Dental Salaries in Knoxville, Tennessee

Dentist: a median of $157,900 a year ($75.92 an hour) in BLS's May 2025 estimate. BLS rates the Knoxville dentist wage estimate at ±10.1%. Treat the Knoxville dentist figure as a rough signal, not a market rate.

Dental Hygienist: a median of $84,640 a year ($40.69 an hour). That is level with the Tennessee dental hygienist median of $84,640 and $13,460 below the national median of $98,100. It ranks 2nd of the 10 Tennessee metro areas where BLS publishes a dental hygienist median.

Dental Lab Technician: a median of $55,340 a year ($26.60 an hour). That is $6,460 above the Tennessee dental lab technician median of $48,880 and $5,730 above the national median of $49,610. It ranks 1st of the 4 Tennessee metro areas where BLS publishes a dental lab technician median.

Dental Assistant: a median of $46,790 a year ($22.49 an hour). That is $70 above the Tennessee dental assistant median of $46,720 and $1,280 below the national median of $48,070. It ranks 3rd of the 10 Tennessee metro areas where BLS publishes a dental assistant median.

Dentist: the middle half of Knoxville dentists earn $106,570 to $251,560. The lowest-paid tenth earn under $84,360. The top tenth earn over $259,320. The gap between the two is $174,960.

Dental Hygienist: the middle half of Knoxville dental hygienists earn $84,340 to $93,590. The lowest-paid tenth earn under $81,380 (against $76,190 statewide and $74,880 nationally). The top tenth earn over $97,700 (against $98,300 statewide and $126,050 nationally). The gap between the two is $16,320.

Dental Lab Technician: the middle half of Knoxville dental lab technicians earn $45,150 to $63,770. The lowest-paid tenth earn under $38,800 (against $36,520 statewide and $36,660 nationally). The top tenth earn over $79,410 (against $79,020 statewide and $76,940 nationally). The gap between the two is $40,610.

Dental Assistant: the middle half of Knoxville dental assistants earn $45,220 to $59,710. The lowest-paid tenth earn under $37,810 (against $37,810 statewide and $37,130 nationally). The top tenth earn over $60,140 (against $61,260 statewide and $62,250 nationally). The gap between the two is $22,330.

The Bureau of Economic Analysis puts the Knoxville metro's 2024 price level at 92.6 (U.S. = 100), so prices overall run 7.4% below the national average, and housing costs (index 82.8) run 17.2% below. Tennessee as a whole sits at 91.9.

Converted to national average prices:

• Dentist: $157,900 here buys about what $170,580 buys at national average prices (low-reliability estimate).
• Dental Hygienist: $84,640 here buys about what $91,430 buys at national average prices — $6,670 below the national median of $98,100.
• Dental Lab Technician: $55,340 here buys about what $59,780 buys at national average prices — $10,170 above the national median of $49,610.
• Dental Assistant: $46,790 here buys about what $50,550 buys at national average prices — $2,480 above the national median of $48,070.

Dentists: about 220 jobs in the metro, or 0.513 per 1,000 jobs of all kinds. Dentists hold a 36% smaller share of local jobs than nationally (location quotient 0.64). BLS rates this Knoxville count as imprecise (relative standard error 42%), so treat it as a rough size.

Dental Hygienists: about 590 jobs in the metro, or 1.39 per 1,000 jobs of all kinds. Dental hygienists hold a 3% smaller share of local jobs than nationally (location quotient 0.97).

Dental Lab Technicians: about 50 jobs in the metro, or 0.116 per 1,000 jobs of all kinds. Dental lab technicians hold a 48% smaller share of local jobs than nationally (location quotient 0.52). BLS rates this Knoxville count as imprecise (relative standard error 25.1%), so treat it as a rough size.

Dental Assistants: about 1,030 jobs in the metro, or 2.419 per 1,000 jobs of all kinds. Dental assistants hold a 3% smaller share of local jobs than nationally (location quotient 0.97).

The closest metro areas with their own salary page and a published median for each role (distance between metro centers, up to 250 miles).

Dentist: Asheville, North Carolina (93 mi) pays $202,630, Dalton, Georgia (95 mi) pays $202,690 and Chattanooga (97 mi) pays $160,620.

Dental Hygienist: Asheville, North Carolina (93 mi) pays $101,170, Dalton, Georgia (95 mi) pays $82,010 and Chattanooga (97 mi) pays $83,460. Knoxville's $84,640 is below 1 of the 3.

Dental Lab Technician: Asheville, North Carolina (93 mi) pays $50,440, Kingsport (102 mi) pays $48,880 and Gainesville, Georgia (121 mi) pays $48,080. Knoxville's $55,340 is above all 3.

Dental Assistant: Asheville, North Carolina (93 mi) pays $56,680, Dalton, Georgia (95 mi) pays $37,530 and Chattanooga (97 mi) pays $46,360. Knoxville's $46,790 is below 1 of the 3.