Dental practices are continuing to face rising costs and lower demand for care, according to the American Dental Association’s Economic Outlook and Emerging Issues in Dentistry report for the third quarter.
The report shows that dentists’ economic confidence has declined since last year, and that dental prices are rising faster than inflation. Practices also continue to face challenges with hiring hygienists.
Appointment wait times have also reached their lowest point in over three years, with new patients waiting an average of 12 days to receive an appointment, correlating with lower busyness levels among dentists.
