Dental ER Visits Surge: 2020-2022 Data
- Emergency departments saw an average of 1.9 million visits annually for tooth disorders between 2020 and 2022, according to data from the National Center for Health Statistics.
- loredana Santo analyzed data from the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey.
- The study revealed that adults aged 25 to 34 made up the largest percentage of these emergency room visits, accounting for 29.2%.
ER Visits for Tooth Disorders average 1.9 Million Annually
Updated June 13, 2025
Emergency departments saw an average of 1.9 million visits annually for tooth disorders between 2020 and 2022, according to data from the National Center for Health Statistics. This equates to roughly 59.4 visits per 10,000 people.
Researchers Susan M. Schappert and Dr. loredana Santo analyzed data from the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey. Their findings highlight key trends in emergency dental care.
The study revealed that adults aged 25 to 34 made up the largest percentage of these emergency room visits, accounting for 29.2%. White, non-Hispanic individuals comprised the largest group seeking emergency dental care, followed by Black, non-Hispanic individuals and Hispanics. A significant portion of these visits were covered by Medicaid.
Notably, the use of opioids for pain management in these cases has decreased. data shows a drop from 38.1% between 2014 and 2016 to 16.5% between 2020 and 2022.
“During 2020 to 2022, tooth disorders accounted for about 1.9 million emergency department visits per year, or about 1.4% of all emergency department visits,” the authors wrote. They added that visit distribution varied by patient age, race, and ethnicity, but not by sex.
What’s next
Further research could explore preventative measures to reduce the number of emergency room visits for tooth disorders and address disparities in access to dental care.