DDSIntelThe Transition Layer
MenuClose
  1. Home
  2. Consolidation and DSOs
  3. How fast is DSO affiliation growing?

How fast is DSO affiliation growing?

The share of U.S. dentists affiliated with a DSO rose from 8.8% in 2017 to 16.1% in 2024, according to the ADA Health Policy Institute. Over a longer span, the share who own a private practice fell from 84.7% in 2005 to 72.5% in 2023.

By DDSIntel Editorial· Published · Data as of

Key numbers

How much has DSO affiliation grown since 2017?

The ADA Health Policy Institute reported DSO affiliation among U.S. dentists at 8.8% in 2017, 10.4% in 2019 and 13% in 2022, then 16.1% in 2024. Affiliation rose at every reading, and the readings came from separate ADA releases, so compare the direction rather than small differences. See the consolidation overview.

Is private practice ownership declining?

Yes. The ADA Health Policy Institute found 72.5% of U.S. dentists were private practice owners in 2023, down from 84.7% in 2005. Dentists who do not own a practice work as associates or employees, including in DSO-affiliated and group settings, so falling ownership and rising affiliation are two views of the same shift.

Is private equity affiliation growing as fast?

Private equity affiliation is a narrower measure and grew faster in relative terms. A Health Affairs study found it roughly doubled from 6.6% of dentists in 2015 to 12.8% in 2021, and the ADA summary put general practice dentists at 6.8% in 2015 and 12.7% in 2021. Details are in private equity in dentistry.

Does DSO growth mean dentistry is 35% consolidated?

No. The 35% figure is an industry estimate whose measure was not disclosed, while 16.1% is the ADA Health Policy Institute’s share of dentists affiliated with a DSO in 2024. The two use different definitions and denominators, as how many dental practices DSOs own explains.

The data hub holds the workforce figures behind these shares, and ownership changes are tracked as corporate signals. For who is on the other side of these deals, see what a DSO is.

Frequently asked questions

What percentage of dentists were in DSOs in 2024?

16.1% of U.S. dentists (ADA Health Policy Institute).

How much did DSO affiliation grow from 2017 to 2024?

From 8.8% to 16.1% of U.S. dentists, with 10.4% in 2019 and 13% in 2022 in between (ADA Health Policy Institute).

Are younger dentists more likely to affiliate with DSOs?

Yes. In 2022, 27% of dentists five or fewer years out of school were DSO-affiliated, and 18% of those six to ten years out.

Why is there no 2015 DSO figure on this page?

DDSIntel publishes only figures it has read at the publisher. The ADA series cited here starts in 2017; private equity data start in 2015.

Sources

  1. American Dental Association. More dentists affiliating with DSOs (ADA News, June 2023). adanews.ada.org.
  2. ADA Health Policy Institute. Dental practice research (DSO affiliation and practice ownership). ada.org.
  3. ADA Health Policy Institute. The U.S. Dentist Workforce, 2025 update. ada.org.
  4. American Dental Association. Private equity affiliation among dentists increases (ADA News, August 2024). adanews.ada.org.
  5. Health Affairs. Percentage of dentists and dental practices affiliated with private equity nearly doubled, 2015–21. healthaffairs.org.

Questions or corrections: request a correction. Markdown version: /dso/dso-growth-2015-2024.md.