Highlights and insights from Henry Schein’s new report predicting 2026 dental data

What do dental professionals need to know about the current state of dentistry moving into 2026? Henry Schein One (HS One) has recently released their 2026 Outlook Trends Report predicting overarching themes for the coming year through collective 2025 data.

This report includes information about how finances influence patient decision making and treatment planning, workplace relations, and how AI is refining the way practices operate. Below is a summary of HS One's findings and

Clarity is key to patient satisfaction

Although 93% of survey consumers consider oral health to be "very important," treatment acceptance remains extremely low-just 47%. So what can dental professionals do to improve this?

HS One researchers found that low case acceptance is due to three main reasons: cost, patient apathy, and low clinician confidence. Therefore, the gap lies not in patients' desire for better oral health, but in communication clarity, clinician confidence, and trust-building.

Key highlights:

• Clinicians often feel guilty when recommending necessary treatment-a dynamic not seen in other health-care fields.

• Experts predict that dentists will confidently present treatment as healthcare, not optional procedures; strong correlations between periodontal disease and dementia, heart attacks, strokes, and type 2 diabetes can strengthen this connection

Why it matters for 2026: Chris Butler, vice president and general manager of DentalPlans.com told HS One: "With the continuing squeeze on practices, slow reimbursement rate increases, and rising costs, getting patients to agree to treatment is the key ... By offering solutions that make care more accessible and accelerate the path to payment for practices, we can solve much of the friction we're currently seeing. I so strongly believe that in 2026 affordable payment solutions will be the key driver of treatment acceptance."

Technology, including AI, is improving care

Despite fears that tech dehumanizes care, technology is enabling personable, more relationship-driven interactions for dental patients. However, technology is becoming a way to increase humanization in the dental office, not a replacement for it.

Key highlights:

Cohesive digital ecosystems allow dental teams to act like they "already know the patient" through things like saved preferences (e.g., no nitrous, sensitive teeth) or having personal context (e.g., knowing about recent vacations, family info). This enables warmer chairside conversations.

• Dentists increasingly use data and digital tools to deepen authenticity and relationship-building

AI is also increasingly seen as an assistant, not a threat to jobs - thanks in part to mainstream tools like ChatGPT normalizing AI usage. However, practices must vet tools carefully in order to avoid cyber attacks; HS One data showed that 72% of healthcare organizations that suffered cyberattacks experienced disrupted patient care.

Florian Hillen, CEO and founder of VideaHealth said: "Dentists are seeing AI more and more as a supportive assisting tool. Tools like ChatGPT have helped people understand that AI is actually beneficial, doesn't threaten your job, and helps you do the same tasks faster, easier, and cheaper."

AI is now routinely assisting with:

• No-show prediction

• Schedule optimization

• Faster eligibility checks

• Knowledge-gap support

• Labor-shortage relief

Why it matters for 2026: Practices that use tech to enhance human connection instead of replacing it with, say, faceless online bots, will stand out in patient experience, loyalty, and case acceptance. Clinicians who pair confident health-based communication with AI visualization will significantly improve case acceptance.

AI's role in solving the staffing shortage

In addition to patient care, AI is helping alleviate dental staffing shortages by supporting, upskilling, and removing burdens from dentists and hygienists.

That being said, dental hygienists remain the hardest role to recruit:

• 92.3% (Q3 2023)

• 91.7% (Q3 2024)

• 90.8% (Q3 2025)

Key highlights:

• AI is not replacing jobs but accelerating training for new graduates

• Because rising wages and shortages make hiring experienced staff difficult, practices are using AI for things like training modules, and workflow automation to train staff members faster and more efficiently.

"We're seeing more practices reach out to us because they can train their team members quicker with AI," said Hillen. "Because of staffing shortages, practices are leaning more into hiring newly graduated dentists and hygienists, but they need to train them quickly. We're also seeing clinicians lean into AI to automate more administrative processes."

Why it matters for 2026: AI helps practices stretch limited staff further, reduce burnout, and improve efficiency without compromising patient care.

Payment options influence patient decisions

Rising prices and uncertainty are making affordability the central barrier preventing patients from seeking care, even though most consider dental care essential.

Key highlights:

• Dental expenditures increased 4%, almost entirely due to price hikes

• Two-thirds of dentists have increased prices by 6.7% on average.

• There have been delays or skipped care due to finances

• 51% restorative

• 45% major procedures

• 35% preventive

• 9% cosmetic

The top financial concerns for patients in 2025 include rising treatment costs (72%), limited insurance coverage (50%), emergency dental expenses (44%), and unpredictable pricing (36%).

Why it matters for 2026: Affordable payment solutions and flexible plans will become the top driver of case acceptance next year. Practices that fail to offer them will see acceptance rates suffer.

Overall, this data can help dentists, hygienists, and practice owners better prepare for the coming year by understanding current patient perspectives and the state of the dental economy.

Reference:

1. 2026 trends outlook. Henry Schein One. https://hsps.widen.net/s/cllvgwwrdw/2026-dental-trends-outlook