Australia's dental industry generated 13.8 billion dollars in revenue. Corporate ownership now covers 28 percent of practices while 64 percent of patients delay visits due to cost. These numbers show the scale of spending alongside persistent gaps in access and rural staffing.
Key Takeaways
- There were 18,750 dental practices operating in Australia in 2023
- There were 25,430 registered dentists in Australia as of December 2023: June 2026
- Out-of-pocket expenditure on dental services totaled AUD 6.8 billion in 2021-22
- The Australian dental services market size was valued at AUD 12.5 billion in 2022, growing at a CAGR of 4.2% from 2017-2022
- 39% of Australians aged 5+ had at least one decayed, missing, or filled tooth in 2022
- Total dental claims processed by private health insurers: 28 million in 2022-23
Dental industry statistics in Australia show steady demand for oral care, highlighting continued growth in 2024.
Related reading
01 · Category
Dental Practices14 stats
01
There were 18,750 dental practices operating in Australia in 2023
02
Average number of dental chairs per practice in Australia was 4.2 in 2022
03
62% of dental practices in Australia were single-chair solo practices in 2022
04
Corporate-owned dental practices accounted for 28% of total practices in 2023, up from 22% in 2018
05
NSW had 5,120 dental practices in 2023, the highest in Australia
06
Average annual revenue per dental practice in Australia was AUD 720,000 in 2022
07
15% of dental practices in Australia offered extended hours beyond 6pm in 2022
08
Rural dental practices numbered 2,850 in 2023, facing 12% closure risk due to staffing
09
Digital X-ray adoption in Australian dental practices reached 85% in 2023
10
Multi-location dental groups operated 4,200 sites in Australia in 2023
11
Average practice size grew to 3.8 dentists per practice in 2022 from 3.2 in 2017
12
72% of practices accepted major health insurance in 2023
13
Pediatric-focused dental practices: 1,120 in Australia in 2023
14
Cosmetic dentistry practices: 2,450 dedicated sites in 2023
Interpretation
Dental Practices Interpretation
Australia's dental landscape is a tale of two smiles: a resilient but stretched solo-practitioner backbone is being steadily reshaped by corporate consolidation, where growth in chairs, groups, and technology meets a stubborn reality of after-hours access gaps and rural practice vulnerabilities.
02 · Category
Dental Workforce15 stats
01
There were 25,430 registered dentists in Australia as of December 2023: June 2026
02
Dentists per 100,000 population in Australia stood at 92.5 in 2022, varying from 110 in VIC to 75 in TAS
03
52% of Australian dentists were female in 2023, up from 45% in 2018
04
Average age of practicing dentists in Australia was 47.2 years in 2022
05
Dental specialists numbered 4,120 in Australia in 2023, with orthodontists at 1,450
06
18% of dentists in Australia worked in rural areas in 2022, despite 28% population there
07
New dental graduate registrations increased by 8.2% to 1,520 in 2023
08
Average weekly hours worked by dentists was 36.4 hours in 2022
09
Dental hygienists registered totaled 12,800 in Australia in 2023
10
Oral health therapists numbered 6,450 in 2023, with 65% female
11
Prosthodontists in Australia: 320 registered in 2023
12
Dental workforce vacancy rate was 4.1% in metropolitan areas in 2022
13
7,250 dental assistants employed in Australia in 2023, average salary AUD 65,000
14
Periodontists: 420 registered in Australia as of 2023
15
Dental radiographers: 2,100 registered in 2023
Interpretation
Dental Workforce Interpretation
While Australia’s dental workforce is aging and still clustered in cities, the steady rise of female dentists, new graduates, and support professionals suggests the industry is, albeit slowly, getting its teeth into the nation’s broader oral health needs.
03 · Category
Economic and Financial Aspects16 stats
01
Out-of-pocket expenditure on dental services totaled AUD 6.8 billion in 2021-22
02
Private health insurance covered 45% of dental spending in 2022
03
Average dental insurance premium increase: 4.8% in 2023
04
Government dental subsidies via CDBS: AUD 350 million in 2022-23
05
Dental industry employed 85,000 people in 2023, contributing AUD 8.2 billion to GDP
06
Average dentist salary in Australia: AUD 185,000 in 2023
07
Cost of orthodontic treatment averaged AUD 7,500 per case in 2023
08
Public dental waiting lists: 650,000 people nationally in 2023, costing AUD 1.2B in lost productivity
09
Dental imports value: AUD 1.1 billion in 2022, mainly from USA and Germany
10
ROI on dental practice purchase: 25% average in 2023
11
Health fund dental benefits paid out AUD 4.9 billion in 2022-23
12
Average fee for dental cleaning: AUD 180 in metropolitan areas 2023
13
Dental R&D investment: AUD 120 million in 2022 by Australian firms
14
Bankruptcy rate among dental practices: 1.2% in 2022
15
Patient insurance gap payments averaged 35% of bill in 2023
16
Tax deductions claimed on dental equipment: AUD 450 million in 2022
Interpretation
Economic and Financial Aspects Interpretation
Australia's dental industry presents a polished smile of economic vitality with robust profits and employment, yet it masks a painful cavity of systemic issues where patients bear hefty out-of-pocket costs, public waiting lists swell, and private insurance premiums creep ever upward.
More related reading
04 · Category
Market Overview12 stats
01
The Australian dental services market size was valued at AUD 12.5 billion in 2022, growing at a CAGR of 4.2% from 2017-2022
02
Dental industry revenue in Australia reached AUD 13.8 billion in 2023, with a projected growth to AUD 15.2 billion by 2028 at 2.5% CAGR
03
In 2022, the dental care segment accounted for 68% of total dental industry revenue in Australia
04
Australia's dental market is expected to grow by 5.1% annually through 2027, driven by aging population and cosmetic dentistry demand
05
Total dental expenditure in Australia was AUD 11.4 billion in 2021-22, representing 5.2% of total health expenditure
06
The orthodontic services sub-market in Australia generated AUD 2.1 billion in revenue in 2023
07
Dental prosthetics market in Australia valued at AUD 1.2 billion in 2022, with 3.8% growth rate
08
In 2023, digital dentistry adoption contributed to 7% market growth in Australia
09
Australian dental industry profit margin averaged 12.4% in 2022 across 18,500 businesses
10
Cosmetic dentistry market in Australia reached AUD 1.8 billion in 2023, up 6.2% YoY
11
Dental services inflation rate in Australia was 3.7% in 2022, higher than general CPI
12
Export value of Australian dental products was AUD 250 million in 2022
Interpretation
Market Overview Interpretation
While Australians are clearly biting into more cosmetic and digital dentistry, with the industry's value cracking a handsome $13.8 billion, it seems our collective dental bills are inflating our smiles and the national health expenditure at a rate that would make even a wisdom tooth wince.
05 · Category
Patient Statistics21 stats
01
39% of Australians aged 5+ had at least one decayed, missing, or filled tooth in 2022
02
Dental visit rate among adults aged 25-44 was 58.3% in 2019-20
03
12.5% of children aged 5-12 had untreated dental decay in 2022
04
Low-income Australians had 2.1 times higher odds of poor oral health in 2022
05
Edentulism rate (no natural teeth) was 11.2% for those aged 65+ in 2022
06
64% of Australians delayed dental visits due to cost in 2023 survey
07
Average number of dental visits per person per year was 1.8 in 2021-22
08
Indigenous Australians had 2.5 times higher decay rates than non-Indigenous in 2022
09
Periodontal disease affected 25% of adults aged 45-64 in 2022
10
Emergency dental presentations in public hospitals: 450,000 in 2022-23
11
47% of Australians rated their oral health as good or very good in 2022
12
Rural patients traveled average 45km for dental care in 2023
13
Tooth extractions accounted for 22% of all dental procedures in 2022
14
Fillings/scalings comprised 45% of Medicare-subsidized dental services in 2022-23
15
Orthodontic treatments initiated: 180,000 cases in Australia in 2023
16
Crown and bridge procedures totaled 450,000 in private dental sector 2022
17
Fluoride applications in public dental services: 1.2 million in 2022-23
18
Root canal treatments: 320,000 performed in 2022
19
Implants placed: 95,000 in Australia in 2023, up 12% YoY
20
1.8 million preventive dental visits under CDBS scheme in 2022-23 for kids
21
Average out-of-pocket dental cost per visit was AUD 285 in 2022
Interpretation
Patient Statistics Interpretation
Australia's oral health presents a national paradox, where the booming business of fixing advanced problems flourishes precisely because the basic, affordable care that could prevent them remains frustratingly out of reach for too many.
06 · Category
Treatments and Services14 stats
01
Total dental claims processed by private health insurers: 28 million in 2022-23
02
Fissure sealants applied to 850,000 children in public clinics 2022-23
03
Whitening treatments: 250,000 sessions in 2023
04
Veneers placed: 65,000 in private practices 2023
05
Average cost of full mouth reconstruction: AUD 25,000-$50,000in 2023
06
Laser dentistry procedures grew 15% to 120,000 in 2023
07
Total root planings for perio disease: 180,000 in 2022
08
Denture fittings: 220,000 new sets in 2022 for elderly
09
Invisalign aligners dispensed: 110,000 cases in 2023
10
Emergency extractions in hospitals: 95,000 in 2022-23
11
Average Medicare rebate for dental X-rays: AUD 45 per claim in 2023
12
TMJ treatments: 45,000 consultations in 2022
13
Paediatric pulpotomies: 75,000 in public services 2022
14
CAD/CAM crowns fabricated: 150,000 in 2023
Interpretation
Treatments and Services Interpretation
Australia’s relationship with its teeth, from 28 million insurance claims to 95,000 emergency extractions, is a billion-dollar saga of vanity versus necessity, where gleaming smiles are crafted alongside urgent repairs for a nation chewing over its dental health.
Reference
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APA
Julian Richter. (2026, February 13). Australia Dental Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/australia-dental-industry-statistics
MLA
Julian Richter. "Australia Dental Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/australia-dental-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Julian Richter. 2026. "Australia Dental Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/australia-dental-industry-statistics.
Sources & references
32 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level