New Data: Approximately 9.6 Million U.S. Adults Have Traveled Abroad for Dental Care, Cost Disparity Is the Primary Reason

Source: "Cross-Border Medical Care: Dental Tourism for American Adults"

DentalGoodNews｜In April 2026, the U.S. oral health research institution CareQuest Institute for Oral Health (hereinafter referred to as "CareQuest") released the report "Crossing Borders for Care: Dental Tourism among US Adults", indicating that approximately 3.9% of U.S. adults (equivalent to 9.6 million people) have traveled abroad for dental treatment.

The report data shows that over half of the respondents (58%) cited lower costs as the primary reason for seeking treatment abroad. Another 9% of respondents stated that the reason was a lack of dental insurance in the U.S. The report cites data showing that the average cost of root canal treatment in the U.S. is $838, compared to $542 in Canada and $436 in France; seeking treatment overseas can save up to 75% of treatment costs.

In terms of population distribution, the proportion of Asian/Pacific Islander (9.4%) and Hispanic (8.5%) individuals seeking treatment abroad is significantly higher than that of White individuals (2.2%). Broken down by age group, the proportion of people aged 30 to 44 seeking treatment abroad is the highest (5.2%), while those aged 60 and above have the lowest proportion (2.3%).

Source: "Cross-Border Medical Care: Dental Tourism for American Adults"

There is a correlation between insurance coverage and the behavior of seeking treatment abroad. Among adults who have reached the annual maximum benefit limit of their dental insurance in the past year, the rate of seeking treatment abroad is 7.6%, compared to 2.7% for those who have not reached the limit; among adults who do not plan to visit a dentist in the next year due to a lack of insurance, the rate of seeking treatment abroad is 5.4%, higher than that of those without such concerns (2.3%).

According to a previous report by DENTALGOODNEWS (Leading Dental Industry Media, DGN), the U.S. market research institution Market.us released the "Global Dental Tourism Market" report, predicting that the global dental tourism market size will reach $53.2 billion by 2033, with a compound annual growth rate of 22.3%, primarily driven by high dental costs in high-income countries.

The report points out that countries such as Mexico, Thailand, and Hungary are common destinations for treatment. Seeking treatment abroad carries potential risks, including differences in infection control standards, difficulties in follow-up care, and limited legal recourse channels. CareQuest recommends that those planning to seek treatment abroad should verify the qualifications of medical institutions, refer to the medical travel guidelines of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and retain complete treatment records.

This report is based on data from the 2025 "State of Oral Health Equity in America" survey, conducted by NORC at the University of Chicago from January to February 2025, with a sample size of 9,450 people and a margin of error of ±1.61%.