Here are 12 things to know about dentistry in Tennessee:
- What three dental roles earn on average per year in the state:
- Dentists: $186,760
- Dental assistants: $40,990
- Dental hygienists: $68,450
- There are 2,592 active general dentists in Tennessee.
- Tennessee has 146 dental professional shortage areas.
- The state received a score of 0 out of 32 for the extensiveness of its adult Medicaid dental coverage.
- Tennessee was ranked No. 40 by WalletHub on a list of states ranked for dental health.
- In 2022, 15 percent of dentists in the state were affiliated with a DSO.
- Tennessee placed 45th on a list released by Zippia of best states for dentists to live and work.
- There are three dental schools in the state — Lincoln Memorial University College of Dental Medicine in Harrogate, Meharry Medical College School of Dentistry in Nashville and University of Tennessee College of Dentistry in Memphis.
- The average out-of-pocket cost to visit a dentist in Tennessee is $98.05.
- Over 40 percent of adults in the state have not visited a dentist in the past year.