HPI poll: Nearly three out of four dentists plan to raise their fees in 2023
January poll results indicate that top challenges include staffing, inflation, insurance reimbursement
The top three challenges facing dental practices are staffing, rising operating costs and stagnant insurance reimbursement levels, according to insights from the ADA Health Policy Institute’s January Economic Outlook and Emerging Issues in Dentistry Poll.
Nearly three out of four dentists plan to raise their fees in 2023, according to the poll. Other commonly reported plans include hiring more staff, selected by about two in five respondents, and dropping out of some insurance networks, selected by over a third.
Trouble filling vacant staff positions is a factor preventing appointment schedules from reaching 100% for about three in 10 dentists, while short-notice cancelation was selected by about eight in 10 dentists, according to dentists polled.
Other poll results include:
- Recruitment needs: Recruitment needs for dental hygienists and assistants slightly declined again in January, but dentists continue to say recruitment is extremely challenging.
- Practice schedules: Dental practice schedules remain steady at the start of 2023, with schedules 85% full on average in January. Increasingly, dental practices are saying that not enough patients is the key reason they are not busier, compared to staffing shortages, which was a much bigger reason a year ago.
- Each month, the ADA Health Policy Institute conducts a poll of U.S. dentists to measure the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and to gather their opinions on other current and emerging issues impacting their practices.
To join the panel, read the full monthly reports or view the interactive state dashboard, visit ADA.org/HPIpoll .
