Projecting the Demand for Dental Care in the Near Future

Factors Affecting Demand in the Near Future

Three main factors portend upcoming changes in the demand for dental care. We will discuss each in this section.

Demographics

The global demand for dental care has been increasing in the 21st century and is expected to continue to grow in the near future.^(1,2) The global market for dental services is expected to reach $699.7 billion USD by 2032, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.93% between 2023 and 2032.⁽³⁾

The significant growth in demand for dental care in the near future appears to be driven by the following factors:^(1,3)

• Aging populations
• Increased awareness of the importance of oral health
• Advances in dental technology
• Demand for cosmetic dental services
• Increased prevalence of oral diseases
• Oral diseases are the most prevalent health conditions worldwide (see Figure 1)

Figure 1. Ranking of disease prevalence by World Bank country income level, all ages and genders.

Source: WHO, 2022. 

This shift in demographics will place heavy demands on healthcare providers, including dental professionals, that may require adaptations in infrastructure and how they manage their practice.⁽⁴⁾

Increased Oral Health Awareness

A considerable body of research evidence has shed light upon the close interplay between oral health and overall health.⁽⁵⁾ There is a well-documented association between poor oral health or oral frailty and physical frailty, disability, systemic disease, and increased mortality.⁽⁵⁾

For example, poor oral health has been recognized as a significant factor in glucose control and risk of serious complications in persons with diabetes; conversely, good glycemic control has been established as a factor for oral health.⁽⁶⁾ Oral health has been found to have a similar bidirectional association with numerous other diseases, including:⁽⁵⁾

• Various cancers
• Cardiovascular disease
• Inflammatory bowel disease
• Osteoporosis
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Alzheimer’s disease

These facts have placed increased emphasis on integrative medicine, where medical practitioners need to involve dental professionals in their care plan for their patients, and dentists need to involve physicians to ensure optimal oral health in their patients with systemic health issues.^(6,7)

A recent systematic review study found that fewer than half of people with major systemic conditions have good knowledge and awareness of the association between oral health and their condition.⁽⁸⁾ However, as the public becomes increasingly aware of the association between their dental and periodontal health and their overall health and mortality, patient demand for dental care will certainly increase.

Access to Dental Care

Access to dental care is a serious concern worldwide. The following are the major barriers to dental care:^(1,2,9)

• Uneven distribution of dental health professionals between countries, and between demographics and geographical areas within countries
• A lack of dental health facilities in most countries
• Prohibitive out-of-pocket costs for dental care
• Professional focus on an expensive curative model of care (“drill, fill, and bill”), as opposed to a cost-effective preventive model.

In developed countries, cost is the single most significant barrier. As illustrated in Figure 2, dental care is the most commonly sacrificed aspect of healthcare by Americans facing cost barriers.⁽¹⁰⁾ This affects the demand for dental care.

Figure 2. Percentage of U.S. population that did not seek medical attention due to cost in 2023.

Source: American Dental Association and Health Policy Institute, 2024.⁽¹⁰⁾

Challenges and Factors for Meeting the Demand

It is clear that the demand for dental care is trending upwards, primarily due to the factors we discussed above. However, significant challenges and changes may affect how dental professionals meet this demand. For example, the following are new and trending factors:

• Staffing: The increasing demand implies a greater need for dental professionals, but it will also worsen the current shortage of dental hygienists, dental assistants, and other skilled workers. Workforce planning at the industry level is a must.⁽¹¹⁾
• Technology: Emerging technologies may require significant investment, infrastructure change, and training for dental professionals. For example, artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, 3D printing, and teledentistry may significantly change how dental practice is done.⁽¹²⁾

Other perennial factors continue to affect the demand for dental care. For example, the unequal geographical distribution of dental professionals, healthcare inequalities, and health literacy are ongoing challenges to the profession.⁽¹¹⁾

References

1. Hayashi M, Haapasalo M, Imazato S, et al. Dentistry in the 21st century: Challenges of a globalising world. Int Dent J. 2014;64(6):333-342. doi:10.1111/idj.12132
2. World Health Organization (WHO). Global oral health status report. 2022. Link
3. Dental services market will see strong growth through 2032. Precedence Research website. Published October 19, 2023. Accessed August 26, 2025. Link
4. Knickman JR, Snell EK. The 2030 problem: Caring for aging baby boomers. Health Serv Res. 2002;37(4):849-884. doi:10.1034/j.1600-0560.2002.56.x
5. Yu Y-H. Oral health: integral component of overall health and important determinant of ageing. The Lancet Healthy Longev. 2024;5(11):100641. doi:10.1016/j.lanhl.2024.100641
6. Ghanem AS, Nagy AC. Oral health’s role in diabetes risk: A cross-sectional study with sociodemographic and lifestyle insights. Front Endocrinol. 2024;15. doi:10.3389/fendo.2024.1342783
7. Graham RW. Medical–dental integration: Exploring our role in collaborative health care. J Calif Dent Assoc. 2023;51(1):2250020. doi:10.1080/19424396.2023.2250020
8. Akl S, Ranatunga M, Long S, et al. A systematic review investigating patient knowledge and awareness on the association between oral health and their systemic condition. BMC Public Health. 2021;21:2077. doi:10.1186/s12889-021-12016-9
9. Oral health. World Health Organization website. Published March 17, 2025. Accessed August 26, 2025. Link
10. American Dental Association and Health Policy Institute. Trends in dental care use, dental insurance coverage, and cost barriers [PowerPoint presentation]. 2024. Link
11. Glick M, Monteiro da Silva O, Seeberger GK, et al. FDI Vision 2020: Shaping the future of oral health. Int Dent J. 2012;62(6):278-291. doi:10.1111/idj.12009
12. Pasupuleti MK, Salwaji S, Dantuluri M, et al. Newer technological advances: A step towards better dental care: A systematic review. Open Dent J. 2024;18. doi:10.2174/0118742106320205240819093345