States with the Best & Worst Dental Health in 2024
As we strive to understand the variances in dental hygiene and overall oral health by state, Dentaly dive into which states are the best and worst dental care, based on extensive data from respected data sources including the U.S. Census Bureau and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
We ranked all 50 states plus the District of Columbia in categories like Dental Habits & Care and Oral Health Conditions, using twelve key metrics. This analysis provides a snapshot as of May 1, 2024, giving you a fresh look at the current state of dental health in America.
Whether you're a healthcare professional, policymaker, or simply curious about how your state stacks up, this report has the insights you need to see where improvements can be made.
Key Findings
1
Arkansas, Louisiana, and West Virginia
are the worst states for dental health.
2
Connecticut, District of Columbia, and Massachusetts
are the best states for dental health.
3
Since 2018, Connecticut and Massachusetts
jumped to 1st and 3rd in dental health.
4
Illinois dropped to 5th, with Minnesota and
Wisconsin exiting the top five, reflecting
declines in dental health since 2018.
5
The District of Columbia has the most dentists per
100,000 residents with 104, which is 2.5 times more
than Alabama, the state with the fewest at 41.
6
The District of Columbia has the highest share of the
population receiving fluoridated water, 100%, which 11.8 times
higher than in Hawaii, the state with the lowest at 8.5%.
Full Data
| Overall rank |
State | Total Score | Dental Habits & Care Rank |
Oral Health Conditions Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Connecticut | 84.2 | 3 | 1 |
| 2 | District Of Columbia | 84.1 | 1 | 2 |
| 3 | Massachusetts | 80.8 | 2 | 3 |
| 4 | Washington | 77.1 | 8 | 6 |
| 5 | Illinois | 75.6 | 10 | 7 |
| 6 | New York | 75.1 | 7 | 11 |
| 7 | New Jersey | 75.0 | 14 | 5 |
| 8 | Maryland | 73.9 | 4 | 16 |
| 9 | Hawaii | 73.8 | 18 | 4 |
| 10 | Minnesota | 73.1 | 12 | 12 |
| 11 | Rhode Island | 72.2 | 11 | 15 |
| 12 | Michigan | 71.7 | 19 | 8 |
| 13 | Utah | 71.6 | 6 | 26 |
| 14 | Virginia | 71.4 | 9 | 22 |
| 15 | California | 71.3 | 5 | 32 |
| 16 | Wisconsin | 71.2 | 16 | 13 |
| 17 | Colorado | 70.7 | 13 | 19 |
| 18 | Nebraska | 70.4 | 15 | 17 |
| 19 | Iowa | 70.1 | 26 | 9 |
| 20 | North Dakota | 69.5 | 22 | 14 |
| 21 | Ohio | 69.5 | 34 | 10 |
| 22 | Idaho | 68.0 | 21 | 23 |
| 23 | Oregon | 67.8 | 17 | 27 |
| 24 | Vermont | 67.4 | 25 | 20 |
| 25 | Pennsylvania | 67.1 | 29 | 18 |
| 26 | North Carolina | 66.5 | 32 | 21 |
| 27 | South Dakota | 66.0 | 31 | 24 |
| 28 | Georgia | 65.3 | 36 | 25 |
| 29 | New Mexico | 65.1 | 28 | 28 |
| 30 | Kansas | 65.0 | 30 | 29 |
| 31 | Florida | 64.8 | 23 | 36 |
| 32 | Arizona | 64.4 | 35 | 33 |
| 33 | Indiana | 64.4 | 39 | 30 |
| 34 | Nevada | 64.2 | 27 | 34 |
| 35 | Missouri | 63.6 | 43 | 31 |
| 36 | South Carolina | 63.4 | 38 | 35 |
| 37 | Alaska | 62.1 | 20 | 45 |
| 38 | Maine | 62.0 | 24 | 41 |
| 39 | New Hampshire | 61.8 | 42 | 37 |
| 40 | Wyoming | 61.5 | 33 | 39 |
| 41 | Delaware | 60.6 | 37 | 42 |
| 42 | Tennessee | 59.8 | 44 | 38 |
| 43 | Montana | 59.5 | 41 | 44 |
| 44 | Texas | 58.1 | 40 | 47 |
| 45 | Oklahoma | 57.9 | 46 | 40 |
| 46 | Kentucky | 57.9 | 45 | 43 |
| 47 | Alabama | 55.7 | 47 | 46 |
| 48 | Mississippi | 53.0 | 50 | 48 |
| 49 | West Virginia | 50.6 | 49 | 50 |
| 50 | Louisiana | 50.4 | 51 | 49 |
| 51 | Arkansas | 49.1 | 48 | 51 |
In the United States, the number of dental professionals per capita varies significantly by region, which not only makes dental services more accessible and affordable in some areas but also impacts overall dental health. The presence of fluoridated water, crucial for preventing tooth decay, also differs widely; some states have nearly universal coverage while others do not. Additionally, dental care coverage under Medicaid varies greatly, with some states offering no coverage, others only covering emergencies, and some providing comprehensive benefits.
Habits related to dental health also show regional variations. In certain states, a significant portion of the population avoids dentist visits due to fear. Meanwhile, in other states, a higher number of people recognize and engage in preventive dental care, helping to reduce overall dental health issues.
Number of Dentists per 100,000 Resident
Best
- 100
- 75
- 50
- 25
- 0
Worst
- 100
- 75
- 50
- 25
- 0
Dental Consultation Frequency per Person
Best
- 100
- 75
- 50
- 25
- 0
Worst
- 100
- 75
- 50
- 25
- 0
Current Cigarette Smoking Among Adults
Best
- 100
- 75
- 50
- 25
- 0
Worst
- 100
- 75
- 50
- 25
- 0
Sugar Consumption Among US States
Best
- 25
- 20
- 15
- 10
- 5
- 0
Worst
- 25
- 20
- 15
- 10
- 5
- 0
Alcohol Consumption Among US States
Best
- 75
- 60
- 45
- 30
- 15
- 0
Worst
- 75
- 60
- 45
- 30
- 15
- 0
Water Fluoridation by State
Best
- 100%
- 80%
- 60%
- 40%
- 20%
- 0
Worst
- 100%
- 80%
- 60%
- 40%
- 20%
- 0
Oral Health Conditions
Best
- 100
- 80
- 60
- 40
- 20
- 0
Worst
- 100
- 80
- 60
- 40
- 20
- 0
Methodology
To identify where the best dental health is found in the U.S., Dentaly analyzed all 50 states along with the District of Columbia based on two main dimensions: Dental Habits & Care and Oral Health Conditions.
This evaluation involved 12 pertinent metrics, each weighted differently and scored out of 100 to indicate optimal dental health conditions.
Using these metrics, we calculated a weighted average for each state and the District, which helped derive their overall scores and establish the national rankings.
Dental Habits & Care - 50 Points
- 15
- 10
- 5
- 0
Oral Health Conditions - 50 Points
- 15
- 10
- 5
- 0
Sources: The ranking was based on data collected up to May 1, 2024, from multiple sources including the U.S. Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Healthy Grid, American Dental Association, Health Resources & Services Administration, United Health Foundation, Free Dental Care, American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, and the Association of State & Territorial Dental Directors.