This is up from a low point of 64.7 in 2001. Over the last two decades, the average age of retirement for U.S. dentists has gone up,.
Dentist Retirement Trends
How has the average age of dentist retirement changed over the years?
The ADA Health Policy Institute tracks U.S. dentist retirement and age distribution patterns to predict the future of the dental workforce.
Average age of dentist retirement is up
Average age of retirement is 68.9 as of 2023
More dentists are younger or near retirement age
The age distribution of dentists indicates generational transition
In 2017, the U.S. dentist workforce was defined by a generational divide, with large shares of younger dentists ages 30-40 and dentists near retirement age. Five years later, a larger share of dentists are younger while a smaller share of dentists are near retirement age, indicating that the shift toward a younger generation of dentists is underway.
