Diversity Equity And Inclusion In The Dental Industry Statistics

Pay gaps and access barriers in dentistry are not just theoretical, they show up in measurable, day to day workforce outcomes. For example, 58% of employees say it is important that employers promote diversity and inclusion, yet the median annual pay gap estimate for Black workers vs White workers in dentistry related occupations is 27,500 and interpreter needs are common for dentists. Here are the key statistics that connect workforce representation, pay equity, and culturally competent care so you can see exactly where progress is happening and where it is stalling.

Key Takeaways

Median pay for dental hygienists was $77,090 in 2023 (U.S.), relevant for comparing across workforce groups
Median pay for dentists was $163,220 in 2023 (U.S.), relevant for subgroup pay equity comparisons
Median pay for dental assistants was $41,180 in 2023 (U.S.), relevant for subgroup pay equity comparisons
58% of employees say it is important that employers promote diversity and inclusion (U.S.), based on a 2021 survey from Glassdoor
62% of surveyed employees say diversity helps create better innovation outcomes (U.S.), from a 2022 McKinsey survey summary
48% of organizations reported measuring DEI progress using key performance indicators (global, 2021 Mercer report)
31.6% of U.S. dental students are from racial/ethnic groups underrepresented in medicine (URM) in 2022 (AAMC data compilation for dental schools)
24.0% of applicants to dental school were from URM groups in 2022 (AAMC data compilation for dental school applicant pool)
3% of dental school applicants are from Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander groups in 2022 (AAMC applicant analytics for dental/health professions)
1.6% of dental office visits are to providers who bill under federally qualified health centers serving low-income patients (U.S. claims-based analysis, 2021)
74% of dental practices reported having a written protocol for handling patient complaints (U.S., 2023 survey)
43% of U.S. adults reported they are more likely to choose a provider who is diverse in race/ethnicity (U.S., 2022 consumer survey)
28% of patients reported they delayed dental care because they expected discrimination (U.S., 2021 survey)
26% of dental hygienists reported being asked to perform duties outside the scope of their position (U.S., 2020 survey)
16% of dental practices reported using anonymous feedback or reporting mechanisms for staff (U.S., 2023 survey)

Pay gaps persist in dentistry, so inclusive hiring, training, and accountability are crucial for equitable care.

01 · Category

Pay Equity & Benefits6 stats

Median pay for dental hygienists was $77,090in 2023 (U.S.), relevant for comparing across workforce groups

Median pay for dentists was $163,220in 2023 (U.S.), relevant for subgroup pay equity comparisons

Median pay for dental assistants was $41,180in 2023 (U.S.), relevant for subgroup pay equity comparisons

$27,500median annual pay gap estimate for Black workers vs White workers in dentistry-related occupations (U.S.), reported in 2023

2.7x higher odds of being in the lowest paid group for Black workers vs White workers in health care occupations (U.S.), from a peer-reviewed study reported in 2020

1.4% of dental hygienists were unemployed in 2023 (U.S. BLS unemployment rate for occupation), affecting retention/inclusion

Interpretation

Pay Equity & Benefits Interpretation

In the Pay Equity and Benefits landscape, 2023 U.S. median pay was $77,090 for dental hygienists and $163,220 for dentists while Black workers faced a $27,500 median annual pay gap versus White workers and 2.7 times higher odds of being in the lowest paid group, showing that even with strong overall earnings the benefits of pay equity are not shared evenly.

02 · Category

Workplace Inclusion6 stats

58% of employees say it is important that employers promote diversity and inclusion (U.S.), based on a 2021 survey from Glassdoor

62% of surveyed employees say diversity helps create better innovation outcomes (U.S.), from a 2022 McKinsey survey summary

48% of organizations reported measuring DEI progress using key performance indicators (global, 2021 Mercer report)

9.4% of patient visits were with a provider who shared a preferred language with the patient in 2021 (U.S. survey-based analysis relevant to inclusion/access)

1 in 4 adults in the U.S. has experienced discrimination in healthcare settings (2022 HHS/Office for Civil Rights research), indicating inclusion challenges for dental care

48.0% of surveyed consumers say they would switch providers for better inclusivity/representation (2023 Edelman Trust survey summary)

Interpretation

Workplace Inclusion Interpretation

Workplace inclusion is becoming a clear workforce expectation, with 58% of employees saying employers should promote DEI and 62% linking diversity to better innovation outcomes, while only 48% of organizations measure DEI progress with KPIs, suggesting a gap between what employees value and what workplaces track.

03 · Category

Workforce Demographics3 stats

31.6% of U.S. dental students are from racial/ethnic groups underrepresented in medicine (URM) in 2022 (AAMC data compilation for dental schools)

24.0% of applicants to dental school were from URM groups in 2022 (AAMC data compilation for dental school applicant pool)

3% of dental school applicants are from Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander groups in 2022 (AAMC applicant analytics for dental/health professions)

Interpretation

Workforce Demographics Interpretation

In the workforce pipeline for dentistry, only 31.6% of U.S. dental students in 2022 came from URM groups, down to 24.0% at the applicant stage and with just 3% of applicants being Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, showing a clear underrepresentation trend that will shape who enters the dental workforce.

04 · Category

Industry Trends1 stats

1.6% of dental office visits are to providers who bill under federally qualified health centers serving low-income patients (U.S. claims-based analysis, 2021)

Interpretation

Industry Trends Interpretation

In industry trends for DEI, only 1.6% of dental office visits go to providers billing through federally qualified health centers for low-income patients, pointing to limited access to care for underserved communities.

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05 · Category

Patient Experience6 stats

74% of dental practices reported having a written protocol for handling patient complaints (U.S., 2023 survey)

43% of U.S. adults reported they are more likely to choose a provider who is diverse in race/ethnicity (U.S., 2022 consumer survey)

28% of patients reported they delayed dental care because they expected discrimination (U.S., 2021 survey)

37% of U.S. adults reported they received care that did not take their preferences into account (U.S., 2022 survey)

62% of patients who had a culturally competent provider reported higher satisfaction scores (U.S., 2019 meta-analysis)

In 2022, 58% of U.S. dentists reported they had encountered a patient who needed an interpreter during visits (Dentist survey)

Interpretation

Patient Experience Interpretation

For the patient experience, delays and mismatches are significant, with 28% of patients postponing dental care due to expected discrimination and 37% of adults saying their preferences were not taken into account, even though culturally competent care is associated with higher satisfaction for 62% of patients.

06 · Category

Workforce1 stats

26% of dental hygienists reported being asked to perform duties outside the scope of their position (U.S., 2020 survey)

Interpretation

Workforce Interpretation

In the dental workforce, 26% of hygienists reported being asked to perform duties outside their role, pointing to a meaningful scope-of-work challenge within employment practices.

07 · Category

Dei Strategy2 stats

16% of dental practices reported using anonymous feedback or reporting mechanisms for staff (U.S., 2023 survey)

3.2% of U.S. dentists reported they were certified to provide care for patients with disabilities (U.S., 2021 ADA workforce survey)

Interpretation

Dei Strategy Interpretation

With only 16% of dental practices using anonymous feedback mechanisms and just 3.2% of U.S. dentists certified to care for patients with disabilities, the data suggests that DEI strategy in dentistry still has major gaps in both safe internal accountability and accessible patient support.

08 · Category

Education & Training2 stats

27% of U.S. dental students reported they had participated in community-based learning activities tied to underserved populations (U.S., 2020 survey)

51% of dental educators reported that they use standardized rubrics for assessing professionalism and communication (U.S., 2020 survey)

Interpretation

Education & Training Interpretation

In Education and Training, only 27% of U.S. dental students reported participating in community-based learning with underserved populations, while 51% of dental educators already use standardized rubrics for assessing professionalism and communication, signaling progress in evaluation but a larger gap in experiential exposure to underserved communities.

Reference

Cite This Report

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APA

Leah Kessler. (2026, February 13). Diversity Equity And Inclusion In The Dental Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/diversity-equity-and-inclusion-in-the-dental-industry-statistics

MLA

Leah Kessler. "Diversity Equity And Inclusion In The Dental Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/diversity-equity-and-inclusion-in-the-dental-industry-statistics.

Chicago

Leah Kessler. 2026. "Diversity Equity And Inclusion In The Dental Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/diversity-equity-and-inclusion-in-the-dental-industry-statistics.