Figure 1. Dental Care Health Profession Shortage Areas: July 2025
Whole county is shortage area
At least part of county is shortage area
None of county is shortage area
Source: Rural Health Information Hub
A common topic of discussion among dentists in Pennsylvania is the insufficient number of new dentists entering the profession, and this observation appears to be quite accurate. A straightforward question arises: why not increase the number of people being educated to become dentists?
Another significant aspect of this conversation is that many students graduating from dental school are burdened with excessive debt, which makes it challenging for them to join practices with the hope of eventually purchasing them.
Let’ s take a moment to examine the current state of dental education in Pennsylvania. The state is fortunate to have four dental schools that collectively graduate approximately 450 new dentists each year. Additionally, a recent workforce survey report from the Pennsylvania Department of Health(“ 2023 Pennsylvania Dentist and Dental Hygienist Workforce Survey Report”) revealed that 35 % of responding dentists are over the age of 60.1
This at minimum places a giant percentage of the practicing dentists within a decade of retirement, with impending retirement totaling over 3,000 practicing dentists. Consider also that the Commonwealth, already in nearly every county, has regions that are designated as Dental Health Profession Shortage Areas( DHPSA) with a current dentist shortage of 337 dentists( Pennsylvania Coalition for Oral Health. Access to Oral Health Workforce Report Part II, 2022). 2
Dental education and practice have undergone significant changes over the past 50 years. In 2001, there were 54 dental schools enrolling approximately 4,500 dentists per year. Today, there are over 75 accredited dental schools( with more in the pipeline) that anticipate graduating nearly 7,000 dentists annually. While applications to dental schools have increased, they have not kept pace with the 150 % rise in the number of available dental education seats. The number of seats has grown from nearly 10,000 in 2000 to 12,500 today, resulting in fewer than 2 applicants for every available seat in dental school.
Currently, dental schools have more than 300 unfilled full-time faculty positions, which are necessary for educating dental students. The complexity of dental education has increased due to the evolving teaching needs in both community settings and within dental schools. Furthermore, advancements in training and practice technology, such as information systems and CAD / CAM, have become more sophisticated and costly, along with the rising expenses associated with operating dental practices, including staff and supplies.
These escalating expenses have led to increased operating costs for dental schools, which are subsequently passed on to students in the form of higher tuition and fees. As a result, student debt has surged, with average total educational debt growing by 9 % over the last five years, totaling $ 313,000, with many students facing debts of more than double that amount. Approximately 67 % of dental graduates financed their education through loans, 20 % through support from friends, family, or self-funding, and only 10 % through grants and scholarships, such as the National Health Service Corps( NHSC) Scholarship Program. For example, the average annual tuition and mandatory fees for attendance at the four Commonwealth dental schools range from approximately $ 112,000 at Penn to $ 65,000 at LECOM, with in-state tuition and fees amounting to $ 79,000 at Temple and $ 77,000 at Pittsburgh.
SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2025 | PENNSYLVANIA DENTAL JOURNAL 23