Here are 10 statistics and trends showcasing the shifting dental education landscape:
1. The number of dental assistant graduates in the U.S. has decreased 33.8% in the last decade.
2. The number of graduates from dental hygiene programs has increased 5.9% since 2015.
3. The total number of dental school graduates has increased by 20.7% since 2015.
4. There were 7,296 first-year students enrolled in U.S. dental schools for the 2025-26 academic year.
5. Dental therapy programs have seen a 533.3% increase in total enrollment since 2021.
6. Dental public health education programs have seen a 17% drop in enrollment since 2021, the largest decline of any specialty program. Orofacial pain saw the largest increase in enrollment, followed by oral and maxillofacial radiology.
7. Five dental schools saw an decrease in their average four-year tuition rates in the last year, while 60 dental schools saw an increase.
8. Dental school tuition has increased by 39.7% for residents and 30.7% for nonresidents since 2015.
9. The average amount of dental school debt has increased by 587% since 1996, according to data from the Education Data Initiative.
10. Dental schools in the U.S. received more than $263.4 million in funding from the National Institutes of Health in 2025.
