43.3% of US dentists in private practice said they currently use AI for at least one task in their practice, in the ADA Health Policy Institute's poll for the second quarter of 2026. Another 26.4% said they do not use AI but plan to.
43.3%
of US dentists in private practice said they use AI for at least one task, second quarter of 2026
43.3% of US dentists in private practice said they currently use AI for at least one task in their practice, in the ADA Health Policy Institute's poll for the second quarter of 2026. Another 26.4% said they do not use AI but plan to.
The poll went out on June 15, 2026, and drew 552 responses from dentists in private practice, including large group practices and dental service organizations.
Source: The State of the US Dental Economy, 2nd Quarter 2026 Update (opens in a new tab), Slide 26, Two out of Five Dentists Currently Using AI; data notes on slides 48 and 50. Verified October 2026.
Related charts
- From the blog
Imaging, insurance checks, charting and billing lead dentists' current and planned AI use
ADA Health Policy Institute, The State of the US Dental Economy, 2nd Quarter 2026 Update - From the blog
4 of the 7 practice problems on Kent Applied's map need no patient data
Kent Applied, Where AI tools fit in healthcare, by kind of organization; NYC Local Law 144; California Civil Rights Council - From research
Health care and social assistance firms use AI at about the US rate, half the top sector's
US Census Bureau, Business Trends and Outlook Survey (sector estimates); BTOS national estimates; US Census Bureau, Business Trends and Outlook Survey (about the survey); US Census Bureau, 2022 NAICS descriptions - From research
30 of 44 top healthcare problems need no patient data, in Kent Applied's analysis
Kent Applied, Where AI tools fit in healthcare, by kind of organization; NYC Local Law 144; California Civil Rights Council
Sources for the figures above: US Census Bureau, Business Trends and Outlook Survey (sector estimates) (opens in a new tab); Business Trends and Outlook Survey, national estimates (opens in a new tab).
Related facts
24.8%
of US health care and social assistance businesses said they used AI between September 7 and 20, 2026
In a Census Bureau survey covering September 7 to 20, 2026, 24.8% of US health care and social assistance businesses said they had used AI somewhere in their business. 23.8% of all US businesses did.
Source: Business Trends and Outlook Survey, sector estimates.
KentApplied92.3%
of US practice firms with employees have fewer than 20
Of 440,667 US physician, dentist, other health practitioner and outpatient mental health firms with employees in 2022, 92.3% had fewer than 20 employees, by Kent Applied's sum of Census Bureau figures.
Source: Statistics of US Businesses 2022, US and state totals by 6-digit NAICS.
KentApplied40
prior authorizations a week, on average, per physician
Physicians complete an average of 40 prior authorizations a week, which take 13 hours of physician and staff time, the AMA's 2025 survey of 1,000 physicians found.
Source: AMA survey: Prior authorization reform pledge falls short with physicians.
KentApplied
Sources for the figures above: US Census Bureau, Business Trends and Outlook Survey (sector estimates) (opens in a new tab); Business Trends and Outlook Survey, national estimates (opens in a new tab); AMA survey: Prior authorization reform pledge falls short with physicians (opens in a new tab).
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