Where have all the dental care visits gone?

D ental care use patterns have been shifting dramatically over the past decade. More children than ever are visiting the dentist. But dental care use among adults is declining steadily, among all income groups, a trend that emerged well before the recent economic downturn. These shifting dental care use patterns have had important implications. National dental care expenditure began to grow at a much lower rate beginning in the early 2000s, and it now has leveled off. Combined with a rising supply of dentists, this slow growth has contributed to sluggish dentist earnings and a sharp increase in open chair time. However, a closer look at the data on dental care visits shows a lot more is happening underneath the aggregate trends that the dental community needs to consider.