Dental · Benchmarks · for The Inactive Patient List and The Overdue Patient List
Dental visits, coverage and cost barriers
The national visit, coverage and cost-barrier figures that The Inactive Patient List quotes in Chapters 2 and 8, and the visits-per-patient figure The Overdue Patient List adds in Chapter 1, kept here with their dates because they change.
Last checked: 11 October 2026
What changes: these surveys update; this page is re-dated when they do.
Every figure is labelled published: from a public, primary source, shown exactly as the book's numbers sheet records it, with the source, its publisher, the data year and the date it was read. See the editorial policy.
These are national survey figures, not practice benchmarks. They say nothing about any one practice's patients.
About a third of US adults had no dental exam or cleaning in the past year; 65.5% had one in 2023.
What the book says, in its own words (The Inactive Patient List, claim C01).
In The Inactive Patient List: Chapter 2
Also in The Overdue Patient List: Chapter 2
| Figure | Value | Data | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adults with a dental exam or cleaning in the past year percent of US adults 18+ |
65.5% Published |
2023 NHIS; captured 2026-09-25 |
Oral and Dental Health (FastStats) CDC National Center for Health Statistics Captured 25 September 2026 · https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/dental.htm |
| Complement: adults with no exam or cleaning in the past year percent of US adults 18+ |
34.5% Published |
2023 data; page reviewed 2026-01-16 |
Oral and Dental Health (FastStats) CDC National Center for Health Statistics Captured 25 September 2026 · https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/dental.htm |
Caveat (the book's): National, self-reported. Not a practice benchmark; it shows skipping a year is common, not why a given patient left.
Measured annual dental use depends on the survey: MEPS puts adults 19-64 at 40% in 2022, while NHIS-based figures run higher; by either measure a large share of adults skip a year.
What the book says, in its own words (The Inactive Patient List, claim C02).
In The Inactive Patient List: Chapter 2
| Figure | Value | Data | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| MEPS-based adult visit rate percent of adults 19-64 |
40% Published |
2022 MEPS |
The Dental Care Market (ADA Health Policy Institute) American Dental Association, Health Policy Institute Captured 25 September 2026 · https://www.ada.org/resources/research/health-policy-institute/dental-care-market |
| MEPS-based share with a dental visit percent of US population |
45% Published |
2022 MEPS |
The Dental Care Market (ADA Health Policy Institute) American Dental Association, Health Policy Institute Captured 25 September 2026 · https://www.ada.org/resources/research/health-policy-institute/dental-care-market |
| MEPS-based share, 2021 (method note source) percent of US population |
43% Published |
2021 MEPS |
National Trends in Dental Care Use, Dental Insurance Coverage, and Cost Barriers (ADA HPI slide deck, November 2023, updated March 2024) American Dental Association, Health Policy Institute Captured 25 September 2026 · https://www.ada.org/-/media/project/ada-organization/ada/ada-org/files/resources/research/hpi/national_trends_dental_use_benefits_barriers.pdf |
Caveat (the book's): HPI says MEPS slightly underestimates and NHIS overestimates. Quote both with their method, never one as 'the' rate.
Adults with dental insurance were much more likely to have had a dental visit than adults without it (72.0% vs 45.4% in 2020).
What the book says, in its own words (The Inactive Patient List, claim C03).
In The Inactive Patient List: Chapter 2, Chapter 8
| Figure | Value | Data | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visit rate, insured percent of adults 18-64 with dental insurance |
72.0% Published |
2020 NHIS |
QuickStats: Percentage of Adults Aged 18-64 Years Who Had a Dental Visit in the Past 12 Months, by Dental Insurance and Year, NHIS 2019-2020 (MMWR 2022;71(16):582) CDC / NCHS (MMWR) Captured 25 September 2026 · https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9042356/ |
| Visit rate, uninsured percent of adults 18-64 without dental insurance |
45.4% Published |
2020 NHIS |
QuickStats: Percentage of Adults Aged 18-64 Years Who Had a Dental Visit in the Past 12 Months, by Dental Insurance and Year, NHIS 2019-2020 (MMWR 2022;71(16):582) CDC / NCHS (MMWR) Captured 25 September 2026 · https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9042356/ |
Caveat (the book's): Association, pandemic year, adults 18-64.
Cost is the most-reported barrier: financial reasons were the top three for people who needed dental care and did not get it, and cost barriers are more common for dental care (13%) than for other health care (4-5%).
What the book says, in its own words (The Inactive Patient List, claim C04).
In The Inactive Patient List: Chapter 2, Chapter 8
| Figure | Value | Data | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reported cost barriers to dental care percent of population |
13% Published |
NHIS, deck Nov 2023 / Mar 2024 |
National Trends in Dental Care Use, Dental Insurance Coverage, and Cost Barriers (ADA HPI slide deck, November 2023, updated March 2024) American Dental Association, Health Policy Institute Captured 25 September 2026 · https://www.ada.org/-/media/project/ada-organization/ada/ada-org/files/resources/research/hpi/national_trends_dental_use_benefits_barriers.pdf |
| Cost barriers for other health care, low end percent of population |
4% Published |
2021 data; deck dated Nov 2023, updated Mar 2024 |
National Trends in Dental Care Use, Dental Insurance Coverage, and Cost Barriers (ADA HPI slide deck, November 2023, updated March 2024) American Dental Association, Health Policy Institute Captured 25 September 2026 · https://www.ada.org/-/media/project/ada-organization/ada/ada-org/files/resources/research/hpi/national_trends_dental_use_benefits_barriers.pdf |
| Cost barriers for other health care, high end percent of population |
5% Published |
2021 data; deck dated Nov 2023, updated Mar 2024 |
National Trends in Dental Care Use, Dental Insurance Coverage, and Cost Barriers (ADA HPI slide deck, November 2023, updated March 2024) American Dental Association, Health Policy Institute Captured 25 September 2026 · https://www.ada.org/-/media/project/ada-organization/ada/ada-org/files/resources/research/hpi/national_trends_dental_use_benefits_barriers.pdf |
| Needed dental care but did not get it, 2013-2016 percent of US population |
15.2% Published |
2013-2016 |
Main Barriers to Getting Needed Dental Care All Relate to Affordability (ADA HPI research brief, November 2019, revised) American Dental Association, Health Policy Institute (Gupta N, Vujicic M) Captured 25 September 2026 · https://www.ada.org/-/media/project/ada-organization/ada/ada-org/files/resources/research/hpi/hpibrief_0419_1.pdf |
| Same, working-age adults percent of working-age adults |
20.0% Published |
2013-2016 |
Main Barriers to Getting Needed Dental Care All Relate to Affordability (ADA HPI research brief, November 2019, revised) American Dental Association, Health Policy Institute (Gupta N, Vujicic M) Captured 25 September 2026 · https://www.ada.org/-/media/project/ada-organization/ada/ada-org/files/resources/research/hpi/hpibrief_0419_1.pdf |
Caveat (the book's): Self-reported; 2013-2016 reasons data. Does not say cost is why any particular inactive patient left.
About one in five US adults aged 19-64 has no dental benefits.
What the book says, in its own words (The Inactive Patient List, claim C05).
In The Inactive Patient List: Chapter 2, Chapter 8, the Epilogue
| Figure | Value | Data | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| No dental benefits percent of adults 19-64 |
21% Published |
HPI page, captured 2026-09-25 |
Coverage, Access & Outcomes (ADA Health Policy Institute) American Dental Association, Health Policy Institute Captured 11 October 2026 · https://www.ada.org/resources/research/health-policy-institute/coverage-access-outcomes |
| Private dental benefits percent of adults 19-64 |
64% Published |
HPI page, captured 2026-09-25 |
Coverage, Access & Outcomes (ADA Health Policy Institute) American Dental Association, Health Policy Institute Captured 11 October 2026 · https://www.ada.org/resources/research/health-policy-institute/coverage-access-outcomes |
Caveat (the book's): Figure as displayed by HPI on 2026-09-25; data year to confirm before print.
People who see a dentist average about two visits a year: 2.3 visits per person with any visit in 2021 (2.1 for adults 18-64).
What the book says, in its own words (The Overdue Patient List, claim C08).
In The Overdue Patient List: Chapter 1
| Figure | Value | Data | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Same, adults 18-64 (MEPS 2021) visits per person with a visit |
2.1 Published |
2021 data; published 2024 |
Olaisen RH, Manski RJ. Dental Utilization and Expenditures, U.S. Civilian Noninstitutionalized Population Aged 2 and Older, 2019–2021. MEPS Statistical Brief #555, AHRQ, March 2024. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (MEPS) Captured 26 September 2026 · https://meps.ahrq.gov/data_files/publications/st555/stat555.pdf |
| Mean dental visits a year among people aged 2+ with any visit (MEPS 2021) visits per person with a visit |
2.3 Published |
2021 data; published 2024 |
Olaisen RH, Manski RJ. Dental Utilization and Expenditures, U.S. Civilian Noninstitutionalized Population Aged 2 and Older, 2019–2021. MEPS Statistical Brief #555, AHRQ, March 2024. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (MEPS) Captured 26 September 2026 · https://meps.ahrq.gov/data_files/publications/st555/stat555.pdf |
Caveat (the book's): MEPS means among users; not the share with two or more visits (no primary figure read, lead L04).
Source notes
- Oral and Dental Health (FastStats) (CDC National Center for Health Statistics; 2023 data; page reviewed 2026-01-16; captured 25 September 2026)
Self-reported survey measure. National, not practice-level. Page last reviewed 2026-01-16. Says nothing about any one practice's patients. - The Dental Care Market (ADA Health Policy Institute) (American Dental Association, Health Policy Institute; 2022 data; page references Q2 2026 update; captured 25 September 2026)
Page is updated over time; figures captured 2026-09-25. MEPS and NHIS measure differently and give different rates (see S04). - National Trends in Dental Care Use, Dental Insurance Coverage, and Cost Barriers (ADA HPI slide deck, November 2023, updated March 2024) (American Dental Association, Health Policy Institute; 2021 data; deck dated Nov 2023, updated Mar 2024; captured 25 September 2026)
National survey figures; 2021 data. Use for the 'why patients drift' mechanism only, never as a practice benchmark. - QuickStats: Percentage of Adults Aged 18-64 Years Who Had a Dental Visit in the Past 12 Months, by Dental Insurance and Year, NHIS 2019-2020 (MMWR 2022;71(16):582) (CDC / NCHS (MMWR); 2019-2020 data, published 2022-04-22; captured 25 September 2026)
2020 is a pandemic year. Association only; insurance is not shown to cause visits. Adults 18-64 only. - Main Barriers to Getting Needed Dental Care All Relate to Affordability (ADA HPI research brief, November 2019, revised) (American Dental Association, Health Policy Institute (Gupta N, Vujicic M); 2013-2016 data; brief Nov 2019; captured 25 September 2026)
Older data (2013-2016, NHIS). Reasons are self-reported. It describes people who wanted care, not people who stopped wanting it. - Coverage, Access & Outcomes (ADA Health Policy Institute) (American Dental Association, Health Policy Institute; figures shown 2026-10-11; captured 11 October 2026)
Page figures change as HPI updates them; the underlying data year was not stated clearly on the fetched page. Re-check before print. - Olaisen RH, Manski RJ. Dental Utilization and Expenditures, U.S. Civilian Noninstitutionalized Population Aged 2 and Older, 2019–2021. MEPS Statistical Brief #555, AHRQ, March 2024. (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (MEPS); 2019-2021 data; published March 2024; captured 26 September 2026)
Mean visits among users (includes non-hygiene visits); does not report share with 2+ visits. Household-reported. No recall or pre-appointing data. Share of persons with 2+ dental visits per year was NOT found in a primary source read today.
Back to the companion page for The Inactive Patient List, or run the inactive-patient value estimator. Its figures here are recorded in the book's foundation files (commit 21e191df).
Back to the companion page for The Overdue Patient List, or run the recall flow calculator. Its figures here are recorded in the book's foundation files (commit 1747559f).