DDSWhat is a dental health professional shortage area?
A dental health professional shortage area, or HPSA, is a geographic area, population group or facility that the Health Resources and Services Administration has designated as having too few dentists for the people it serves. Designations steer federal programs, such as loan repayment, toward places that need more dentists.
How many people live in dental shortage areas?
As of December 31, 2025, there were 7,443 dental HPSA designations covering 63,700,964 people, according to HRSA data published by KFF. Those areas had about a third of the dentists they need, and 10,744 more practitioners would be needed to remove every designation.
Which states have the largest shortages?
Florida had the most people in dental shortage areas, 5,967,522, and needed the most practitioners, 1,271. North Carolina followed with 3,337,422 people and 657 practitioners needed. California had the most designations, 565, followed by Alaska with 333 and Missouri with 329, according to HRSA data published by KFF.
Dentist counts for each state are on dentists by state.
Why do shortage areas matter for practice transitions?
When a practice in a shortage area closes instead of changing hands, patients may have nowhere nearby to go, so a retirement there matters more than one in a crowded metro. Reading dental transition signals against shortage designations shows where succession is most at stake for the community.
Frequently asked questions
Who designates dental shortage areas?
The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
How many dental shortage areas are there?
There were 7,443 dental HPSA designations as of December 31, 2025.
Which state has the most people in dental shortage areas?
Florida, with 5,967,522 people as of December 31, 2025.
How current are the shortage figures?
They are HRSA figures as of December 31, 2025, published by KFF; DDSIntel re-reads them at the source before showing them.
Sources
- HRSA, via KFF State Health Facts. Dental Care Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs), as of December 31, 2025. kff.org.
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