About 33% of dentist owners plan to retire within six years, according to Dentalpost's 2024 Dental Salary Survey.
Here are eight statistics about retirement in the dental industry, according to data from Dentalpost and the American Dental Association:
1. Thirty-four percent of dental hygienists plan to retire within six years
2. About 12% of associate dentists plan to retire within six years.
3. About 33% of dentist owners plan to retire within six years.
4. A March 2022 report from the American Dental Association found that the average age for dentists to retire was 67.9.
5. The number of dentists aged 55 and older who left the workforce increased to a high of 6,641 in 2021.
6. Dentist careers spanned an average of 40.4 years in 2021, the last year data was available.
7. More than 18% of dentists in the U.S. were between the ages of 55 to 64 in 2023.
8. More than 15% of dentists in the U.S. were ages 65 and older in 2023.