The future of dentistry: 2024 ADA HPI Workforce Report unpacks emerging trends

The ADA Health Policy Institute recently released the results of its annual state of the US dentist workforce “based on the latest data from multiple sources.” The report takes an in depth look at four areas: who makes up the dentist workforce, how and where dentists work, how practicing dentists are doing economically, and what the future workforce looks like.

If you don’t have time to go through the lengthy report at the moment, we’ve taken the time to pull together some bullet points for you in each of the four areas.

Like any year, the results reflect the good, bad, and perhaps unexpected results. Some of the items that caught our eye are the income of general dentists dropped from $267,000 in 2010 to $210,000 in 2024, and both young and established dentists are noticing the income decline.

The number of dental schools has grown since 2001, and the number of dental school applicants, as well as new dentists entering the market, reflect that growth. 

Early-career dentists are more likely to join a DSO, but solo dentists remain in strong numbers. Women are a growing demographic in dentistry at 40%, yet they’re less likely to own their own practice.

And as probably a surprise to no one, dentists are retiring later than before.

Read on and enjoy learning more about the state of your profession.

Who makes up the dentist workforce?

• The U.S. dentist workforce is larger, younger, and more diverse, with women now representing nearly 40% of practicing dentists.
• Pediatric dentistry has seen the fastest growth among specialties, while general practice still represents nearly 80% of all dentists.
• Supply is uneven across the country, with urban areas attracting more dentists while rural counties continue to struggle with shortages.
• Racial and ethnic diversity is improving, though Black and Hispanic dentists remain underrepresented compared with the U.S. population.
• Baby boomer retirements are reshaping the profession, with younger dentists filling gaps as older practitioners exit.
• About half of dentists under age 35 are female, a trend expected to push the gender balance closer to parity in the coming years.
• States vary widely in age distribution, with some states having more than 40% of their dentists aged 55 and older, signaling an upcoming retirement wave.
• The dentist-to-population ratio sits at 59.5 per 100,000, but ranges dramatically by state, from 40.2 in Arkansas to 103.2 in D.C.

How and where do dentists work?

• About one-third of dentists are in solo practice, but early-career dentists are far more likely to join group practices or DSOs.
• Practice ownership is increasingly delayed, with younger dentists entering ownership later in their careers compared with previous generations.
• DSO affiliation has more than doubled since 2015, reaching 16.1% nationally, with the largest growth in Colorado and Oklahoma.
• More than one in four dentists within 10 years of graduation work with DSOs, highlighting the shift toward corporate practice models.
• Female dentists are less likely to own practices, with the ownership gap persisting across all career stages.
• Large practices with 100+ locations are most common in the Southeast and Southwest, with Arizona and Colorado leading the trend.
• Medicaid participation varies widely by state, from 10.7% of dentists in New Hampshire to 76.2% in Delaware.
• Solo practice remains strong in some regions, with California leading at 44% of dentists in independent practices.

How are dentists doing economically?

• Inflation-adjusted income for general dentists has dropped from $267,000 in 2010 to just over $207,000 in 2024.
• All career stages have seen declines in net income, with younger dentists losing financial ground alongside older peers.
• The gender gap in earnings is narrowing, as men’s incomes have fallen more sharply than women’s in the past decade.
• Practice expenses are rising faster than revenues, putting pressure on profitability and practice sustainability.
• Rural practices have fared slightly better, with a 6.1% increase in revenue, compared with a 1.2% decline in urban practices.
• Dentists are spending more hours in the office not treating patients, reflecting growing administrative demands.
• Owner dentists work about five more hours per week than associates, suggesting higher workload tied to management responsibilities.
• Dentists are retiring later than in the past, with average career spans now four years longer than those who retired in 2001.

What does the future of dentistry look like?

• Twenty-one new dental schools have opened since 2001, bringing the total to 75 and contributing to record graduate numbers.
• Dental school applications rose 11.5% in 2024, reaching the highest level since 2007 after years of stagnation.
• First-year enrollment continues to climb, driven by new schools opening in recent years.
• The number of graduates has increased by 58% in two decades, with half now female.
• Diversity among graduates is improving, though historically underrepresented groups only account for 17% of the 2024 graduating class.
• The dentist supply is projected to keep growing through 2040, outpacing retirements and supported by higher enrollment.
• Regional imbalances are likely to persist, with younger dentists continuing to gravitate toward urban areas rather than rural ones.
• Female dentists are expected to make up half the workforce by 2040, reshaping the profession’s gender balance and leadership pipeline.

Link to the entire report from ADA HPI.