Ladd Dental Group

 At a glance, that data might look “healthy” (inflation only 2%, wages up, etc.). But for dentistry , it actually signals something much more important—and more concerning: 1. This is classic margin compression Supplies/equipment: +6% Wages: +2% Overall inflation: +2% Your largest controllable cost category (supplies) is rising 3x faster than inflation , while labor is only keeping pace. That creates a simple equation: Costs ↑ faster than the broader economy → margins ↓ And dentistry is especially vulnerable because: Fees are often locked by insurance reimbursement Price increases to patients are slow and politically sensitive So unlike many industries, you can’t easily pass that 6% through. 2. It confirms dentistry is in a “cost squeeze” phase The ADA is already calling this a “financial squeeze” environment. What that means structurally: Overhead rising faster than revenue Profitability getting tighter even if production is stable Practi...

 Key Insights Here are four major trends from HPI’s recent work: 1. Workforce/Gender/Demographics Women now represent nearly 40% of practicing dentists in the U.S. — the profession is becoming more gender-diverse.  The number of dental school applicants rose ~11.5% in 2024, the highest since 2007.  The dentist supply is projected to keep growing, potentially outpacing retirements in some markets.  However — geographic distribution remains uneven. Many rural and underserved areas continue to have fewer dentists per population, and younger dentists tend to gravitate toward urban/suburban markets. What this means: Recruitment of dentists (and support staff) is becoming more competitive — especially in attractive suburban/urban markets like Noblesville/Indianapolis. For multi-site groups focused on acquisition/growth, this trend suggests the talent pool is becoming deeper; but also that you need compelling value propositions (culture, leadersh...