Dental Profession More Diverse, Fewer Privately Owned Practices

The American Dental Association Health Policy Institute (ADA HPI) released the latest data from its workplace survey, and the results are interesting. Dentists are more likely to be women, nonwhite, and younger than previous data showed. Baby boomer dentists are beginning to retire, with young dentists taking their place. In 2021, 49 was the average age of a dentist compared with 50 in 2014. Women comprised more than 34% of all dentists in the United States in 2020, an increase from 20% in 2005. The percentage of dentists who identify as white has also declined from 83.2% in 2001 to 69.1% in 2021. And the number of dentists who own their practices decreased from 84.7% in 2005 to 73% in 2021. These changes will greatly impact the model of traditional dental care according to the ADA HPI. Click here to read more.