VILNIUS, LT – October 19, 2026 – Dental Reviewed, an independent dental research and education platform, has released its Dental Care Affordability Index, revealing how the financial burden of dental care varies across the United States.
The index measures how many hours residents must work to cover one person’s annual dental expenses, providing a clearer picture of affordability beyond treatment costs alone.
According to the findings, Americans must work an average of 14.2 hours to cover $619 in annual dental expenses per person. However, residents in some states must work nearly twice as long as those in others.
South Dakota ranks as the state with the highest dental care burden, requiring residents to work 20.1 hours to cover annual expenses. Rhode Island has the lowest burden at 10.8 hours, a difference of more than one full working day. Wyoming follows South Dakota at 19.8 hours, while North Dakota ranks third.
“What’s interesting about these findings is that dental care affordability depends on much more than treatment prices. Someone in South Dakota needs to work almost twice as long as someone in Rhode Island to cover their annual dental expenses. We created this index to show how these differences affect people across the country,” said Darius Kucinas, Co-Founder of Dental Reviewed and a general practice dentist with over 10 years of clinical experience.
The research also reveals that higher dental spending does not necessarily translate into a greater financial burden. New Hampshire records the highest annual dental spending at $929 per person but ranks only 12th in affordability burden due to relatively high incomes.
Meanwhile, Mississippi residents spend $489 annually, compared with $800 in Massachusetts, yet must work approximately 25% longer to cover those expenses.
Texas and Kentucky share the lowest annual dental spending at $487 per person. However, low spending may also indicate that patients are delaying or avoiding necessary dental care rather than benefiting from more affordable services.
“After more than a decade in dentistry, I’ve seen how financial concerns can influence treatment decisions. Patients sometimes postpone necessary care because of the cost, but untreated dental problems can become more complicated and expensive over time. Improving access to affordable preventive care should be a priority,” said Kucinas.
The full report provides state-by-state rankings and comparisons to help consumers, dental professionals, researchers, and policymakers better understand dental care affordability across the US.
About Dental Reviewed:
Dental Reviewed is an independent dental research and education platform providing expert dental equipment reviews, industry news, original research, and practical oral health guidance for dental professionals and consumers. More information is available on the Dental Reviewed official website.
Media ContactCompany Name: Dental ReviewedContact Person: Ben KazlauskasEmail: Send EmailPhone: +37060130164City: VilniusCountry: LithuaniaWebsite: https://dentalreviewed.com/
