The U.S. dental workforce is undergoing a generational and gender shift, with younger and more female dentists taking the lead, according to new data from the American Dental Association’s (ADA) Health Policy Institute (HPI).
In 2024, women accounted for almost 40 per cent of practicing dentists in the United States (nearly 2 in 5 dentists) —up from just 16 per cent in 2001—according to The U.S. Dentist Workforce – Update 2025. Among dentists aged 35 and younger, about half are women.
“A younger and more diverse workforce means that the shift from solo practice to group practice and dental support organizations, a trend that has been underway for a decade, will continue,” said Marko Vujicic, PhD, ADA chief economist and HPI vice-president. “Younger dentists are delaying practice ownership and are more frequently practising in group settings after graduation.”
Related: Timeline: Solo dental practice ownership continues to decline in Canada
Key trends shaping the profession
The HPI report highlights several major changes:
- Practice models: Fewer young dentists are pursuing solo ownership, favouring group practices and dental service organizations.
- Financial pressures: Established dentists are facing a “fiscal squeeze,” with declining incomes across specialties and career stages.
- Retirement patterns: Dentists are retiring later than in past decades, though the wave of baby boomer retirements is tapering off.
- Workforce growth: After a stable supply in recent years, the number of dentists is projected to increase as dental school enrolment reaches record highs.
The report examines trends across four domains: workforce demographics, practice settings, economic conditions and projections for the profession’s future. It also breaks down findings at the state level.
HPI said it will continue monitoring these patterns and their implications for dental care delivery in the years ahead. The full report is available at ADA.org/hpi.
And how does the U.S. compare to other countries?
In Finland, women make up about 75 per cent of the dental workforce—among the highest percentage reported globally, according to the FDI World Dental Federation. In Russia, women account for roughly 48 per cent of dentists.
In Canada, about 40 per cent of dentists were women as of 2021, according to the Canadian Dental Association. Gender parity is expected by 2035. This marks a sharp rise from previous decades, when women represented as little as 16.7 per cent of the profession.
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