Nearly every state in the U.S. has seen a decrease in the number of dental professional shortage areas since October 2023, according to data from the Health Resources & Services Administration.
The HRSA updated its dashboard with new data on health professional shortage areas in the U.S. Sept. 25.
Here are six things to know:
1. The U.S. is in need of more than 10,000 dental professionals to fill shortage areas.
2. Between October 2023 and September 2024, nearly all states saw a decrease in the number of shortages areas, except for three. These states — Alaska, New Jersey and New York — saw no change.
3. While no states saw a decrease in the number of shortage areas between October 2023 and September of this year, seven states did see an increase between August and September of this year.
4. Out of the states that had an increase in the number of shortage areas between last month and this month, Virginia saw the largest increase, going from 128 shortage areas in August to 138 in September.
5. Texas and Alabama have seen the largest decreases in the number of shortage areas since last year. Texas went from 317 in October 2023 to 256 in September 2024. Alabama went from 140 in October to 87 this month.
6. California currently has the highest number of dental shortage areas at 517.