Nation’s Supply of Dentists Is Projected to Increase

A report from the American Dental Association’s Health Policy Institute indicates the supply of dentists in the United States is expected to increase through 2040. The research brief, “Projected Supply of Dentists in the United States, 2020–2040,” updates the institute’s earlier estimates of the future dental workforce. 

According to the brief’s baseline scenarios, the number of dentists per 100,000 people will increase from 60.7 in 2020 to 67.0 in 2040, whereas the previous scenario projected an increase to 63.7 by 2037. Researchers predict a significant rise in the number of dentists relative to the population’s growth rate. The estimate is based on updated data that suggest population growth will remain near its recent comparatively low levels, while the number of U.S. dental school graduates will increase annually through 2026 and then remain constant.

From Decisions in Dentistry. June 2021;7(6),10.