Medicaid, workforce, patient care & more: 18 dental stats from 2021

Becker's has reported on several reports and surveys providing data on key aspects of the dental industry, including salary, insurance, workforce and patient care.

Here are 18 stats from this year:

  1. On a scale of one to five — five indicating extreme burnout and one indicating no burnout — average personal burnout of dental faculty was reported as 2.7 and work-related burnout was 2.8. 
  2. Dental expenses make up more than one-quarter of overall healthcare out-of-pocket expenses and present higher financial barriers than medical, prescription pharmaceutical and mental healthcare.
  3. The prevalence of untreated oral diseases has grown, affecting an estimated 3.5 billion people worldwide.
  4. Massachusetts has the highest number of active dentists per 100,000 population among the U.S. states.
  5. Dental offices saw a gain of 4,100 jobs from August to September 2021.
  6. Sixty-five percent of adults reported that oral health has become more of a priority as a result of the pandemic.
  7. About 76.5 million adults in the U.S. do not have dental insurance, while Medicare beneficiaries have the largest unmet need for dental coverage. 
  8. Augusta (Ga.) University was named the best university in the U.S. for dental support roles. 
  9. General practice dentists saw a 17.9 percent drop in net income in 2020 compared to 2019.
  10. Twenty-seven percent of dental providers were using telehealth to see patients in June 2020, compared to 23 percent in August 2020 and 22 percent in March.
  11. Forty-seven percent of Medicare beneficiaries did not have a dental visit within the past year as of 2018. This rate was higher among people who were Black, Hispanic, low-income, or in fair or poor health.
  12. Overall, 96 percent of survey respondents said dental insurance coverage helps them maintain good oral health.
  13. Dentist, orthodontist, oral/maxillofacial surgeon, dental hygienist, prosthodontist and dental assistant were listed among the best jobs in America.
  14. The percentage of adults who had a dental visit in 2019 was higher in urban areas (66.7 percent) than in rural areas (57.6 percent).
  15. The share of dentists ages 55 and older increased from 27 percent in 2001 to a peak of 40 percent in 2013-16. This share dropped to 37 percent in 2020 and is projected to decline to 33 percent in 2040.
  16. Dental practices saw an average 10 percent decrease in completed hygiene appointments in 2020 compared to 2019. 
  17. Oral and maxillofacial surgeon was ranked as one of the highest-earning dental jobs in the U.S. at $208,000 per year.
  18. Chicago was ranked as the highest earning city for oral surgeons at $273,730, while Florida was listed as the highest earning state at $282,650.

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