BOSTON–(BUSINESS WIRE)–A new report from CareQuest Institute for Oral Health® reveals that roughly 4% of adults — nearly 9.6 million people — have pursued dental care abroad at some point, most often to access lower-cost treatment, highlighting affordability gaps and systemic barriers in the US dental care system.
The report places these findings in the broader context of dental tourism trends. According to the CDC, dental tourism is the most prevalent form of medical tourism among US residents. In 2019, nearly half a million Americans traveled abroad for dental care. In 2023, experts estimated the global market for dental tourism at $10.9 billion, and they expect this market to continue growing. In the US, approximately 69 million adults (about 26%) do not have dental insurance, and cost remains a major barrier to accessing dental care.