Below are 11 stats regarding the evolution of U.S. dental schools, per the American Dental Association:
Editor’s note: Monetary values were adjusted for inflation.
Average cost of four years of dental school
Public schools 1969-70: $42,618
Public schools 2019-20: $205,019
Private schools 1969-70: $84,768
Private schools 2019-20: $335,536
Average student debt
1980: $58,603
2019: $292,169
Number of dental students
1969-70: 16,555 enrolled
2020-21: 25,995 enrolled
Female graduates
1980: 13.6 percent of dental school graduates
2020: 51.4 percent of dental school graduates
Gender breakdown of dentists pursuing advanced dental education programs
1983-84: 83 percent male dentists; 17 percent female dentists
2019-20: 52.4 percent male dentists; 47.5 percent female dentists
Racial diversity
1990 graduate class demographics
White: 74.8 percent
Asian: 12.4 percent
Hispanic: 7.6 percent
Black: 5.1 percent
Native American: 0.2 percent
2020 graduate class demographics
White: 50.3 percent
Asian: 24.3 percent
Hispanic: 8.6 percent
Non-resident: 6.4 percent
Black: 4.7 percent
Two or more races: 2.6 percent
Unknown: 2.3 percent
Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders: 0.7 percent
Number of dental schools
1950: 42 accredited dental schools
2021: 67 accredited U.S. dental schools
Number of international dental graduates admitted to U.S. dental schools
1985-86: 113 international students
2019-20: 708 international students
Mean GPA of dental school applicants
2000: 3.20 GPA
2020: 3.44 GPA
Clock hours
1999-2000 school year: 267,318 total hours, an average of 4,860 per program.
2018-19 school year: 339,728 total hours, an average of 5,308 per program.
