Data from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) indicated that, as of December 31, 2022, more than 69.7 million Americans lived in a dental health professional shortage area (HPSA).  A dental health HPSA is a population group, geographic area, or facility where residents have subpar access to dental care because too few dentists work in the area relative to the size of the population.  The HRSA estimates that HPSAs throughout the country would need over 11,900 more dentists to eliminate the national shortage of dentists.

Here is a summary look at America's dental care shortage by region (for state-level details, follow the "region" link):

America's Dental Care Shortage by Region

Region	(1) HPSAs	(2) Population	(3) Shortage
Far West	1,302	8,752,870	1,344
Great Lakes	968	9,301,614	1,688
Great Plains	1,121	4,628,148	763
MidEast	422	8,048,834	1,480
New England	248	1,394,751	224
Rocky Mountain	439	2,763,600	328
Southeast	1,905	25,907,017	4,609
Southwest	857	8,403,062	1,363
U.S. Territories	51	566,709	110
U.S.	7,313	69,766,605	11,909

(1) Designated Geographic, Population Group, and Facility HPSAs with a dental care shortage

(2) Population of designated HPSAs

(3) Dental Care practitioners needed to remove HPSA Designation

Source:  Designated HPSA Quarterly Summary, 12/31/22 (HRSA)

December 31, 2022, reports available from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) put the number of Americans residing in areas designated as dental health HPSAs (health professional shortage areas) at nearly 69.8 million.  A dental health HPSA is a population group, geographic area, or facility where residents have inadequate access to basic dental care because too few dentists serve the area relative to the population of the HPSA.

Home to 45.6% of the U.S. population who live in dental care shortage areas, the following are the ten states with the most people living in dental care shortage areas per December 31, 2022, HRSA data:

Ten States with the Most People Living in Dental Care Shortage Areas

State	(1) HPSAs	(2) Population	(3) Shortage
FL	276	5,996,488	1,305
NC	204	3,728,767	668
NY	135	3,176,011	659
TX	320	3,157,537	475
AZ	249	2,984,483	485
IL	247	2,818,438	503
WA	194	2,719,838	344
CA	529	2,557,394	413
MD	62	2,379,610	348
LA	171	2,265,236	282
Top 10	2,387	31,783,802	5,482
U.S.	7,313	69,766,605	11,909
% of U.S.	32.6%	45.6%	46.0%

(1) Designated Geographic, Population Group, and Facility HPSAs with a dental care shortage

(2) Population of designated HPSAs

(3) Dental Care practitioners needed to remove HPSA Designation

Source:  Designated HPSA Quarterly Summary, 12/31/22 (HRSA)

Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) data as of December 31, 2022, indicated that over 69.7 million Americans lived in communities or settings designated as a dental health HPSA (health professional shortage area).  A dental health HPSA is a population group, geographic area, or facility with substandard dental care access because too few dentists serve the community relative to its population size.  HPSAs in the five-state Great Lakes region had over 9.3 million residents living in dental care shortage settings, accounting for about 13.3% of the U.S. population who lived in dental care HPSAs.  The HRSA estimates that HPSAs in the Great Lakes states would need 1,688 more dentists to eliminate the dental care shortage in the region.  This deficit represented just under 14.2% of the nation's shortage of dentists.  A deeper look at HRSA data provides the following state-level summary view of the Great Lakes region's dental care shortage:

The Great Lakes Region's Dental Care Shortage

State	(1) HPSAs	(2) Population	(3) Shortage
IL	247	2,818,438	503
IN	115	1,298,280	224
MI	248	1,563,157	300
OH	175	2,018,103	385
WI	183	1,603,636	276
Region	968	9,301,614	1,688
U.S.	7,313	69,766,605	11,909
% of U.S.	13.2%	13.3%	14.2%

(1) Designated Geographic, Population Group, and Facility HPSAs with a dental care shortage

(2) Population of designated HPSAs

(3) Dental Care practitioners needed to remove HPSA Designation

Source:  Designated HPSA Quarterly Summary, 12/31/22 (HRSA)

According to data from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), as of December 31, 2022, almost 69.8 million Americans lived in a dental health professional shortage area (HPSA).  A dental health HPSA is a geographic area, population group, or facility where access to dental care is impaired because too few dentists work in the area relative to the size of the population.  In the four-state Southwest, as of December 31, 2022, over 8.4 million residents lived in dental care shortage areas, representing about 12% of all Americans who lived in a dental health HPSA.  The HRSA estimates that HPSAs in the Southwest would need 1,363 more dentists to eliminate the dental care shortage in the region.  This deficit represented about 11.4% of the national shortage of dentists.  Here is a summary look at the Southwest's dental care shortage:

The Southwest's Dental Care Shortage

State	(1) HPSAs	(2) Population	(3) Shortage
AZ	249	2,984,483	485
NM	112	1,187,842	223
OK	176	1,073,200	180
TX	320	3,157,537	475
Region	857	8,403,062	1,363
U.S.	7,313	69,766,605	11,909
% of U.S.	11.7%	12.0%	11.4%

(1) Designated Geographic, Population Group, and Facility HPSAs with a dental care shortage

(2) Population of designated HPSAs

(3) Dental Care practitioners needed to remove HPSA Designation

Source:  Designated HPSA Quarterly Summary, 12/31/22 (HRSA)

December 31, 2022, data from the HRSA (Health Resources and Services Administration) indicated that nearly 69.8 million Americans lived in a dental health HPSA (health professional shortage area).  A dental health HPSA is a population group, geographic area, or facility where residents have substandard dental care access because too few dentists serve the area relative to the population living in the HPSA.  HPSAs in the six-state New England region of the country were home to almost 1.4 million residents, or about 2% of the U.S. population, who lived in dental care shortage areas.  The HRSA estimates that New England HPSAs would need 224 more dentists in order to eliminate the dental care shortage in the region.  This shortfall represented about 1.9% of the nation's dental care shortage.  Further examination of the HRSA's 12/31/22 data provides the following details about New England's dental care shortage:

New England's Dental Care Shortage

State	(1) HPSAs	(2) Population	(3) Shortage
CT	40	481,721	110
ME	96	380,414	59
MA	61	327,538	21
NH	23	35,002	9
RI	13	140,648	23
VT	15	29,428	2
Region	248	1,394,751	224
U.S.	7,313	69,766,605	11,909
% of U.S.	3.4%	2.0%	1.9%

(1) Designated Geographic, Population Group, and Facility HPSAs with a dental care shortage

(2) Population of designated HPSAs

(3) Dental Care practitioners needed to remove HPSA Designation

Source:  Designated HPSA Quarterly Summary, 12/31/22 (HRSA)

December 31, 2022, reports available from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) indicated that over 69.7 million Americans resided in areas designated as dental health professional shortage areas (HPSA).  A dental health HPSA is a population group, geographic area, or facility where residents have poor access to basic dental care because too few dentists serve the area relative to the population of the HPSA.  HPSAs in the six-state Far Western U.S. accounted for 12.5% of the U.S. population who lived in dental care shortage areas.  The HRSA estimates that HPSAs in the Far West would need 1,344 more dentists in order to eliminate the dental care shortage in the region.  This dental care shortfall represented about 11.3% of the nation's dentist shortage.  Here is a summary look at the Far West's dental care shortage:

The Far West's Dental Care Shortage

State	(1) HPSAs	(2) Population	(3) Shortage
AK	318	415,101	60
CA	529	2,557,394	413
HI	33	266,728	41
NV	71	1,051,708	191
OR	157	1,742,101	295
WA	194	2,719,838	344
Region	1,302	8,752,870	1,344
U.S.	7,313	69,766,605	11,909
% of U.S.	17.8%	12.5%	11.3%

(1) Designated Geographic, Population Group, and Facility HPSAs with a dental care shortage

(2) Population of designated HPSAs

(3) Dental Care practitioners needed to remove HPSA Designation

Source:  Designated HPSA Quarterly Summary, 12/31/22 (HRSA)

December 31, 2022, data released by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) reported that about 69.8 million Americans resided in settings or communities designated as dental health professional shortage areas (HPSA).  A dental health HPSA is a facility, population group, or geographic area where dental care access is lacking because too few dentists serve the area relative to the population size of the HPSA.  HPSAs in the five-state Rocky Mountain region accounted for approximately 4% of the U.S. population who lived in dental care shortage areas.  The HRSA estimates that HPSAs in the five Rocky Mountain states would need 328 additional dentists to eliminate the dental care shortage in the region.  This shortfall represented about 2.8% of the nation's dental care shortage.  Here is a state-level look at the Rocky Mountain region's dental care shortage:

The Rocky Mountain Region's Dental Care Shortage

State	(1) HPSAs	(2) Population	(3) Shortage
CO	106	1,102,176	120
ID	106	523,077	69
MT	134	381,453	54
UT	64	707,533	77
WY	29	49,361	8
Region	439	2,763,600	328
U.S.	7,313	69,766,605	11,909
% of U.S.	6.0%	4.0%	2.8%

(1) Designated Geographic, Population Group, and Facility HPSAs with a dental care shortage

(2) Population of designated HPSAs

(3) Dental Care practitioners needed to remove HPSA Designation

Source:  Designated HPSA Quarterly Summary, 12/31/22 (HRSA)

Based on December 31, 2022, data from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), almost 69.8 million Americans lived in settings or areas designated as dental health professional shortage areas (HPSA).  A dental health HPSA is a population group, geographic area, or facility where access to dental care is subpar because it has an inadequate number of dentists relative to the size of the HPSA population.  In the Mid-Eastern region of the U.S., which encompasses five states and the District of Columbia, HPSAs accounted for about 11.5% of all Americans who lived in a dental care shortage area.  The HRSA estimates that HPSAs in the Mid-Eastern region would need 1,480 more dentists to eliminate the dental care shortage in the region.  This deficit represented about 12.4% of the national dental care shortage.  Here is a summary look at the Mid-Eastern U.S. dental care shortage:

The Mid-Eastern U.S. Dental Care Shortage

State	(1) HPSAs	(2) Population	(3) Shortage
DC	12	90,280	22
DE	13	381,534	97
MD	62	2,379,610	348
NJ	37	40,411	17
NY	135	3,176,011	659
PA	163	1,980,988	337
Region	422	8,048,834	1,480
U.S.	7,313	69,766,605	11,909
% of U.S.	5.8%	11.5%	12.4%

(1) Designated Geographic, Population Group, and Facility HPSAs with a dental care shortage

(2) Population of designated HPSAs

(3) Dental Care practitioners needed to remove HPSA Designation

Source:  Designated HPSA Quarterly Summary, 12/31/22 (HRSA)

December 31, 2022, data from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) indicated that more than 69.7 million Americans lived in communities or settings designated as dental health professional shortage areas (HPSA).  A dental health HPSA is a population group, geographic area, or facility with substandard dental care access because too few dentists serve the area relative to the size of the HPSA population.  HPSAs in the twelve-state Southeastern region of the country accounted for just over 37% of the U.S. population who lived in dental care shortage areas.  The HRSA estimates that HPSAs in the Southeast would need 4,609 more dentists in order to eliminate the dental care shortage in the region.  This shortfall represented about 38.7% of the nation's dental care shortage.  Here is a summary look at the Southeast's dental care shortage:

The Southeast's Dental Care Shortage

State	(1) HPSAs	(2) Population	(3) Shortage
AL	87	1,830,719	377
AR	113	620,722	108
FL	276	5,996,488	1,305
GA	190	2,157,754	445
KY	191	940,530	199
LA	171	2,265,236	282
MS	175	2,031,618	228
NC	204	3,728,767	668
SC	99	1,872,297	263
TN	147	2,211,612	369
VA	132	1,442,611	220
WV	120	808,663	145
Region	1,905	25,907,017	4,609
U.S.	7,313	69,766,605	11,909

(1) Designated Geographic, Population Group, and Facility HPSAs with a dental care shortage

(2) Population of designated HPSAs

(3) Dental Care practitioners needed to remove HPSA Designation

Source:  Designated HPSA Quarterly Summary, 12/31/22 (HRSA)

According to December 31, 2022, data from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), over 69.7 million Americans lived in areas or settings designated as dental health professional shortage areas (HPSA).  A dental health HPSA is a geographic area, population group, or facility where access to dental care is substandard because it lacks a sufficient number of dentists relative to the size of the HPSA population.  HPSAs in the seven-state Great Plains region accounted for about 6.6% of the U.S. population who lived in dental care shortage areas.  The HRSA estimates that HPSAs in the Great Plains states would need 763 more dentists in order to eliminate the dental care shortage in the region.  This shortfall represented about 6.4% of the national dental care shortage.  Here is a summary look at the Great Plains region's dental care shortage:

The Great Plains Region's Dental Care Shortage

State	(1) HPSAs	(2) Population	(3) Shortage
IA	154	451,729	76
KS	177	590,678	82
MN	208	1,126,338	165
MO	344	2,077,052	387
NE	80	1,562	0
ND	71	134,663	12
SD	87	246,126	41
Region	1,121	4,628,148	763
U.S.	7,313	69,766,605	11,909

(1) Designated Geographic, Population Group, and Facility HPSAs with a dental care shortage

(2) Population of designated HPSAs

(3) Dental Care practitioners needed to remove HPSA Designation

Source:  Designated HPSA Quarterly Summary, 12/31/22 (HRSA)

The Dental Care Shortage by Region

As of September 2020, an estimated 60 million Americans lived in areas designated as a dental care Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA).  A geographic area, population group, or facility, residents of dental care HPSAs have poor access to basic dental health services because the area lacks a sufficient number of Dentists and dental auxiliaries (any non-dentist staff employed by the dentist to assist in the operation of the practice). HRSA designation criteria is based upon the population within the HPSA relative to the number of dental care providers that service the area. Although the population-to-provider ratio needed to qualify for designation varies by HPSA type (geographic, population or facility), all HPSAs with a dental care shortage designation have a population-to-provider ratio that meets or exceeds certain limits set by federal regulations.  As of September 2020, the HRSA estimates that all dental care shortage areas in the U.S. would need just over 10,700 more practitioners to eliminate all such shortage designations.

Here is a summary look at the dental care shortage by region (for state-level details, follow the "region" link):

Region	(1) HPSAs	(2) Population	(3) Shortage
Far West	1,173	5,522.0	1,016
Great Lakes	811	8,369.4	1,536
Great Plains	1,003	3,787.9	707
MidEast	384	6,288.9	1,168
New England	225	1,268.1	196
Rocky Mountain	410	2,446.4	334
Southeast	1,663	24,669.8	4,529
Southwest	772	7,115.2	1,123
U.S. Territories	46	473.4	107
U.S.	6,487	59,941.1	10,716

(1) Designated Geographic, Population Group and Facility HPSAs with a dental care shortage

(2) Population of designated HPSAs, in thousands

(3) Dental Care practitioners needed to remove HPSA Designation

Source:  Designated HPSA Quarterly Summary, 9/30/20 (HRSA)

The Dental Care Shortage in the Southwest

September 2020 data published by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) reveals that almost 60 million Americans live in dental care shortage areas. These areas, called Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSA) by the HRSA, are geographic areas, population groups, or facilities where access to dental health care services is substandard because of a lack of dental care providers. With respect to dental care, HRSA designation is based upon the number of people living within the HPSA relative to the number of dentists and dental auxiliaries (any non-dentist staff employed by the dentist to assist in the operation of the practice) that service the area. Although the population-to-provider ratio needed to qualify for dental care shortage designation varies by HPSA type (geographic, population or facility), all designated shortage areas have a population-to-provider ratio that meets or exceeds certain limits set by federal regulations. HRSA designated dental care shortage areas are eligible to participate in federal programs aimed at attracting more dental care providers to work with these underserved communities. Nearly 6,500 areas or settings qualified with the HRSA as a dental care shortage area as of September 2020. To eliminate all such shortage designations, the HRSA estimates that these HPSAs would need about 10,700 additional dental care providers.

More than 770 HPSAs in the Southwest region of the country account for about 11.9% of the U.S. population who live in dental care shortage areas and approximately 10.5% of the national shortage of dental care providers. The HRSA estimates that HPSAs in the Southwest would need more than 1,100 additional dental care providers in order to eliminate the dental care shortage in the region. Here is a summary look at the dental care shortage in the Southwest region of the United States:

The Dental Care Shortage in the Southwest

State	(1) HPSAs	(2) Population	(3) Shortage
AZ	208	2,338.2	380
NM	98	889.5	174
OK	164	852.5	138
TX	302	3,035.0	431
Region	772	7,115.2	1,123
U.S.	6,487	59,941.1	10,716

(1) Designated Geographic, Population Group and Facility HPSAs with a dental care shortage

(2) Population of designated HPSAs, in thousands

(3) Dental Care practitioners needed to remove HPSA Designation

Source:  Designated HPSA Quarterly Summary, 9/30/20 (HRSA)

The Dental Care Shortage in the Great Lakes Region

Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) data from September 2020 reveals that almost 60 million Americans live in dental care shortage areas. These areas, known by the HRSA as a Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA), are geographic areas, population groups, or facilities where access to healthcare services is substandard because of a lack of primary care, dental care, or mental health care providers. With respect to dental care, HRSA designation is based upon the number of people living within the HPSA relative to the number of dentists and dental auxiliaries (any non-dentist staff employed by the dentist to assist in the operation of the practice) that service the area. Although the population-to-provider ratio needed to qualify for dental care shortage designation varies by HPSA type (geographic, population or facility), all HPSAs so designated have a population-to-provider ratio that meets or exceeds certain thresholds set by federal regulations. HRSA designated dental care shortage areas are eligible to participate in federal programs aimed at attracting more dental care providers to work with these communities. Nearly 6,500 areas or settings qualified with the HRSA as a dental care shortage area as of September 2020. To eliminate all such shortage designations, the HRSA estimates that these HPSAs would need about 10,700 additional dental care providers.

More than 800 HPSAs in the Great Lakes region account for about 14.0% of the U.S. population who live in dental care shortage areas and approximately 14.3% of the national shortage of dental care providers. The HRSA estimates that HPSAs in the Great Lakes region would need more than 1,500 additional dental care providers in order to eliminate the dental care shortage in the region. Here is a summary look at the dental care shortage in the Great Lakes region of the United States:

The Dental Care Shortage in the Great Lakes Region

State	(1) HPSAs	(2) Population	(3) Shortage
IL	208	2,303.6	381
IN	104	1,304.4	227
MI	243	1,732.9	420
OH	145	1,802.1	302
WI	111	1,226.4	206
Region	811	8,369.4	1,536
U.S.	6,487	59,941.1	10,716

(1) Designated Geographic, Population Group and Facility HPSAs with a dental care shortage

(2) Population of designated HPSAs, in thousands

(3) Dental Care practitioners needed to remove HPSA Designation

Source:  Designated HPSA Quarterly Summary, 9/30/20 (HRSA)

The Dental Care Shortage in New England

Data released from September 2020 by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) revealed that nearly 60 million Americans lived in a dental care shortage areas. These areas, known as a Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) by the HRSA, are geographic areas, population groups, or facilities where access to healthcare services is substandard because it lacks a sufficient number of primary care, dental care, or mental health care providers. With respect to dental care, HRSA designation is based upon the number of people living within the HPSA relative to the number of dentists and dental auxiliaries (any non-dentist staff employed by the dentist to assist in the operation of the practice) that service the area.  Although the population-to-provider ratio needed to qualify for designation varies by HPSA type (geographic, population or facility), all HPSAs with a dental care shortage designation have a population-to-provider ratio that meets or exceeds certain limits set by federal regulations. HRSA designated dental care shortage areas are eligible to participate in federal programs aimed at attracting more dental care providers to work with these communities. As of September 2020, close to 6,500 areas or settings qualified with the HRSA as a dental care shortage area. To eliminate all such designations, the HRSA estimates that these HPSAs would need about 10,700 additional dental care providers.

HPSAs in New England account for about 2.1% of the U.S. population who live in dental care shortage areas and roughly 1.8% of the national shortage of dental care providers. The HRSA estimates that HPSAs in New England would need about 200 additional dental care providers in order to eliminate the dental care shortage in the region. Here is a summary look at the dental care shortage in New England:

The Dental Care Shortage in New England

State	(1) HPSAs	(2) Population	(3) Shortage
CT	38	394.8	100
ME	81	329.7	45
MA	56	325.2	21
NH	22	28.5	5
RI	14	160.5	23
VT	14	29.4	2
Region	225	1,268.1	196
U.S.	6,487	59,941.1	10,716

(1) Designated Geographic, Population Group and Facility HPSAs with a dental care shortage

(2) Population of designated HPSAs, in thousands

(3) Dental Care practitioners needed to remove HPSA Designation

Source:  Designated HPSA Quarterly Summary, 9/30/20 (HRSA)

The Dental Care Shortage in the Rocky Mountain Region

A September 2020 report from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) revealed that close to 60 million Americans lived in dental care shortage areas. These areas, known as a Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) by the HRSA, are geographic areas, population groups, or facilities where access to dental care services is substandard because of a lack of dentists and dental auxiliaries (any non-dentist staff employed by the dentist to assist in the operation of the practice). With respect to dental care, HRSA designation criteria is based upon the number of people living within the HPSA relative to the number of dental care providers that service the area. Although the population-to-provider ratio needed to qualify for designation as a dental care shortage area varies by HPSA type (geographic, population or facility), all HPSAs with a dental care shortage designation have a population-to-provider ratio that meets or exceeds certain limits set by federal regulations. Areas receiving a dental care shortage designation by the HRSA are eligible to participate in federal programs aimed at attracting more dental care providers to work with these communities. As of September 2020, nearly 6,500 areas or settings had been designated as dental care shortage areas by the HRSA.  The HRSA estimates that these HPSAs would need about 10,700 additional dental care providers to eliminate all such designations.

HPSAs in the five-state Rocky Mountain region account for about 4.1% of the U.S. population who live in dental care shortage areas and about 3.1% of the national shortage of dental care providers. The HRSA estimates that HPSAs in the Rocky Mountain region would need more than 330 additional dental care providers in order to eliminate the dental care shortage in the region. Here is a summary look at the dental care shortage in the Rocky Mountain region of the United States:

The Dental Care Shortage in the Rocky Mountain Region

State	(1) HPSAs	(2) Population	(3) Shortage
CO	100	848.2	137
ID	94	493.8	58
MT	123	351.2	61
UT	62	703.5	73
WY	31	49.7	5
Region	410	2,446.4	334
U.S.	6,487	59,941.1	10,716

(1) Designated Geographic, Population Group and Facility HPSAs with a dental care shortage

(2) Population of designated HPSAs, in thousands

(3) Dental Care practitioners needed to remove HPSA Designation

Source:  Designated HPSA Quarterly Summary, 9/30/20 (HRSA)