Dental spending in 2021 was higher than in pre-pandemic years as patients returned to their dental offices and the federal government provided funding relief to health care providers.
“Patients were flocking back to the dentist as we started getting back to normal preventive health care routines and providers adapted to new clinical protocols,” said Marko Vujicic, Ph.D., ADA Health Policy Institute chief economist and vice president. “But just as important, the federal government provided significant funding to the sector in the form of the Provider Relief Fund and the Paycheck Protection Program that clearly provided a financial stimulus.”