Female dentists represented more than 39% of the dentist workforce in 2025, according to data from the American Dental Association’s Health Policy Institute.
The percentage of female dentists has increased each year since 2001, when female dentists made up 16% of the workforce.
In total, there are more than 205,000 active dentists in the U.S.
Here is the percentage of female and male dentists in the workforce across each year since 2001:
Note: Percentages may not add up to 100% due to dentists whose gender was not reported.
2001
Female dentists: 16%
Male dentists:83.9%
2002
Female dentists: 17%
Male dentists: 82.9%
2003
Female dentists: 17.9%
Male dentists: 81.9%
2004
Female dentists: 18.9%
Male dentists: 80.7%
2005
Female dentists: 19.9%
Male dentists: 79.5%
2006
Female dentists: 20.6%
Male dentists: 78.5%
2007
Female dentists: 21.7%
Male dentists: 77.3%
2008
Female dentists: 22.3%
Male dentists: 76.6%
2009
Female dentists: 23.1%
Male dentists: 75.5%
2010
Female dentists: 23.7%
Male dentists: 74.7%
2011
Female dentists: 24.7%
Male dentists: 73.9%
2012
Female dentists: 25.9%
Male dentists: 73.1%
2013
Female dentists: 26.7%
Male dentists: 72.2%
2014
Female dentists: 27.4%
Male dentists: 71.2%
2015
Female dentists: 28.3%
Male dentists: 69.8%
2016
Female dentists: 29.1%
Male dentists: 68.7%
2017
Female dentists: 30.4%
Male dentists: 67.8%
2018
Female dentists: 31.8%
Male dentists: 66.7%
2019
Female dentists: 32.9%
Male dentists: 65.6%
2020
Female dentists: 34%
Male dentists: 64.4%
2021
Female dentists: 35.2%
Male dentists: 62.9%
2022
Female dentists: 36.7%
Male dentists: 62.2%
2023
Female dentists: 37.7%
Male dentists: 61.3%
2024
Female dentists: 38.5%
Male dentists: 59.9%
2025
Female dentists: 39.4%
Male dentists: 58.7%
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