Notes from the 2007 Annual Meeting of the Dental Trade Alliance offer many statistics that may interest you, as a dentist. The DTA is an organization of companies that provide products, services, supplies, materials, and equipment for the dental industry.
In the notes, and with data attributed to DENTSPLY, the global dental market was valued at $16 billion with a 4 to 6% predicted annual growth. Of this, the US is responsible for 40%, with Europe a close second at 30%. Consumables make up 75% of this market and equipment 25%, according to industry contacts and Robert W. Baird & Co., Inc. estimates.
Dental Implants
As you have probably surmised, baby boomers are aging, which has and should continue to increase demand for dental implants. The US Census Bureau estimates that the population over 65 will reach nearly 90 million by 2050. Edentulous patients over the age of 65 in the US has decreased from 46% in the early 1970s to 29% in the late 1980s and early 1990s, per data accumulated from the ADA, USDHHS, and other sources. The DTA notes include implants as a "favorable demographic trend," and one heading states, "$1.7+ Billion Dental Implant Market One of Fastest Growing Segments in Dentistry."
Cosmetic Dentistry
While orthodontics and dental sealants are hot procedures for children, middle-age patients are still gung ho for cosmetics. Of patients in the 31 to 40 age range, nearly 40% inquire about cosmetics, and 30% of those just a decade older are also interested. Bleaching or whitening is the most popular request, followed by crowns and bridges, veneers, posterior then anterior bonding, and orthodontics. On average, cosmetic dentistry has seen more than a 12% growth, with average cost per patient at $455.
The Market
Dental industry stocks are doing well, as you may expect, with impressive long-term prospects, according to the Baird Dental Index and S&P 500.