The dental care market

Explore ADA Health Policy Institute findings on dental care utilization and expenditures across the U.S.
U.S. dental expenditures down in 2022

National dental spending decreased by 6.3% from 2021 to 2022.

National dental expenditures 2023 inflation-adjusted graph American Dental Association

Dental market FAQs

How often do people visit a dentist?

As of 2021, 43.3% of the U.S. population had a dental visit in the past 12 months. Among children ages 0-18 and seniors age 65 and older,  50.0% had a dental visit. For working-age adults ages 19-64, 38.7% had a dental visit. 

Among children, disparities in dental care use have been narrowing over time among income and racial/ethnic groups and between the privately and publicly insured. Among adults and seniors, disparities remain.

Sources:

Why do people avoid visiting the dentist?

Top reasons adults cite for avoiding the dentist include cost, fear of the dentist, and inability to find a convenient location or appointment time.

However, when adults are categorized by age, household income, and health insurance status, the top three reasons for not visiting a dentist vary.

Source: Oral health and well-being in the United States (HPI State Fact Sheets).

How much does the U.S. population spend on dental care?

In 2022, national dental care expenditures amounted to $165 billion, down 6.3% from 2021 (adjusted for inflation). Private health insurance spending accounted for most of the expenditures in 2022, followed by out-of-pocket spending.

Source: National dental expenditures, 2022 (HPI Infographic).

Where can I get the ADA’s fee schedule?

The ADA cannot quote fees for dental procedures and is forbidden by federal law to set or recommend fees. The Council on Dental Practice elected to discontinue the Survey of Dental Fees in 2023 and it has been removed for download, due to a change in law eliminating safe harbor disclosure. Posting such information, therefore, is now legally problematic.