The Future of Dentistry Is Young Women

The American Dental Association’s Health Policy Institute (HPI) has released its 2025 update on the United States dentist workforce, highlighting major demographic and structural changes within the profession. With more than 200,000 practicing dentists, the workforce is not only growing but also undergoing a transformation marked by youth, gender diversity, and shifting practice patterns.

One of the most striking developments is the increasing share of women in dentistry. In 2001, only 16% of dentists were female, compared with nearly 38% in 2024. Among dentists younger than 35, about half are now women, and female dentists represent the majority in pediatric dentistry since 2018. HPI projects that women will comprise half of the overall workforce by 2040, underscoring the report’s conclusion that the future of dentistry is, in large part, female.

The workforce is also becoming younger as baby boomer retirements reshape the profession. Since 2017, a considerable share of dentists older than 60 have exited the workforce, and by the late 2020s most will have aged out of practice. In 2024 alone, dental schools graduated a record number of new dentists, with at least half of them women. This influx of younger practitioners has shifted practice models: younger dentists are more likely to work in group practices and dental service organizations (DSOs) than in solo practice. While practice ownership rates are lower among younger dentists, HPI data suggest that ownership is often delayed rather than abandoned, with many dentists acquiring practices later in their careers.

At the same time, the profession is facing financial pressures. Dentist earnings have declined as practice expenses outpace revenues. Although the gender pay gap is narrowing, earnings are down for both male and female dentists. Many are working longer hours and extending their careers, with retirement now occurring later than in previous generations.

Geographic distribution remains a challenge. While the dentist-to-population ratio is 59.5 per 100,000 nationally — up slightly from 57.3 in 2001 — the benefits of growth are uneven. Urban areas continue to see higher concentrations of dentists, while rural counties face widening shortages. In 2024, ratios ranged from just 40.2 per 100,000 in Arkansas to 103.2 in the District of Columbia. Younger dentists in particular are less likely to practice in rural settings, suggesting this disparity may persist.

The workforce is also becoming more racially and ethnically diverse, though gaps remain. White and Asian dentists are represented at higher levels compared with the general population, while Black and Hispanic dentists continue to be underrepresented.

Specialty distribution is shifting as well. General dentists still comprise the majority of the profession, about 79% in 2024, but pediatric dentistry has grown faster than any other specialty since 2001, increasing by more than 120%. Orthodontics remains the most common specialty overall, representing about 5% of US dentists. Click here to read more.