Dental payer reimbursement rates are lagging behind inflation, according to the American Dental Association’s “State of the U.S. Dental Economy” report for the second quarter of 2026.
The ADA recently released its “State of the U.S. economy” report for the second quarter of 2026. The report includes economic data for dental practices as well as information on consumer dental spending, staffing and various industry challenges.
The report highlights the increase in various practice expenses and reimbursement rates compared to the rate of inflation.
According to the report, the reimbursement rate index, averaged across all payer types, has increased by 19% since January 2021. Inflation, however, was 27% over the same time period. When looking at the first six months of this year specifically, the reimbursement rate index increased by 1.1%, while inflation was at 1.8%.
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