40+ Essential Dental Statistics and Industry Resources of 2021

Statistics, facts, and figures can offer a lot of perspective when it comes to people’s health problems and wellness needs. That is why we have compiled a comprehensive list of statistics covering every aspect in the field of dentistry. Whether you want to learn about the impact of COVID-19 on the dental industry or you are looking for oral health and hygiene statistics, we’ve got you covered!

COVID Impact And The State Of The Dental Industry

It is no secret that the impact of COVID has been felt by industries across the board. The dental industry has seen its share of losses and has found new ways to adapt. From witnessing large drops in revenues to having to incorporate teledentistry into their practices, dentists have experienced it all.

To give you a sense of how significant the impact has been, we’ve compiled statistics from various sources.

Statistics about the impact of COVID on dental practices

Dental practices suffered huge losses in revenue as a result of the pandemic. Take a look at the stats below to learn how dentists have had to adapt and move forward.

COVID results in an increased use of teledentistryAccording to a report by the CareQuest Institute for Oral Health released in June 2020, 27% of dental providers were already seeing patients through telehealth platforms and 13% expected to offer services through these platforms in the near future.Source: CareQuest

Dentists report significant loss in revenue during the pandemicIn a survey by the Oral Health Group, 46% of dentists reported that a drop in revenue has been the most significant impact on their practice from the pandemic.Source: Oral Health Group

Dental service industry sees a large drop as a result of COVIDIn March and April of 2020, the use of dental services fell by 75% and 79% respectively, compared to the same months the year before. This clearly demonstrates the impact of COVID-19 on the dental industry.Source: FAIR Health

Patient volume almost back to pre-COVID levelsIn February 2021, the ADA estimated that the patient volume was at 81% of pre-COVID levels on average, showing recovery was underway.Source: American Dental Association

Statistics on patient perception during COVID

What are patients’ perceptions about visiting a dentist during the pandemic? Are patients adapting to the new norms? Check out some of the data we’ve compiled below to learn what the patients are feeling about dental visits during the pandemic.

Patients are highly satisfied with teledentistryAccording to a report by the CareQuest Institute for Oral Health, 86% of the patients were satisfied with their overall teledentistry experience.Source: CareQuest

Information about COVID cases in dental offices influences patient attendanceAccording to 50% of Americans, the most important consideration for visiting their dentist during the pandemic is knowing whether there have been any known cases of COVID-19 in their office.Source: North American Dental Group

Patients’ comfort level for dental visits depends on the type of procedureAccording to a survey by North American Dental Group in July 2020, 71% of patients reported that they were hesitant to visit their dentists during the pandemic for a non-time sensitive dental procedure; 54% reported that they would only be comfortable doing so in the case of a dental emergencySource: North American Dental Group

Patients ready to go back to dentistsIn a report released by ADA in February 2021, 90% of the patients reported that they had already been back or were ready to go back to their dentist.Source: American Dental Association

Great resources for COVID and dental industry updates

Modeling the Impact of COVID-19 on U.S. Dental Spending (Research Brief PDF)In this resource, the Health Policy Institute reports the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on dental care spending in the United States. They have also modeled dental spending in 2021 and have predicted a 32% decline.Provided by: Health Policy Institute

HPI Data Center (Online Data Source)The Health Policy Institute (HPI) is a thought leader and a trusted source of information related to the U.S. dental care system. You can find several research briefs, journal articles, infographics and many more useful resources on their site.Provided by: Health Policy Institute

Dental Patient Experience Statistics

Providing good dental care goes beyond offering clinical services, but also handling your patients with care and compassion. Understanding how patients feel about dental services can greatly increase your capacity for handling their needs, and understanding what drives their stress when they are in your care.

The following statistics paint a picture of how people feel about dental services beyond the professional services they are looking for, instead considering the patient experience.

Patient satisfaction statistics

Patient satisfaction is the single most important factor that influences customer retention. Check out the statistics below to ensure that you are prioritizing customer satisfaction in your practice.

Mobile communication is essential for customer satisfaction58% of Gen Z, Millennials, and Gen X agree that responsiveness to follow-up questions via email or phone, outside of the appointment, is very important to their overall satisfaction.Source: Accenture

Customers gravitate towards companies that offer personalized experiencesAccording to an 2017 online survey of 1,000 consumers ages 18-64, the appeal for personalization was high, with 80% of respondents indicating they are more likely to do business with a company that offered personalized experiences and 90% indicating that they find personalization appealing.Source: Epsilon

Fear of the dentist statistics

If you’ve ever been anxious or afraid to go to the dentist, you are not alone. The fact is, many people feel anxiety about going to the dentist, whether it’s a routine or advanced procedure. For some, this anxiety can turn into actual fear, inhibiting their ability to go to the dentist.

To be more accommodating to these people and encourage them to choose your dental clinic, consider the following statistics:

Most people with dental fear experience it their entire livesResearchers have found that dental anxiety begins from childhood, leading to 75-80% of people carrying it through most of their lives.Source: Science Direct

3/4 of adults experience dental anxiety or fearStudies have indicated that more than 75% of adults experience dental anxiety, of which 5-10% suffer from dental phobia, which is a much more serious condition than generalized fear.Source: StatisticsStats.com

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Dental Practice Management Statistics

Managing your dental practice is a daunting task with many necessary processes. Modern patients demand fast, efficient, and convenient service, which can be made possible through automated clinic management software, online booking access, and simple communication methods such as email, text, and apps.

Patients want the convenience of phone and video consultationIn a survey with 1734 respondents, 94-99% reported that they were very satisfied with all the telehealth attributes. Since convenience and perceived quality of care were important to the patients, telehealth facilitated that access to care.Source: NCBI

More than half of patients will switch medical providers for better online serviceIntuit Health’s second annual Health Care Check-Up Survey revealed that 59% of Gen Y were happy to switch from their current medical provider for one with better online access.Source: Intuit Health

Practices using Nexhealth see increase in patient bookings during the pandemicEven during the pandemic, several dental practices that used Nexhealth saw 78% more new patient bookings, and 75% more existing patient bookings.Source: Nexhealth

More than half of patients want medical communication through automated messagingIt was found that 57% of patients expect doctors to send appointments, provide reminders, and follow-up care through automated text, voice or email.Source: Intrado

Healthcare organizations need to use patient-centric data64% of healthcare organizations don’t use patient-centric data to track their performance or only use them on a limited basis. Using analytics can help doctors turn their numbers and data into strategies and goals that can lead back to better patient experiences.Source: Digital Commerce 360

Resources for the latest dental practice technologies

ADA Center for Professional Success (Learning Center)A great resource for dental practitioners to learn about the latest technological trends in the industry.Provided by: American Dental Association

HPI Industry Reports (Downloadable survey reports)If you are looking for a comprehensive list of dental survey reports and are willing to shell out some extra bucks, this is a great resource for you.Provided by: American Dental Association

Dental Practice Marketing & Growth Statistics

Growing your dental practice is a challenging task. In the past, referrals have been a substantial means of gaining business. However, today, these referrals are few and far between, as patients turn to online resources to select their dental office.

Below are statistics on acquiring patients through a variety of means, from referrals to online marketing initiatives:

Referrals account for nearly ¾ of all new businessIn order to grow the practice, 72% of dentists consider generating referrals to be the most effective way to bring in more patients as they have a direct source to vouch for their services.Source: Aegis Dental Network

Marketing endeavours show shift to online channelsWhile most dentists are actively working towards building their brand and increasing their visibility, 77% of them use their website as a marketing channel, 68% use social media, 48% send out emails, 34% do print ads, 21% advertise online, and 18% send out direct mails.Source: Aegis Dental Network

Most patients self-diagnose online before contacting a medical professionalSocial media brings together people of all ages and backgrounds finding answers and spending their time on it, making it a perfect platform for doctors to talk about their practice. In 2019, over 64% of smartphone users first seek healthcare recommendations online to self-diagnose before reaching out to a doctor.Source: Dental Economics

More than ¾ of people use online reviews to choose their new dentistAccording to a survey conducted by Software Advice, it was found that 71% of their patients checked online reviews to help them decide which practice to choose. This makes it extremely important for practices to keep an eye out for reviews about them that are being posted, so that they don’t miss any opportunities to connect with new patients.Source: Software Advice

Customers want to see direct responses to online reviews from dental officeSince most people first research online review sites to find a new doctor, it is extremely important for doctors to be in touch with what is being said about them and their practice in order to stay relevant. 60% of the surveyed audience felt that it is important that doctors responded to their online reviews.Source: Aegis Dental Network

Membership plans increase frequency of dental visitsPatients who have membership plans are likely to visit the dentist two to three times more frequently than uninsured patients and accept twice the amount of treatment. This helps the patients get the care that they need while also helping dentists grow their practices without having the need to add more patients.Source: Aegis Dental Network

Best dental practice growth resources

Dental Practice Success (Learning Center)This learning center offers many great tips and strategies for building a successful dental practice.Provided by: American Dental Association

ADA Center for Professional Success (Learning Center)A great resource for dental practitioners to learn about the latest marketing trends & ideas in the dental industry.Provided by: American Dental Association

Dental Labor Statistics

When you think of going to the dentist, you think of the dentist themselves, but there is an entire team of dental professionals that take care of those pearly whites! To see how these roles compare, we have a range of statistics about the occupations available in the dental industry out of all healthcare occupations.

Table 1: Occupational Statistics & Outlook in the Dental Industry

Profession

Jobs1

Salary2

Hourly1

Job Growth

Dentist

151,600

$164,010

$78.85

3%

Dental Hygienist

226,400

$77,090

$37.06

6%

Dental Lab Technician

81,200

$38,620

$18.57

9%

Dental Assistant

354,600

$41,180

$19.80

7%

1data collected in 2019; 2 median pay in 2020; 3 projected changes in stats from 2019-2029Source: U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics

Dental Health Facts & Statistics

General health and hygiene statistics offer a baseline, helping dentists understand the likelihood of various dental health issues arising. This helps with identification and treatment, and ensures that patients get the care they need.

Oral health & hygiene stats

Not all patients are fully honest about their oral health and hygiene. Understanding statistics on average oral health and hygiene issues helps dentists be aware of their prevalence and react accordingly. Sharing this information with patients frequently will also help them maintain good oral health.

Most Americans don’t use dental floss to remove food from between teethIn a survey of 1005 adults, most Americans said that they used a variety of methods to remove food from their teeth: fingernails (61%), folder paper or cards (40%), cutlery (21%), safety pins (14%), and strands of hair (7%). Out of these respondents, 64% admitted that they knew that they should not be using these methods, but should be using dentist-recommended methods such as dental picks, interdental brushes, floss, and water flossing tools.Source: American Dental Association

People floss at a low rate, and far less than they admit to their dentistsWhile studying the flossing patterns in adults, 16% said that they always flossed at least once a day, 20% said that they flossed only when they needed to and 8% said that they simply never flossed. The biggest reason for not flossing daily was that it was too time consuming (55%), while 16% said that it was too painful and 9% said that they find it gross. 44% of the surveyed adults also admitted that they have exaggerated to their dentist about how much they floss when asked.Source: American Dental Association

Statistics on dental diseases & cavities

The World Health Organization estimated oral diseases affect nearly 3.5 billion people around the world. Here are some interesting facts and statistics you should know about dental diseases and cavities.

Most people have cavities at some point in their life, while ¼ have untreated tooth decayIn a 2011-12 study conducted by the National Center for Health Statistics, it was found that among adults aged 20-64, 91% had caries (cavities) and 27% had untreated tooth decay.Source: CDC

Many people have untreated tooth decayIn a study conducted by the CDC, it was found that between 2015-2018, 13.2% of children in the age group 5-19 had untreated dental caries, while 25.9% adults in the age group 20-44 suffered from this problem.Source: CDC

46% adults aged 30 years or older show signs of gum diseaseIt was found that nearly 46% of adults who were 30 years or older showed signs of gum disease, but about 9% of adults suffer from serious gum disease.Source: NCBI

Statistics on dental implants

Many people suffer from tooth damage or end up losing one or more teeth. Dental implants offer  a convenient way of replacing these teeth or filling in the gaps. Here are some interesting facts and statistics about dental implants.

Worldwide dental implant market is estimated to be $5.1 billionAccording to a study conducted by Zion Market Research in 2017, the total annual value of the worldwide dental implant market was roughly estimated to be $5.1 billion and is expected to generate a revenue of USD 7.97 billion by the end of 2024, growing at a CAGR of 6.63% between 2018-2024.Source: GlobeNewsWire

Dental implants have a 97% success rateDental implants, even though it is a painful process involving drilling holes through the gums, into the jawbone and then stitching the gums closed, is one of the most advanced solutions for those seeking for a missing tooth caused by decay or trauma, and has a success rate of 97%.Source: Trend Statistics

Resources on dental hygiene and oral health

Oral Health and Well-Being in the United States (Infographic PDF)This infographic fact sheet issued by the ADA, has a wealth on information on oral health and hygiene related statisticsProvided by: American Dental Association

NCHS Data Finder (Interactive Tool)This interactive tool allows you to find almost any data or statistic related to health and dental care in the United States.Provided by National Center for Health Statistics

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