLS OEWS (SOC 29-1021), May 2025
What does a dentist make in Kentucky?
The median dentist in Kentucky earns $134,160 a year ($64.50 an hour), which is $36,790 below the national median of $170,950, but less than in nearby Tennessee ($215,290), Missouri ($204,960) and Virginia ($197,110).
The mean is $157,630.
That ranks 44th of the 47 states where BLS publishes a dentist median.
Entry-level vs top earners in Kentucky
The middle half of Kentucky dentists earn $103,720 to $165,180.
The lowest-paid tenth earn under $44,820, $41,430 below the national 10th percentile.
The top tenth earn over $344,040, $24,410 above the national 90th percentile.
How far the pay goes in Kentucky
The Bureau of Economic Analysis puts Kentucky's 2024 price level at 90.2 (U.S. = 100): prices overall run 9.8% below the national average, and housing (index 64.3) runs 35.7% below.
Converted to national average prices, the $134,160 median is worth about $148,800 — $22,150 below the national median of $170,950.
How many dentists work in Kentucky
BLS counts about 790 dentist jobs in Kentucky, 0.6% of the 124,390 nationwide, or 0.392 per 1,000 jobs in the state.
Dentists hold a 51% smaller share of local jobs than nationally (location quotient 0.49).
Dentist Salary by City in Kentucky
All dental roles by metro: Lexington · Louisville/Jefferson County
What Dentist Job Listings in Kentucky Show Right Now
From the 9 active dentist listings on DentistryHires as of November 13, 2026.
Employers with the most openings
- Heartland Dental4
- Comprehensive Mobile Care3
- Pacific Dental Services2
Benefits listings name
- Health insurancenamed in 67%
- Paid or provided CEnamed in 67%
Source: active dentist listings on DentistryHires, updated daily. Pay figures use only listings that state pay (midpoint of each posted range) and are hidden when one employer posted most of them. Benefits count listings that name the benefit; a listing that doesn’t mention one may still offer it.
Browse 9 jobs →Dentist Regulatory Context in Kentucky
Dentist practice in Kentucky is regulated by the Kentucky Board of Dentistry.
Scope of practice — what a dentist may do, and under what level of supervision — is set by state law and changes over time, so verify current rules with the board before relying on them.
How Kentucky Compares
Tennessee
$215,290
+26% vs. national
Tennessee salary →
Missouri
$204,960
+20% vs. national
Missouri salary →
Virginia
$197,110
+15% vs. national
Virginia salary →
West Virginia
$170,370
0% vs. national
West Virginia salary →
Ohio
$167,410
-2% vs. national
Ohio salary →
Indiana
$166,650
-3% vs. national
Indiana salary →
Illinois
$156,110
-9% vs. national
Illinois salary →
Other dental salaries in Kentucky
- Dental Hygienist salary in Kentucky: median $78,830, $55,330 below the dentist median
- Dental Assistant salary in Kentucky: median $47,730, $86,430 below the dentist median
- Dental Lab Technician salary in Kentucky: median $46,770, $87,390 below the dentist median
Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (state and national estimates, all industries); U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Price-adjusted pay divides the median by the price level.
Listing counts and posted pay are live DentistryHires listings, refreshed hourly.
A dash means BLS did not publish that figure; nothing is estimated.