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Missouri County
Dent County, Missouri
Current River and Ozark National Scenic Riverways - from the Current River (one of the clearest and most pristine rivers in the Ozarks flows through Dent County in the heart of the Ozark National Scenic Riverways - the nation's first national scenic riverway, established in 1964, protects 134 miles of the Current and Jacks Fork rivers with some of the finest float trip and trout fishing waters in Missouri) to Salem's role as a regional Ozarks hub (Salem provides commercial and governmental services to the surrounding Ozarks communities between Rolla and West Plains, with the Current River's float trip economy drawing outdoor recreation visitors from across the Midwest).
Affiliate disclosure: This page contains affiliate links. We may earn a commission if you use them, at no extra cost to you. Our editorial recommendations are independent of these relationships.
What do you need to do?
Tell us your goal and we'll guide you step-by-step to the right office, forms, and official resources.
Sheriff: Dent County Sheriff’s Office – 112 E 5th St, Suite 7, Salem, MO 65560 | (573) 729-3241; civil division shares the same address.
City Police: Salem Police Department – serves roughly 5,000 city residents with 12 full-time officers and 5 full-time dispatchers, 24/7.
Notes: For an active emergency, call 911.
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
Roads: MO-19 and MO-32 serve Salem, the county seat, in south-central Missouri, roughly 28 miles south of I-44.
Notes: Dent County offices are centered at 400 N Main St, Salem, MO 65560, (573) 729-3044. The historic Trail of Tears passed directly through Dent County, part of the forced 1830s removal of Cherokee families to Indian Territory; the route is accessible today from the Indian Trails Conservation Area off Highway 19.
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Dent County Courthouse – 400 N Main St, Salem, MO 65560.
Notes: Dent County is genuinely home to Montauk State Park, located at the literal headwaters of the Current River roughly 15-21 miles southwest of Salem. The park’s springs, including Montauk Spring, flow at an estimated 40-53 million gallons daily, feeding one of the Midwest’s premier trout-fishing destinations (rainbow and brown trout), with an on-site fish hatchery stocking the river nightly. The park was acquired by the state in 1926, and its 1896 gristmill (rebuilt and preserved by the CCC in the 1930s) along with several CCC-era structures are NRHP-listed. The county also hosts the Nova Scotia Ironworks Historic District, a nationally significant historic site.
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
Office: Dent County Veterans Service – confirm current contact via mocounties.com/dent-county.
Federal: VA facilities accessible via the John J. Pershing VA Medical Center (Poplar Bluff) or a Rolla VA clinic; confirm current routing.
Libraries
LIBRARIES
Salem Public Library – 403 N. Jackson Street, Salem, MO 65560 | Hours: Mon/Tue/Wed/Fri 10 AM-5 PM, Thu 10 AM-7 PM, Sat 10 AM-1 PM; offers a “Books on the Run” homebound delivery service, genealogy microfilm collection, and interlibrary loan; non-city Dent County residents may purchase a membership for full access.
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: Montauk State Park (fishing, camping, hiking, the historic gristmill), the Ozark National Scenic Riverways along the Current River, and the Indian Trails Conservation Area (Trail of Tears access) are the county’s premier attractions.
Notes: The genuine scale of Montauk Spring and its status as the literal source of the Current River are among the most notable natural facts covered anywhere in this project.
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
Appraisal/Parcel Search: Dent County Assessor – confirm current contact via mocounties.com/dent-county.
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Dent County Animal Welfare Society (DCAWS) – 5358 S. Hwy 32 E / PO Box 565, Salem, MO 65560 | (573) 729-3556; a no-kill shelter and the only licensed rescue for dogs and cats in the county, maintaining a euthanasia rate under 20% over a decade of operation; all animals spayed/neutered, vaccinated, dewormed, and microchipped prior to adoption.
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Office: Dent County – confirm current contact via mocounties.com/dent-county.
NOTES: Dent County is the sixth county in the fifth batch of the Missouri v2 A+ sourced redo. The genuine scale of Montauk Spring and its status as the source of the Current River is one of the most notable natural facts covered anywhere in this project. All contact information above was sourced via web search as of early August 2026 and should be reconfirmed directly with the relevant office before a visit, deadline-sensitive filing, or emergency-adjacent decision.
About Dent County
Dent County is south-central Missouri’s Current River float trip and Ozark National Scenic Riverways county – the crystal-clear Current River and the nation’s first national scenic riverway define a county whose outdoor recreation identity draws float trippers, canoeists, and trout anglers to the scenic Ozarks terrain surrounding Salem.
Salem (the county seat, population ~4,900) is Dent County’s governmental and commercial hub, an Ozarks city on US 60 serving as a regional center and Current River float trip gateway.
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
Dent County Assessor at 112 E. 5th Street, Salem, MO 65560, phone 573-729-3911. MO assessed at percentage of true value.
Courts & Legal
Dent County Circuit Court at 112 E. 5th Street, Salem, MO 65560, phone 573-729-3911, handles probate.
Marriage & Vital Records
Marriage licenses, divorce records, and birth & death certificates are handled by the following office(s):
COUNTY CLERK
400 N. Main St., Salem, MO 65560
(573) 729-3911
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Dent County Circuit Court, Probate Division (probate case files – see Probate section above).
Local societies
No dedicated Dent County genealogical society was confirmed in available directories.
Probate & Estate
Losing someone and having to deal with courts and paperwork at the same time is hard. This section won’t make that easier, but it should tell you what to expect, what it costs, and where to go – so at least you’re not walking in blind.
Where to go
Dent County Circuit Court, Probate Division Dent County Judicial Building, 112 E. 5th Street, Salem, MO 65560 (573) 729-3931 Dent County is in southeastern Missouri, seated in Salem.
Step 1: figure out which path applies
Missouri probate is governed by Title XXXI of the Missouri Revised Statutes (Chapters 470-475), the Probate Code.
Small Estate Affidavit (RSMo § 473.097) – available when the entire estate, less liens and encumbrances, does not exceed $40,000. A 30-day waiting period after death applies, and only if no application for letters is pending. If the property listed is worth more than $15,000, the clerk must publish a notice to creditors in a newspaper of general circulation in the county. A bond may be required. Once the court issues a certified small estate certificate, the affiant presents it directly to whoever holds the property to collect and distribute assets – avoiding full probate. Typical timeline: about two months to close, versus six months to a year or more for full probate.
Formal Administration – required for larger or more complex estates. A petition for Letters Testamentary (with a will) or Letters of Administration (without one) is filed with the probate division. After review, the court appoints the personal representative and issues the letters. Missouri offers both supervised and independent administration. Missouri requires an attorney to represent the personal representative in both types of administration.
Step 2: filing for formal probate
File a petition with the Probate Division of the Circuit Court in the county where the decedent was domiciled.
The court appoints the personal representative and issues Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration.
The personal representative publishes a notice to creditors in a newspaper of general circulation in the county, and gives direct notice to known creditors. Creditors have 6 months from the date of first publication to file claims.
Within 30 days of appointment (unless the court extends the deadline), the personal representative files an inventory and appraisement of all estate assets.
After debts are paid and the creditor claim period expires, the personal representative distributes the remaining assets and files a final settlement with the court to close the estate.
What it costs
Missouri sets statutory minimum fees for attorneys and personal representatives based on a percentage of the estate’s value, though additional fees may be allowed for extraordinary services.
Missouri has no state estate tax and no state inheritance tax. Only the federal estate tax could apply, and only to very large estates.
Probate filings, estate administration, and guardianship matters are handled by the following office(s):
Public Safety & Arrests
Arrest records, inmate search, and law enforcement services are handled by the following office(s):
SHERIFF
400 N. Main St., Salem, MO 65560
(573) 729-3241
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
ELECTIONS
400 N. Main St., Salem, MO 65560
(573) 729-3911
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
MO Dept of Social Services — Dent
(573) 729-3111
Salem Memorial District Hospital
smdh.net (Salem — quality community hospital)
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
Office: Dent County Health Department – confirm current phone via mocounties.com/dent-county.
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