President Trump's proposal to impose tariffs on imported goods could increase the financial strain on dental practices and DSOs, according to Barry Lyon, DDS.
Dr. Lyon, a chief dental officer for the division of orthodontics and pediatric dentistry for Dental Care Alliance, spoke with Becker's about the impact these tariffs could have on dentistry.
Editor's note: This Q&A is part of a weekly series featuring Dr. Lyon focused on topics in the dental industry and DSO field. This response was lightly edited for clarity and length.
Dr. Barry Lyon:
Precedence Research predicts the North American dental market is poised to grow by 12% in 2025. They believe the growth will be due to the rising prevalence of oral disease and increasing demand for cosmetic dentistry and implants.
What remains to be seen is how the Trump administration’s policies, most notably his plan for tariffs, will impact the profession. For Trump 2.0, he has proposed a 10%-20% tax on all imports, with a 60% tax on goods from China. Trump claims the tariffs would motivate U.S. companies to manufacture more goods in the states. What Trump doesn’t state is that tariffs are just another tax that will eventually be passed along to consumers, whether corporate or individual. Should U.S. companies plan to manufacture more at home, the cost of doing so is sure to increase, not to mention the time it takes to increase stateside manufacturing to a level that is not affected by supply chain issues.
With claims that the proposed tariffs will be good for the U.S., expect the costs of imported supplies and equipment to rise significantly and impact the bottom line of not only the individual dentist, but DSOs as well.
It’s a good thing the dental market is poised to grow by 12% to help offset the impact of something that is supposed to be good for the U.S.