The dentist workforce

Insights from the ADA Health Policy Institute on the current and future supply of dentists and shifting demographics within the workforce.

U.S. Dentist Workforce: 2025 Update

HPI's Marko Vujicic overviews latest data on U.S. dentist workforce! And download the full report below.

HPI offers new deep dive into U.S. dentist workforce with data updated in 2025.

The report explores who makes up the dentist workforce, how and where dentists work, how dental practices are performing economically, and what the future of the dentist workforce looks like. 

Download the report and see the recording above featuring HPI's Marko Vujicic to get the full data and its implications for the future of the U.S. dentist workforce.

This new report combines updates of HPI's Survey of Dental Practice, Supply of Dentists, and Dental Practice Modalities, which are also available separately. 

Download Dentist Workforce report (PDF)

Related publications to 2025 Workforce Report

Survey of Dental Practice (XLSX)
Data through 2024 on dentist earnings, billings, expenses, and busyness.
Download
Download
Dental practice modality
See dentist affiliation by practice size and DSO status. Data for 2024 now available!
Landing page
Landing page
Supply of Dentists (XLSX)
Data through 2024 on dentists per 100,000 population and by age, gender, and ownership status.
Download
Download

More research and insights

Data reports and dashboards
Journal articles
Infographics
Research briefs
Webinars

Dentist workforce FAQs

How many dentists are currently working in the U.S.?

As of 2024, there are 202,485 professionally active dentists in the U.S. There are 59.5 dentists per 100,000 U.S. population. Ratios vary by state.

Sources: The U.S. Dentist Workforce (PDF); Supply of Dentists in the U.S.: 2001-2024 (XLSX).

Does the ADA have a recommended dentist-to-patient ratio?

No. It is the ADA’s view that a simple dentist-to-patient ratio cannot take into account the differing economic environments from region to region, state to state, or urban to rural.

For further explanation, see: Is the Number of Medicaid Providers Really that Important? (JADA).

How many dentists are female?

Among the 202,485 dentists working in dentistry as of 2024, 39.6% are female.

Source: The U.S. Dentist Workforce (PDF); Supply of Dentists in the U.S.: 2001-2024 (XLSX).

What percentage of dentists are specialists?

As of 2024, about one in five professionally active dentists (21.2%) reported that their practice, research, or administration area is an ADA-recognized specialty.

Source: Supply of Dentists in the U.S.: 2001-2024 (XLSX).

What is the age breakdown of dentists in the U.S.?

Among the 202,485 dentists working in dentistry as of 2024, 17.3% are under age 35, 26.0% are ages 35-44, 22.6% are ages 45-54, 18.7% are ages 55-64, and 15.5% are age 65 and older.

Source: The U.S. Dentist Workforce (PDF); Supply of Dentists in the U.S.: 2001-2024 (XLSX).

What is the racial/ethnic breakdown of dentists in the U.S.?

As of 2024, 67.0% of U.S. dentists are White, 20.4% are Asian, 6.1% are Hispanic, 3.9% are Black, and 2.6% are other race or unknown. Other race/ethnicity categories include American Indian or Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander, and other.

Source: The U.S. Dentist Workforce (PDF).

What is the average age of retirement among dentists? How long do dentists work?

In 2024, the average age of retirement among U.S. dentists was 68.7, up from 64.7 in 2001. The average career span in 2024 was 41.3 years, up from 37.8 years in 2001.

Source: The U.S. Dentist Workforce (PDF).

How many dental hygienists and dental assistants are currently working in the U.S.?

As of 2022, there are 214,700 dental hygienists and 363,880 dental assistants working in the U.S. Supply of hygienists and assistants is available at the state-level.

Source: Dental workforce wages and job counts dashboard in Tableau.

Does the ADA have future projections for the number of dentists in the U.S.?
The research brief Projected Supply of Dentists in the United States, 2020-2040 projects the future supply of dentists in the U.S. based on various sources of outflows from and inflows to the dental profession. Find full details in the brief.

Source: Projected Supply of Dentists in the United States, 2020-2040 (PDF) (HPI Research Brief).