Here are five stats — as reported by Becker's in 2022 — that have the dental industry feeling hopeful:
201,927: The number of dentists has increased from 163,409 in 2001 to 201,927 in 2021, according to recent data from the American Dental Association.
56 percent: Women made up 56 percent of first-year enrollment at dental schools last year, an all-time high.
9: Nine out of 10 dental specialties saw increases in the number of practitioners between 2001 and 2021, according to data from the American Dental Association.
6.8 percent: The number of graduates from doctorate of dental surgery and dental medicine programs increased 6.8 percent from 2017 to 2021, according to the American Dental Association's "Dental Education Program Enrollment and Graduates Report: 2021-22."
71,100: Dentists, dental assistants and dental hygienist jobs are expected to grow by 71,100 through 2030, according to new data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.