Dentists
Summary
Ratio of population to dentists. The 2024 Annual Data Release used data from 2022 for this measure.
Untreated dental disease can lead to serious health effects including pain, infection, and tooth loss. Although lack of sufficient providers is only one barrier to accessing oral health care, much of the country suffers from shortages. According to the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), as of December 2023, there were 7,651 Dental Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs), with a total of 79 million residents.
Source: County Health Rankings & Roadmaps. (2023). Dentists.