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AR · FIPS 05 · South · State

Arkansas

7% stayed home, and residents fill 43% of Arkansas's seats.

523
students started dental school
#36 of 52 in the nation
7%
stayed in-state
34 students
489
left for another state
#16 most leavers
42
different schools attended
across 29 states
Destinations

Where Arkansas's students went

Matriculants from Arkansas by the state of their dental school, 2016–2025. Hover a state for the count.

Arkansas (stayed home)1–4 students5–19 students20–49 students50–199 students200+ studentsNone
Top 10 schools

The most common picks

In ArkansasOut of state
  1. 24747.2%
  2. 407.6%
  3. 346.5%
  4. 346.5%
  5. 265.0%
  6. 203.8%
  7. 163.1%
  8. 163.1%
  9. 132.5%
  10. 71.3%
The story

What the numbers say

From 2016 to 2025, 523 students from Arkansas started dental school, 36th in the nation. 7% stayed in Arkansas, 0% at an in-state public school.

The 489 who left went to 28 other states. The most popular out-of-state school was University of Tennessee (TN), with 247 students.

Arkansas's dental school enrolled 80 students over the same years, 43% of them residents. Louisiana (10) and Texas (8) sent the most outsiders.

Stayed in Arkansas for dental school7%
Went to an in-state public school0%
Seats at Arkansas's schools filled by residents43%
Inbound

Who else comes here

Arkansas's dental school enrolled 80 students; 43% were residents. Top out-of-state feeders:

  1. Louisiana10
  2. Texas8
  3. North Carolina4
  4. Utah4
  5. California3
Home schools

Dental schools in Arkansas

All 42 schools Arkansas students attended
SchoolStateTypeStudentsShare
University of TennesseeTNPublic24747.2%
LSU Health Sciences CenterLAPublic407.6%
Lyon College School of Dental MedicineARPrivate346.5%
University of Missouri, Kansas CityMOPublic346.5%
Missouri School of Dentistry & Oral HealthMOPrivate265.0%
Texas A&M UniversityTXPublic203.8%
Kansas City UniversityMOPrivate163.1%
Meharry Medical CollegeTNPrivate163.1%
University of LouisvilleKYPublic132.5%
University of FloridaFLPublic71.3%
Tufts UniversityMAPrivate61.1%
Medical University of South CarolinaSCPublic51.0%
Midwestern University - AZAZPrivate40.8%
Midwestern University - ILILPrivate40.8%
University of KentuckyKYPublic40.8%
University of OklahomaOKPublic40.8%
Columbia UniversityNYPrivate30.6%
Howard UniversityDCPrivate30.6%
New York UniversityNYPrivate30.6%
University of ColoradoCOPublic30.6%
University of MichiganMIPublic30.6%
Creighton UniversityNEPrivate20.4%
Indiana UniversityINPublic20.4%
LECOM College of Dental MedicineFLPrivate20.4%
Nova Southeastern UniversityFLPrivate20.4%
UT Health San AntonioTXPublic20.4%
University of AlabamaALPublic20.4%
University of IowaIAPublic20.4%
Arizona School of Dentistry & Oral HealthAZPrivate10.2%
Augusta UniversityGAPublic10.2%
Case Western Reserve UniversityOHPrivate10.2%
Harvard UniversityMAPrivate10.2%
Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry of USCCAPrivate10.2%
Oregon Health & Science UniversityORPublic10.2%
Roseman University of Health SciencesUTPrivate10.2%
Southern Illinois UniversityILPublic10.2%
Touro College of Dental MedicineNYPrivate10.2%
University of MarylandMDPublic10.2%
University of North CarolinaNCPublic10.2%
University of PittsburghPAPublic10.2%
University of UtahUTPublic10.2%
West Virginia UniversityWVPublic10.2%
Staying home, 2000–2025

Are more Arkansas students staying in-state?

Arkansas's first dental school enrolled its first class in 2025. In 2025, 49% of Arkansas's first-year dental students stayed in-state. Nationally, 57% stayed home in 2025, down from 66% in 2000.

Share of first-year students who stayed in-state

0%25%50%75%100%200020052010201520202025U.S.49%
ArkansasU.S.
Dentist workforce, 2001–2025

Dentists working in Arkansas

1,270 dentists work in Arkansas: 40.8 per 100,000 people, below the U.S. rate of 60.0. That's #50 of 51 for dentists per person. The number of dentists is up 24% since 2001.

1,270dentists, 2025
40.8per 100,000 people (U.S. 60.0)
#50of 51 in dentists per person
1,027dentists in 2001 (38.2 per 100K)

Dentists per 100,000 people

020406080200120052010201520202025U.S.40.8
ArkansasU.S.

Dentists working in dentistry, counted where they work. *The ADA advises caution with 2023–2025 figures. Source: ADA.

Dentist migration, 2019–2024

Are dentists moving to Arkansas?

Arkansas gained a net 28 dentists from other states from 2019 to 2024 (+2.7% of its 2019 dentists), #13 of 51. The state's overall population changed by +2.7% from domestic migration (2020–2025).

All dentists+2.7%+28 net · #13 of 51102 moved in, 74 moved out
Early career (under 10 yrs)+6.5%+20 net · #12 of 5159 moved in, 39 moved out
10+ years in practice+1.1%+8 net · #16 of 5143 moved in, 35 moved out
Early-career specialists+8.3%+3 net · #14 of 517 moved in, 4 moved out
Net dentists Arkansas gained from / lost to each state:+15 or more+5 to 14+1 to 4−1 to 4−5 to 14−15 or more

Came from

  1. Texas22
  2. Missouri15
  3. Tennessee9
  4. Oklahoma6
  5. Mississippi5

Moved to

  1. Tennessee18
  2. Missouri10
  3. Texas9
  4. Oklahoma6
  5. Mississippi5

Dentists active in both 2019 and 2024, so new graduates and retirees are not counted. Source: ADA.

What dentists earn in Arkansas →