4 Biggest Dental Industry Trends Of 2026

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TL;DR

• US national dental expenditure reached $189 billion in 2024, up 4% on 2023 after adjusting for inflation, so patients are spending more and expecting more.
• Solo ownership keeps shrinking: 72.5% of US dentists were private practice owners in 2023, down from 84.7% in 2005, while 16% are now affiliated with a dental support organisation.  
• AR previews change the consultation, not just the marketing.
• Banuba Face AR SDK renders teeth whitening on the patient's own face in real time, with VITA Shade tone detection built in.
• Teledentistry is no longer a pandemic stopgap. Photography-based remote caries screening now delivers diagnostic accuracy comparable to in-person examination.  
• Dental fear is measurable and treatable: 15.3% of adults report dental fear and anxiety, 12.4% report high levels, and avoidance directly worsens their oral health.
• Showing patients the outcome before the procedure is the cheapest anxiety intervention a practice can deploy, and it runs on hardware the patient already owns.

What’s Going On In The Dental Industry In 2026?

The short answer is: money and expectations are both climbing. US national dental expenditure hit $189 billion in 2024, a 4% inflation-adjusted increase on 2023, according to the ADA Health Policy Institute's analysis of CMS data. Government program spending grew 9% in that window, largely driven by Medicare, which is pulling a new cohort of patients into routine care.

The consumer side is growing too. The global oral care market was valued at $39.9 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach $42.3 billion in 2026, rising to $66.4 billion by 2033 at a 6.7% CAGR. Awareness of oral hygiene is rising faster than the population.

All dental procedures performed by professionals can be roughly divided into healthcare and cosmetic dentistry, which deals with teeth whitening, alignment, and overall smile aesthetics. And this smile treatment is a big deal. The global cosmetic dentistry market is anticipated to reach $89.03 billion by 2030, growing at a compound annual growth rate of 13.5%. Aesthetic dentistry is only going to become a more attractive service for customers to pursue and, quite logically, for businesses to provide.

Biggest Dental Trends Of 2026

With patients paying more out of pocket every year, it is only logical for them to expect a quality service. Today's dental care customers are seeking a more personalized approach, maximum convenience, and comfort. Here are the four trends already observed in the industry that you may be interested in too.

All-In-One-Place Approach

Solo dental practices and private offices are seeing a decline. ADA Health Policy Institute data shows that 72.5% of US dentists were private practice owners in 2023, down from 84.7% in 2005, and that 16% of dentists were affiliated with a dental support organisation as of 2024. Early-career dentists drive most of that shift. One of the reasons may lie in the cost of rent for a dental practice: it is much more economically viable to host two or more doctors under one roof, sharing the space required for a reception desk, waiting room, etc. With one of these for, say, three dentists' offices, a clinic of this format would spend less on rent than three solo practices all together.

Another reason is the clients’ experience and comfort. The spectrum of dental care services spans across therapeutic dentistry, surgery, orthodontology, implantation, cosmetic dentistry, hygiene, etc. So for the sake of convenience, a patient is more likely to turn to a clinic that provides any and all services in one place. This approach not only saves patients the hassle of visiting multiple specialists at different locations, but also ensures a cohesive and streamlined treatment plan. 

In addition, modern dental clinics are increasingly integrating cutting-edge technology to enhance the patient experience. Innovations such as 3D printing for custom prosthetics or teledentistry services allow for quicker diagnoses and more precise treatments.

AR and Generative AI For Everyone

Generative AI has moved from novelty to tooling across healthcare, and dental care professionals are working on ways to implement neural networks and AR into everyday practice.

Augmented reality software allows dentists to visualize a patient's mouth in 3D in order to provide more accurate diagnoses and treatment plans. Then generative AI assists in creating personalized dental care solutions. By analyzing large datasets of images and patient histories, it can generate custom treatment plans and predict the outcomes of various procedures. This leads to more precise and tailored care. 

The use cases are limitless. For one, augmented reality software can overlay an image of veneers on a patient's teeth during a consultation, helping both the dentist and the patient understand the proposed procedures better. AI can design custom aligners for orthodontic treatments or simulate the results of cosmetic procedures, while AR teeth whitening filters built on Banuba Face AR SDK apply the prognosis onto the patient's face, giving them a clear preview of their future smile. The effect leaves lips untouched, so the result reads as natural rather than as a filter. This interactive approach improves patient communication and, even more importantly, trust. Dentistry is a costly service, after all, and patients are in their full right to expect a quality service and a personalized approach.

AR And Teledentistry

Teledentistry, much like telemedicine, had a burst of popularity back in the pandemic years. And now, as the field of healthcare is witnessing a transformative shift towards digital solutions, dental care is no exception. Not only can such solutions provide a substitute for in-person care and pre-treatment assessments, but they can also help make dental care more accessible. Digital dental treatments can make it easier for people who live in rural locations without easy access to medical services to obtain the early-stage care they need. 

The evidence base has caught up with the practice. A 2024 systematic review of in vivo studies found that photography-based remote caries diagnosis delivers accuracy comparable to in-person clinical examination, which is what makes remote triage defensible rather than merely convenient.

AR also enables dentists to guide patients through self-examinations, highlighting areas of concern on a live video feed. This interactive approach not only makes remote consultations more effective, but also builds patient confidence in the proposed treatments. By integrating AR into teledentistry, dental practices can offer a more comprehensive and engaging virtual care experience, ensuring that patients receive high-quality advice and visualization tools from the comfort of their homes.

One notable application is AR teeth whitening, which Banuba ships with VITA Shade tone detection so the simulated result maps to the shade guide clinicians already use. Banuba improved that tone detection and the whitening effect in Face AR SDK 1.16.1, released in November 2024, and the module runs on mobile, web, and desktop in both online and offline modes with no special hardware. During a virtual or in-person appointment, it lets a dentist show a patient the likely result and set realistic expectations before anyone commits to treatment. Try Banuba Face AR SDK to see how it fits your dental practice.

Battling Patient Anxiety And Fear

Dental fear is common enough to shape a practice's revenue. A systematic review and meta-analysis by Silveira and colleagues put the global prevalence of dental fear and anxiety in adults at 15.3%, with 12.4% reporting high levels and 3.3% severe. People with severe dental anxiety avoid appointments, which compromises their oral health, raises the risk of dental pain, and pushes them toward more invasive treatment later. This has prompted dental care specialists to start paying more attention to patient comfort and adopt solutions aimed at reducing fear and stress during appointments.

One way to do it is by introducing technologies like 3D imaging and digital impressions that help reduce discomfort and shorten recovery times, making dental visits less daunting. Another approach is to eliminate the fear of noisy machinery and disturbing views. Some clinics offer their patients to wear VR glasses during treatment, immersing them into a fictional world so that they don’t need to see the intimidating tools hovering over their open mouth. 

In children’s dental practices, young patients are treated to games and entertaining activities of all sorts, like painting nails or watching their favorite shows. Adult clients, on the other hand, feel more at ease and in control of the situation when they are presented with a modeled treatment situation. For example, a 3D overview of the patient’s teeth, together with an AR overlay of their new dental implant, can help them better understand what will be going on during the procedure. When each of the seemingly torturous actions makes sense, the treatment suddenly feels safer, allowing patients to relax and just wait.

Building strong patient-dentist relationships and personalizing care are also key strategies. Dentists who take the time to understand individual fears can tailor their approach, creating a more supportive environment. Educational initiatives that inform patients about procedures and what to expect can demystify the dental experience, helping patients feel more in control.

Conclusion

In 2026, the dental industry is all about prioritizing patient comfort, convenience, and personalized care. From all-in-one dental clinics to the integration of advanced technologies like AR and AI, everything is aimed at turning a dental professional's office into a safe space with engaging and easy-to-follow procedures instead of disturbing and painful treatment. Augmented reality in particular plays an important role in helping patients visualize their results, enhancing trust and satisfaction. AR teeth whitening filters by Banuba are a budget-friendly way to test that in your own practice.

Reference List

American Dental Association Health Policy Institute. (2026). National dental expenditures, 2024. American Dental Association. https://www.ada.org/resources/research/health-policy-institute/dental-care-market/national-dental-expenses

American Dental Association Health Policy Institute. (n.d.). Dental practice research. American Dental Association. https://www.ada.org/resources/research/health-policy-institute/dental-practice-research

Estai, M., et al. (2024). Teledentistry accuracy for caries diagnosis: A systematic review of in-vivo studies using extra-oral photography methods. BMC Oral Health. https://bmcoralhealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12903-024-04564-4

Grand View Research. (n.d.). Cosmetic dentistry market size to reach $89.03 billion by 2030. Grand View Research. https://www.grandviewresearch.com/press-release/global-cosmetic-dentistry-market

Grand View Research. (2026). Oral care market size and share report, 2026-2033. Grand View Research. https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/oral-care-market

Silveira, E. R., Cademartori, M. G., Schuch, H. S., Armfield, J. A., & Demarco, F. F. (2021). Estimated prevalence of dental fear in adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Dentistry, as reported in Frontiers in Oral Health (2025). https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/oral-health/articles/10.3389/froh.2025.1689805/full