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 Demographics

Filter state-level data on dentist age, gender, race/ethnicity, and supply per capita.

Top publications

Compare racial/ethnic mix of dentists to U.S. population over time (PDF).
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Research shows that the supply of full-time-equivalent dentists is growing (PDF).
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How the dentist workforce can evolve to mirror the population it serves.
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Dentist workforce FAQs

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

As of 2022, there are 202,536 professionally active dentists in the U.S. There are 60.77 dentists per 100,000 U.S. population. Ratios vary by state.

SourceSupply of Dentists in the U.S.: 2001-2022 (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 202,536 dentists working in dentistry as of 2022, 36.7% are female.

Source: Supply of Dentists in the U.S.: 2001-2022 (XLSX).

What percentage of dentists are specialists?

As of 2022, about one in five professionally active dentists (21.1%) reported that their practice, research, or administration area is an ADA-recognized specialty.

SourceSupply of Dentists in the U.S.: 2001-2022 (XLSX).

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

Among the 202,536 dentists working in dentistry as of 2022, 17.7% are under age 35, 25.1% are ages 35-44, 22.0% are ages 45-54, 19.4% are ages 55-64, and 15.8% are age 65 and older.

SourceSupply of Dentists in the U.S.: 2001-2022 (XLSX).

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

As of 2022, 68.4% of U.S. dentists are White, 19.4% are Asian, 5.9% are Hispanic, 3.8% are Black, and 2.0% are other race/unknown.

Source: U.S. Dentist Demographics Dashboard in Tableau

What is the average age of retirement among dentists?

In 2021, the average age of retirement among U.S. dentists was 67.9, close to 68.2 in 2020.

Source: Dentist Retirements Increase (PDF) (HPI Infographic).

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).