Updated research shows preventive dental care has nearly returned to pre-pandemic levels

New data from Delta Dental reveals a strong recovery in preventive dental care, while long-term changes in restorative treatments and night guard usage suggest evolving patient needs

WASHINGTON, Sept. 25, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- New data from Delta Dental highlights how dental care utilization among insured Americans has rebounded following the COVID-19 pandemic but also reveals several lasting shifts in treatment patterns and patient behavior.

The original study, published in The Journal of the American Dental Association in 2023, found that dental care volumes dropped significantly in 2020 and remained below pre-pandemic levels through the end of 2021, especially for preventive and diagnostic services in patients under age 65. In this newly extended analysis, examining quarterly procedure volumes from 2020 to 2023 then comparing them to pre-pandemic averages from 2017 to 2019, preventive and diagnostic dental procedures have largely returned to pre-pandemic levels.

Key takeaways from the study include:

• Direct restorations (fillings) declined, while indirect restorations (crowns, etc.) increased, particularly among adults aged 19–64.
• Preventive and diagnostic care rebounded to near pre-pandemic levels, alongside a continued rise in night guard usage and a decrease in emergency and surgical procedures in adults under age 65.
• Recognizing that other contributing factors may have impacted the findings, many changes in care patterns emerged post-COVID and have persisted for three years.

"These trends suggest that while access to routine dental care has improved, the types of treatments people are receiving, and possibly the way oral health issues are being managed, have evolved in the post-COVID era," said Jeffrey Chaffin, DDS, Chief Dental Officer at Delta Dental of Iowa, and co-author of the study. "It's likely a mix of clinical, behavioral, and economic factors at play, but the shifts we're seeing began immediately after practices reopened and have persisted for three years."

Delta Dental conducts important research using national dental care claims data as part of its continued commitment to producing data-driven insights with actionable solutions for improved oral and overall health.

To read the executive summary, click here.

About Delta Dental Plans Association

Based in Chicago, Illinois, Delta Dental Plans Association is the not-for-profit national association of the 39 independent Delta Dental companies. Through these companies, Delta Dental is the nation's largest dental benefits provider and offers the country's largest dental network with approximately 151,000 participating dentists. Over the last 15 years, Delta Dental companies and their foundations invested over $2.3 billion to improve the oral and overall health of our communities.

About the Delta Dental Institute

The Delta Dental Institute advances oral health for all Americans in partnership with Delta Dental companies and dedicated organizations across the country. With expertise rooted in Delta Dental's rich history of oral health leadership, we support oral health research, community outreach, and advocacy, striving to ensure that everyone understands the importance of oral health to overall health and has access to the care they need. Visit deltadentalinstitute.com for more information.

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SOURCE Delta Dental Institute