Arkansas’ dentist workforce, by the numbers: 8 things to know
By Cameron Cortigiano
Originally at beckersdental.com
Summary & scoring by The Bell Brief (Dr. Jennifer Bell) using the Drill-Down Protocol (Drill-Down Score) — not the original publisher.
Why it matters for dental
Arkansas dental practice owners and DSOs must adjust recruitment and retention plans for rural counties where full-time dentists remain scarce and HRSA projects a 46 percent non-metro dentist shortage by 2038.
Key points
- Arkansas Center for Health Improvement dashboard shows 12 Arkansas counties had zero full-time practicing dentists in 2024.
- Only 676 of 1,160 active Arkansas dentists met the 150-day threshold for full-time practice.
- Dentists under age 45 were more likely to practice full time (61 percent) than those 45 and older (56 percent).
- Lyon College School of Dental Medicine welcomed its inaugural class in July 2025, the state's first dental school.
Who should care
Read the original on Becker's Dental + DSO Review
Full reporting and any paywall content live on beckersdental.com. We summarize and score; we do not republish.
Related
- ·Regulatory
Taylor dentist faces two felony drug charges after police say he was selling meth at Canton Township home
- ·Regulatory
Is fluoride still safe for kids? A dentist breaks down what the research actually shows
- ·Regulatory
New California law requires dental insurers to pay out-of-network dentists directly
- ·Regulatory
Privacy Act of 1974; Matching Program