More than one-third of adults in the U.S. have dental debt, according to the Commonwealth Fund's Biennial Health Insurance Survey.
Debt from dental care is tied for the second most common source of medical debt for adults ages 19-64 in the U.S., trailing only debt from hospital care.
Dental care was a source of healthcare debt for 36% of adults. Half of adults with medical or dental debt were making payments directly to a physician, dentist or clinic.
Nearly half of adults have a medical or dental debt of $2,000 or more.
More than 40% of U.S. adults delayed or did not get dental care because of the cost, including 32% who had dental coverage through their health insurance, the report said.