16.1% of US dentists were affiliated with a dental support organization (DSO) in 2024, per the ADA Health Policy Institute. The share is much higher among new dentists: 26.5% of dentists up to 10 years out of dental school, against 9.1% of those more than 25 years out.
| Group | DSO-affiliated |
|---|---|
| Up to 10 years out of dental school | 26.5% |
| 11 to 25 years out | 14.4% |
| More than 25 years out | 9.1% |
| All US dentists | 16.1% |
In plain words
About one in six US dentists works in a practice backed by a dental support organization. Among new dentists it is more than one in four.
of US dentists were DSO-affiliated in 2024
of dentists up to 10 years out of school
of dentists more than 25 years out
Why you can trust it. Industry body data. The ADA Health Policy Institute matched 198,117 of 212,459 practicing US dentists to a practice location. HPI says its method slightly undercounts DSOs.
Source: American Dental Association, Health Policy Institute, Health Policy Institute research and data, 2024
Before and now
of dentists owned their practice.
of dentists owned their practice.
of dentists were DSO-affiliated (HPI data year 2024).
HPI updates its practice modality data about once a year.
Compare
USA 2024
LatestDSO-affiliated
+10.4 pts vs all dentistsDSO-affiliated
-1.7 pts vs all dentistsDSO-affiliated
-7.0 pts vs all dentistsWho it affects
The same 16.1% means something different for each group.
New graduates are the most likely to join a DSO-backed practice.
Almost half of dentists more than 25 years out still work as solo practices.
Gains and risks
Numbers from studies and surveys, each with its source.
of US dentists still work in a solo practice (one location, one dentist)ADA HPI, 2024 practice modality data file
Independent practices compete for patients with DSO-backed groups that often have central marketing teams.Our reading, based on HPI's DSO definition (outside management of non-clinical work such as marketing)
Where it shows
HPI's DSO definition includes outside management of marketing. Our reading: DSO growth puts more practices under central marketing teams.
66.7% of US adults had a dental exam or cleaning in 2025 (NCHS), so most patients are choosing a practice at least once a year.
The future
Forecasts below are made by others and linked to where they were published. Our own reading of the data is marked as ours.
The data
As published by American Dental Association, Health Policy Institute, Health Policy Institute research and data, 2024. Standard errors are shown where the source gives them.
| Group | Share affiliated with a DSO |
|---|---|
| All US dentists | 16.1% |
| Up to 10 years out of dental school | 26.5% |
| 11 to 25 years out | 14.4% |
| More than 25 years out | 9.1% |
| Female dentists | 17.6% |
| Male dentists | 14.8% |
Some industry articles say dentistry is about 35% consolidated. That counts practices by size or ownership in a different way and is not an HPI DSO figure.
HPI counts dentists, not practices or revenue, and only those it can match to a location. It says this slightly undercounts DSO affiliation.
Method and use
Dentists Affiliated with a Dental Support Organization (DSO) | % of Dentists: 0.1607
No changes recorded yet. First checked at the source on 23 Oct 2026.
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FAQ
16.1% of US dentists were affiliated with a DSO in 2024, per the ADA Health Policy Institute.
Yes. 26.5% of dentists up to 10 years out of dental school were DSO-affiliated in 2024, against 9.1% of those more than 25 years out.
Yes. 72.5% of US dentists were private practice owners in 2023, down from 84.7% in 2005 (ADA HPI).
205,088 professionally active dentists as of 2025, or 60.0 per 100,000 people (ADA HPI).
A dental support organization manages some or all of a practice's non-clinical work, such as billing, marketing and HR, while dentists keep clinical control.
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