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The average nominal hourly wage for dental assistants has increased from $9 per hour in 1990 to $24.20 per hour in 2024, according to data from the American Dental Association. The ADA’s Health Policy Institute collected compensation data for both … Read More

The forerunner of what’s now Texas A&M University College of Dentistry opened 120 years ago in Dallas with the mission of educating dentists to provide quality care to patients in North Texas and beyond. That includes providing an array of … Read More

The average nominal wage for dental hygienists has increased from $18.40 in 1990 to $47.80 in 2024, according to data from the American Dental Association. The ADA’s Health Policy Institute collected compensation data for both full-time and part-time dental hygienists … Read More

Colorado, Oklahoma and Alabama have seen the largest increases in DSO-affiliated dentists between 2015 and 2024, according to data from the American Dental Association. The ADA recently released data on the dentist workforce, including demographics, workplaces and retirement trends. The … Read More

Central Texas dentists have been feeling the effects of a nationwide shortage of dental hygienists, facing difficulties filling vacant positions to serve a growing number of patients. A 2019 study by the Texas Department of State Health Services projected that … Read More

With the passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) and the rise in tariff-driven operational costs, the dental mergers and acquisition (M&A) landscape is shifting in ways that practice owners can’t afford to overlook. While valuations remain strong … Read More

States have major decisions to make in 2026 about the social safety net and taxes in the aftermath of a sweeping law President Donald Trump signed last year. The federal government is shifting more responsibilities to states over the next … Read More

Private equity groups have begun to play a much larger role in dentistry over the years as the industry continues to consolidate and practice owners face growing financial pressures. Several DSOs gained private equity funding in 2025 to fuel future … Read More

General practice dentists have seen declines in revenue and income over the last few years as expenses have increased, according to data from the American Dental Association. The ADA recently released data on the dentist workforce, including demographics, workplaces and … Read More

New recommendations from the American Dental Association confirm that dental imaging should only be ordered when clinically necessary to minimize both patients’ and dental professionals’ exposure to radiation. Published jointly Jan. 5 in the January issue of The Journal of … Read More

Here are six new dentistry-related laws going into effect this year: Editor’s note: This list is not exhaustive. 1. A teledentistry law aimed at improving dental care access and addressing provider shortages in Georgia took effect Jan. 1. House Bill … Read More

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott is directing state agencies to investigate potential child care funding fraud, following a national scandal in Minnesota. “Recently, the Trump Administration and independent journalists have uncovered potential systematic fraud in subsidized child care systems in states … Read More

Texas will be receiving the biggest slice of the federal government’s first rollout of a $50 billion fund created to fortify rural health care across the country. On Monday, the Trump administration announced how it plans to allot billions of … Read More

Mark Cuban, co-founder of Cost Plus Drugs Co., and Optum CEO Patrick Conway, MD, sparred over drug prices, pharmacy benefit managers and a range of other healthcare issues during a Dec. 16 conversation in Washington, D.C. hosted by Johns Hopkins … Read More

Texas, Florida and Connecticut have seen the most DSO activity during the fourth quarter of 2025. Becker’s compiled a list of more than 70 DSO affiliations, openings and acquisitions during the fourth quarter. Here is how DSOs expanded in these … Read More

California currently has the highest number of dental professional shortage areas, according to new data from the Health Resources and Services Administration. The HRSA recently updated its dashboard showing data on health workforce shortage areas. Here are the top five … Read More

WASHINGTON(AP) — Medicaid programs made more than $200 million in improper payments to health care providers between 2021 and 2022 for people who had already died, according to a new report from the independent watchdog for the Department of Health … Read More

Medicaid programs made more than $200 million in improper payments to health care providers between 2021 and 2022 for people who had already died, according to a new report from the independent watchdog for the Department of Health and Human … Read More

Dental treatment facilities serving U.S. service members are set to undergo a closer review of their accreditation status after the U.S. Senate passed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) on Dec. 17, advancing a provision backed by the American Dental … Read More

About 40% of dentists in the U.S. participate in the Medicaid and CHIP programs as of 2024, according to data from the American Dental Association. Participation from dentists has remained steady over the past decade, sitting between 41% and 44% … Read More

For both dental practices and individuals, the holiday season is often a time of celebration, gifts, spreading joy and looking back over another year past. Unfortunately, it is also a time when criminal scam artists are extremely active looking to … Read More

The U.S. Senate passed the National Defense Authorization Act on Dec. 17, clearing the annual defense policy bill for the president’s signature after the House approved the measure last week. The bill includes an ADA-supported provision that aims to promote … Read More

Seven states improved their dental Medicaid benefits from 2024 to 2025, according to a report from the American Dental Association. In total, 38 states and the District of Columbia provide enhanced adult Medicaid dental benefits, which offers coverage that includes … Read More

LEXINGTON — Heading into 2026, the “elephant in the room” for Kentucky policymakers will be Medicaid, said Senate Republican Floor Leader Max Wise, speaking Tuesday during Kentucky Voices for Health’s annual meeting. Rep. Mary Lou Marzian, a Democrat from Louisville, … Read More

Texas Insider Report: WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), John Cornyn (R-Texas) and Rep. August Pfluger (R-Texas-11) led a letter with members of the Texas delegation urging U.S. Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) … Read More

A federal appeals court has rejected a request for a decision that denied class certification in an ongoing antitrust case against Delta Dental, according to a Dec. 10 news release from the American Dental Association. Here are five things to … Read More

Significant changes in federal policy slated to take effect in the coming months could disrupt health care coverage, costs, and access to care for millions of people, especially lower-income Americans, according to experts who spoke at a Dec. 2 Studio … Read More

Dental care utilization rates among children have remained unchanged for the past few years and are down from pre-pandemic levels. Further, the gap in utilization between children covered by Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and children covered … Read More

The ADA is urging lawmakers to prioritize oral health as they examine strategies to address rising health care costs. In a Dec. 3 letter to the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, the Association stressed that rising costs … Read More

DSO DataCONNECT, a leading provider of dental market intelligence, today released new data offering a detailed look at how U.S. dentists are affiliating with Dental Support Organizations (DSOs) and multi-location group practices. Two newly published infographics illustrate emerging trends in … Read More

Additional headwinds may be headed for dentistry and the overall healthcare space as leaders face inflation, staffing shortages and additional challenges. Iquebal Hasan, DDS, chief of hospital programs and clinical development at the High Point (N.C.) University Workman School of … Read More

Dallas, Texas–(Newsfile Corp. – December 2, 2025) – G4 Dental Implants Dallas, a nationally recognized leader in full-arch dental implant solutions, proudly announces its expanded Veterans Programa special initiative led by Dr. Andrew Kelsey, dedicated to providing U.S. veterans with … Read More

Here are 10 statistics and trends showcasing the shifting dental education landscape: 1. Dental school tuition has increased by 26.5% for residents and 18% for nonresidents since 2017, according to data from the American Dental Association. 2. The total number … Read More

Dental school tuition has increased by 26.5% for residents and 18% for nonresidents since 2017, according to data from the American Dental Association. The ADA has tracked data on dental school tuition in the U.S. since 2017. Here is how … Read More

A coalition of nursing and other health care organizations are angry over a Trump administration plan that could limit access to student loans in some cases. Students pursuing graduate degrees in nursing, physical therapy, public health and some other fields … Read More

n 2017, U.S. News & World Report ranked dentistry as the #1 “Best Job” in America. That ranking wasn’t arbitrary — it reflected dentistry’s strong salary potential, job demand and future prospects, low unemployment rate, and enviable balance of stress … Read More

The longest government shutdown in U.S. history came to an end on Nov. 12, when both the House and Senate voted for a continuing resolution signed by President Trump that will keep federal agencies open through Jan. 30, 2026. Eight … Read More

Charities that help people cover their medical bills say they’re seeing an alarming increase in requests for help. Worse yet, they say, it’s coming even before cuts to Medicaid in President Donald Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act take effect … Read More

Align Technology, Inc. (“Align”) (Nasdaq: ALGN), a leading global medical device company that designs, manufactures, and sells the Invisalign® System of clear aligners, iTero™ intraoral scanners, and exocad™ CAD/CAM software for digital orthodontics and restorative dentistry, today announced top-tier recognition … Read More

As the U.S. continues to deal with ongoing workforce shortages, practice owners and executives are looking for ways to attract and retain more hygienists. Five leaders recently spoke with Becker’s to discuss how hygienist shortages are affecting their businesses and … Read More