MEDIUMBusinessTier 1
Which states have the most, fewest dentists per capita?
SourceBecker's Dental + DSO ReviewTier 1Hard News
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
Dentist supply varies sharply by state; owners and DSOs scouting new sites or evaluating recruitment need to know where dentist-to-population ratios are tightest to anticipate competitive pressure and payer-mix risk.
Key points
- Washington, D.C. leads the nation in dentist density; 7 states plus D.C. exceed the U.S. average of 60 dentists per 100,000 residents.
- The remaining 43 states fall below the national average, creating potential underserved markets for expansion or recruitment incentives.
- Total U.S. dentist workforce exceeds 205,000, providing a national benchmark for benchmarking local market saturation.
- Data source is the ADA Health Policy Institute, giving owners and DSOs a credible, regularly updated reference for location strategy.
Who should care
OwnerDSO
Read the original on Becker's Dental + DSO Review
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