Here are 10 things to know about the dental industry in Florida:
1. Florida was given a score of 12 out of 32 for the extensiveness of its adult Medicaid dental coverage, according to a nonprofit.
2. Florida is the state with the greatest need for dental practitioners, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. It needs 1,268 more to change the health professional shortage area designation from high to low.
3. The state has 269 HRSA-designated shortage areas, according to data from the Health Resources and Services Administration.
4. Florida has 8,007 active general dentists, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation.
5. Two Florida dental schools were ranked among the best in the world by a higher education research organization.
6. Florida placed at No. 31 on a list by career website Zippia of states for dentists to live and work ranked from best to worst.
7. Florida landed at No. 36 on a list of U.S. states ranked for dental health from best to worst, according to a study.
8. Pure Dental Brands, based in St. Petersburg, was ranked among the best workplaces in healthcare by Forbes.
9. Dental Care Alliance, one of the largest DSOs in the country, is based in Sarasota.
10. Here is the average annual salary for five dental roles in the state, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics:
- General dentists: $164,370
- Oral surgeon: $245,092
- Orthodontist: $228,959
- Dental assistants: $40,820
- Dental hygienists: $73,180