Dr. David Tiner, DDS, LMFT
David E. Tiner, DDS, LMFT, has spent his professional career at the intersection of dentistry, behavioral health, and the wellness of dental professionals. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Zoology from Arkansas State University in 1977 and his Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from the University of Tennessee Health Science Center College of Dentistry in 1981.
Following dental school, Dr. Tiner served three years on active duty in the United States Navy Dental Corps in San Diego, California. In 1984, he established a private dental practice in Brentwood, Tennessee, where he practiced until retiring from clinical dentistry in 2002.
Dr. Tiner subsequently pursued his interest in behavioral health, earning a Master of Marriage and Family Therapy degree from Trevecca Nazarene University in 2004. He maintained a private practice as a marriage and family therapist for twenty years, from 2004 to 2024. Additionally, Dr. Tiner served as clinical director of the family program at The Center for Professional Excellence, a long-term addictions treatment center for health care professionals, including dentists, physicians, and pharmacists, from 2008 to 2018.
In 2024, Dr. Tiner was appointed Executive Director of the Tennessee Dental Wellness Foundation, continuing his commitment to the health and well-being of members of the dental profession. His background as both a practicing dentist and a marriage and family therapist provides him a unique perspective on chemical dependency and the ways substance use disorders affect dental professionals, their practices, their colleagues, and their families. His presentation at the Tennessee Dental Association Annual Conference will address chemical dependency in the dental profession, with an emphasis on understanding the disease of addiction, recognizing its impact, and encouraging appropriate intervention, treatment, recovery, and support.
In May 2026, the Tennessee Dental Association recognized Dr. Tiner's service to organized dentistry by bestowing upon him Honorary Membership in the Tennessee Dental Association at its 159th Annual Session of the House of Delegates.
Dr. Tiner and his wife, Janina, have been married since 1980 and reside in
Brentwood, TN. They have three children and five grandchildren.
