Here are 10 statistics and trends highlighting the shifting practices of dentists and DSOs:
1. Newer and younger dentists are waiting longer to buy or build their own practice after graduating from dental school.
2. The percentage of dental students interested in private practice after graduation has increased by three percentage points in the last 10 years.
3. Three-quarters of all dentists in the U.S. work in a dental practice that only has one location.
4. Dentists with less experience are more likely to be affiliated with a DSO.
5. Though only 16.1% of dentists in the U.S. were affiliated with a dental services organization in 2024, the share represents an 8.9-percentage point increase from 7.2% in 2015.
6. DSOs are attracting new investors as optimism about the industry has led to new growth initiatives. Becker’s has reported on six DSOs that have gained new funding, several of which have been oral surgery-focused organizations.
7. Some dental specialties, including orthodontics and oral surgery, have a significantly higher rate of DSO affiliation than periodontics and prosthodontics.
8. Female dentists are slightly more likely to be DSO-affiliated, but only by a few percentage points.
9. The percentage of dentists affiliated with private equity has nearly doubled over the course of six years.
10. About two-thirds of dentists are skeptical in the overall U.S. economy, according to a poll from the American Dental Association.
