*Data points reflect licensure/license data obtained and analyzed by UW CHWS team.

Number of Individuals with WA Dental Licenses, 2009-2024

2022 licensure data from the Washington State Department of Health includes the following dentist licenses: Dentist License (DENT), n=6,815; Dentist Faculty UW License (DEFC, for dentists who have been licensed to practice dentistry in another state or country, and who have been accepted for employment by the University of Washington, School of Dentistry), n=17; Dentist Resident Community License (DERE), n=23; and Dentist Resident Postdoctoral License (DEUW, for university postdoctoral students or residents in dental education, or postdoctoral residents in a dental residency program to provide dental care only in connection with his or her duties as a university postdoctoral dental student or resident or a postdoctoral resident in a program), n=31.
2009 and 2016 credential frequencies from the Washington State Department of Health via the reports: 
Skillman SM, Andrilla CHA, Alves-Dunkerson JA, Mouradian WE, Comenduley M, Yi J, Doescher MP. Washington State’s Oral Health Workforce. Seattle, WA: Center for Health Workforce Studies, University of Washington, Nov 2009 
Patterson DG, Andrilla CHA, Schwartz MR, Hager LJ, Skillman SM. Assessing the Impact of Washington State’s Oral Health Workforce on Patient Access to Care. Seattle, WA: Center for Health Workforce Studies, University of Washington, Nov 2017 

Statewide Distribution, Age, And Sex

The University of Washington Center for Health Workforce studies used state dental licensing records to summarize the size and distribution, age, and sex of Washington’s dental workforce in 2009 and 2016, and again beginning in 2022. The number of dentists increased in 2016 (5,326 or 74 per 100,000 population) compared with 2009 (4,637 or 69 per 100,000 population), and to 75 per 100,000 population in 2023. The average age of dentists increased slightly from 48.1 years in 2009 to 48.4 years in 2016, although has decreased slightly to 47.6 years in 2023, while the proportion that is female increased from 22.3% in 2009 to 37.4% in 2023.

Calculations exclude missing responses (1.2%) and are only conducted for Washington license holders with Washington mailing address; Washington-licensed dentists without a corresponding Washington mailing address are excluded from analysis.

Distribution by Accountable Community of Health

Washington state dentists, with a license address in Washington, were unevenly distributed across Washington’s Accountable Communities of Health (ACH) (follow the link to view a current map of the ACHs across the state). In Healthier Here, the most populous ACH in Washington, comprised of King County, there were 109 licensed dentists per 100,000 population in 2016, and 112 per 100,000 population in 2023. All other ACHs had a dentist-to-100,000 population ratio less than 70.

Dentists per 100,000 Population with Washington Licenses by Accountable Communities of Health (ACH)

Note: Registered dentists with mailing addresses outside of Washington not included.
*In 2016, the ACH names were slightly different:

• Healthier Here = King (2016)
• SWACH = Southwest WA Regional Health Alliance (2016)
• Olympic Community of Health = Olympic (2016)
• Elevate Health = Pierce (2016)
• Greater Health Now = Greater Columbia (2016)
• Choice = Cascade Pacific Action Alliance (2016)
• Thriving Together North Central = North Central (2016)

Data source: Washington State Department of Health, Health Professions Licensing Data System and Washington State Office of Financial Management Population Data.
Results were previously reported in: Patterson DG, Andrilla CHA, Schwartz MR, Hager LJ, Skillman SM. Assessing the Impact of Washington State’s Oral Health Workforce on Patient Access to Care. Seattle, WA: Center for Health Workforce Studies, University of Washington, Nov 2017.

*Data points reflect licensure/license data obtained and analyzed by UW CHWS team.

Number of Individuals with WA Dental Hygiene Licenses, 2009-2023

2022 licensure data from the Washington State Department of Health includes the following dental hygienist licenses: Dental Hygiene License (DEHY), n=6,060; Dental Hygiene Initial Limited License (DEHI), n=136; Dental Hygiene Renewable Limited License (DEHL), n=566. DEHI licenses allow hygienists to work, but do not allow any anesthesia or restorative procedures until the full license is obtained. DEHL licenses allow for anesthesia procedures, but not restorative. Restorative education is not required for maintaining the DEHL.
2009 and 2016 credential frequencies from the Washington State Department of Health via the reports: 
Skillman SM, Andrilla CHA, Alves-Dunkerson JA, Mouradian WE, Comenduley M, Yi J, Doescher MP. Washington State’s Oral Health Workforce. Seattle, WA: Center for Health Workforce Studies, University of Washington, Nov 2009 
Patterson DG, Andrilla CHA, Schwartz MR, Hager LJ, Skillman SM. Assessing the Impact of Washington State’s Oral Health Workforce on Patient Access to Care. Seattle, WA: Center for Health Workforce Studies, University of Washington, Nov 2017 

Statewide Distribution, Age, And Sex 

In 2009 and 2016 and again in 2022, the University of Washington Center for Health Workforce studies used state dental hygiene licensing records to summarize the size, age, and sex of Washington’s dental hygienist workforce. Overall, the number of hygienists has increased in 2023 (6,051 or 77 per 100,000 population) compared with 2009 (4,381 or 66 per 100,000 population). The average age of dental hygienists increased from 44.3 years in 2009 to 45.5 years in 2022, while the proportion of female hygienists has decreased from 96.9% in 2009 to 96.0% in 2023.

Calculations exclude missing responses and are only conducted for Washington license holders with Washington mailing address; Washington-licensed dental hygienists without a corresponding Washington mailing address are excluded from analysis.

Distribution by Accountable Community of Health

Dental hygienists are unevenly distributed across Washington’s Accountable Communities of Health (ACH) (follow the link to view a current map of the ACHs across the state). The ratio of dental hygienists per 100,000 population in 2016 varied from a high of 84 per 100,000 population in the Better Health Together Accountable Community of Health (ACH) to a low of 61 per 100,000 population in the Olympic ACH. In 2023, Better Health Together continues to have the highest proportion of dental hygienists in the state (90 per 100,000 population), and Health Here has the lowest (65 per 100,000). 

Dental Hygienists per 100,000 Population with Washington Licenses by Accountable Communities of Health (ACH)

Note: Registered dentists with mailing addresses outside of Washington not included.
*In 2016, the ACH names were slightly different:

• Healthier Here = King (2016)
• SWACH = Southwest WA Regional Health Alliance (2016)
• Olympic Community of Health = Olympic (2016)
• Elevate Health = Pierce (2016)
• Greater Health Now = Greater Columbia (2016)
• Choice = Cascade Pacific Action Alliance (2016)
• Thriving Together North Central = North Central (2016)

Data source: Washington State Department of Health, Health Professions Licensing Data System and Washington State Office of Financial Management Population Data.
Results were previously reported in: Patterson DG, Andrilla CHA, Schwartz MR, Hager LJ, Skillman SM. Assessing the Impact of Washington State’s Oral Health Workforce on Patient Access to Care. Seattle, WA: Center for Health Workforce Studies, University of Washington, Nov 2017.

*Data points reflect licensure/license data obtained and analyzed by UW CHWS team.

Number of Individuals with WA Dental Assistant Registration, 2009-2023

2022 licensure data from the Washington State Department of Health.
2009 credential frequencies from the Washington State Department of Health via the report: 
Skillman SM, Andrilla CHA, Alves-Dunkerson JA, Mouradian WE, Comenduley M, Yi J, Doescher MP. Washington State’s Oral Health Workforce. Seattle, WA: Center for Health Workforce Studies, University of Washington, Nov 2009 

Statewide Distribution, Age, And Sex

Washington first required dental assistants to be registered by the state on July 1, 2008. Unlike for dentists and dental hygienists, these records were not used in previous reporting by the University of Washington Center for Health Workforce studies to summarize the size and distribution, age, and sex of dental assistants in Washington. Therefore, we have used another data source, the American Community Survey (ACS), to estimate the supply of dental assistants in 2014 and 2018. Data for 2022 and 2023 come from the Washington state licensure records.

Note: Because some of the estimates of the dental assistant supply were generated from different data sources, caution is encouraged in the interpretation of differences between years.

*2014 and 2018 values are estimated using data from the American Community Survey. 2022 and 2023 values are calculated from Washington State Department of Health dental assistant registration records obtained by WOHW.
Calculations exclude missing responses and are only conducted for Washington license holders with Washington mailing address; Washington-licensed dental assistants without a corresponding Washington mailing address are excluded from analysis.

Distribution by Accountable Community Of Health

The ratio of dental assistants per 100,000 population by Accountable Communities of Health (ACH) (follow the link to view a current map of the ACHs across the state) stayed consistent between 2022 and 2023. North Sound ACH (Snohomish, Skagit, Whatcom, Island, and San Juan counties) had the highest proportion of dental assistants in the state (259 per 100,000) and Healthier Here (King County) had the lowest with 179 registered dental assistants per 100,000 population in 2023.

Dental Assistants per 100,000 Population with Washington Licenses by Accountable Communities of Health (ACH)

Note: Registered dentists with mailing addresses outside of Washington not included.
*In 2016, the ACH names were slightly different:

• Healthier Here = King (2016)
• SWACH = Southwest WA Regional Health Alliance (2016)
• Olympic Community of Health = Olympic (2016)
• Elevate Health = Pierce (2016)
• Greater Health Now = Greater Columbia (2016)
• Choice = Cascade Pacific Action Alliance (2016)
• Thriving Together North Central = North Central (2016)

Data source: Washington State Department of Health, Health Professions Licensing Data System and Washington State Office of Financial Management Population Data.
Results were previously reported in: Patterson DG, Andrilla CHA, Schwartz MR, Hager LJ, Skillman SM. Assessing the Impact of Washington State’s Oral Health Workforce on Patient Access to Care. Seattle, WA: Center for Health Workforce Studies, University of Washington, Nov 2017.

Number of Individuals with WA Dental Credentials, 2009-2022

The EFDA license is a stand-alone license, although they are all REGISTERED dental assistants.  
2009 denturist credential frequencies from the Washington State Department of Health via the report: 
Skillman SM, Andrilla CHA, Alves-Dunkerson JA, Mouradian WE, Comenduley M, Yi J, Doescher MP. Washington State’s Oral Health Workforce. Seattle, WA: Center for Health Workforce Studies, University of Washington, Nov 2009 

Note: Data for dental anesthesia assistants, expanded function dental auxiliaries, and denturists were not available for analysis by CHWS in 2009 and 2016.