Michigan’s Low Dental Care Spending Revealed in New Study
Article courtesy of Thorncrest Dental.
- Michigan residents pay one of the smallest shares of their outgoings on dental work, 2.71%, accounting for one dollar for every $37, lower than most states.
- Michigan residents spend 15% less of their annual outgoings on oral health than the US average.
- Of total per capita healthcare expenditure, Michigan residents allocate more to dentistry compared to neighboring states like Ohio (2.29%).
Michigan residents face one of the lowest dental care cost burdens in the nation,
paying around 15% less of their annual outgoings on oral health than the US average, new analysis shows. This comes as almost half of US adults say it is difficult to afford health care costs, according to a July 2025 KFF poll.
Research conducted by Toronto dentist Thorncrest Dental analyzed Bureau of Economic Analysis data for 2023 on the average annual per capita expenditures across the US. Researchers compared total spending to dental care spending to determine where residents allocate the highest proportion of their income to dental health.
Michigan residents pay the 13th-lowest proportion of their outgoings for dental care. Data shows the average resident spends $516 annually on dental care. Michigan has a per capita spending total of $19,040, meaning dental costs account for 2.71% of total expenditure, or around one dollar for every $37, making the burden among the lowest of any state, and 15% lower than the US national average.
Neighboring states also rank lowly, with Ohio at 2.29% and Indiana at 2.95% of personal spending going to dental care.
The US average percentage of annual spending on dental care is 3.2%, based on average yearly per capita spending of $16,244 and dental costs of $524.
Speaking on the findings, Dr. Max Dawabsheh from Thorncrest Dental said:
“Northwestern and rural states show the highest proportion of outgoings on dental care. In these states, even modest dental bills can represent a big share of yearly spending, with per-capita personal expenditure below the national average, meaning the percentage spent on going to the dentist is higher than the rest of the country. Secondly, rural states such as Idaho, North and South Dakota, and Montana may have lower living costs, inflating the relative costs for maintaining good oral health compared to other parts of the country.”
“While you should never negotiate on quality care, you should always do your research before spending large amounts of money at any dental provider. Check out online reviews on trusted sites and always investigate the option of a free consultation so that any spending on dental work that you may have done is justified and you’re ultimately satisfied with what you’re spending your hard-earned money on.”
Sources:
Methodology:
2023 personal expenditure data from the BEA was analyzed to determine which state spent the highest proportion of personal expenditure on dental care costs. This data is given at a state level, and the state with the highest percentage is ranked at the top, descending.
Full table: Dental Care Cost Burden by US State
| Ranking | State | Percentage of personal spending dedicated to dental work | Average expenditure on dental services | Average personal spending by state |
| 1 | Idaho | 5.30% | $566.79 | $10,691.65 |
| 2 | Utah | 5.27% | $563.33 | $10,683.54 |
| 3 | South Dakota | 4.73% | $662.83 | $14,000.47 |
| 4 | Washington | 4.70% | $705.92 | $15,012.98 |
| 5 | Nevada | 4.53% | $541.03 | $11,951.55 |
| 6 | Montana | 4.27% | $605.07 | $14,181.88 |
| 7 | Colorado | 4.25% | $640.94 | $15,068.89 |
| 8 | North Dakota | 4.09% | $607.73 | $14,856.86 |
| 9 | Arizona | 4.08% | $519.51 | $12,721.83 |
| 10 | Oregon | 4.03% | $630.54 | $15,652.55 |
| 11 | North Carolina | 3.90% | $520.71 | $13,347.19 |
| 12 | South Carolina | 3.82% | $490.23 | $12,841.43 |
| 13 | New Hampshire | 3.80% | $743.42 | $19,581.10 |
| 14 | Alaska | 3.69% | $709.47 | $19,224.92 |
| 15 | Wyoming | 3.64% | $574.18 | $15,794.96 |
| 16 | Florida | 3.56% | $511.47 | $14,353.81 |
| 17 | Virginia | 3.45% | $553.52 | $16,059.89 |
| 18 | Georgia | 3.41% | $463.58 | $13,577.48 |
| 19 | Delaware | 3.39% | $561.45 | $16,559.29 |
| 20 | Oklahoma | 3.38% | $466.45 | $13,806.22 |
| 21 | Minnesota | 3.32% | $616.56 | $18,588.28 |
| 22 | Texas | 3.30% | $396.60 | $12,011.56 |
| 23 | Massachusetts | 3.23% | $692.19 | $21,421.40 |
| 24 | Vermont | 3.20% | $627.45 | $19,622.11 |
| =25 | California | 3.16% | $546.61 | $17,291.38 |
| =25 | Wisconsin | 3.16% | $544.63 | $17,254.04 |
| 27 | Arkansas | 3.11% | $420.64 | $13,537.96 |
| 28 | New Mexico | 3.06% | $440.65 | $14,392.78 |
| 29 | Maine | 3.05% | $548.04 | $17,968.89 |
| 30 | Tennessee | 3.00% | $438.96 | $14,613.59 |
| =31 | Nebraska | 2.95% | $472.91 | $16,017.28 |
| =31 | Indiana | 2.95% | $474.37 | $16,093.60 |
| 33 | Kansas | 2.94% | $499.63 | $16,998.42 |
| 34 | Iowa | 2.81% | $465.19 | $16,582.35 |
| 35 | Mississippi | 2.80% | $399.69 | $14,257.58 |
| =36 | Maryland | 2.75% | $500.05 | $18,178.96 |
| =36 | New Jersey | 2.75% | $560.06 | $20,378.71 |
| 38 | Michigan | 2.71% | $516.15 | $19,039.58 |
| =39 | New York | 2.66% | $510.21 | $19,161.77 |
| =39 | Louisiana | 2.66% | $432.58 | $16,249.18 |
| 41 | Alabama | 2.64% | $393.57 | $14,912.77 |
| 42 | Connecticut | 2.58% | $583.44 | $22,573.56 |
| 43 | Missouri | 2.57% | $453.53 | $17,630.68 |
| 44 | Kentucky | 2.56% | $387.13 | $15,095.66 |
| 45 | Illinois | 2.54% | $517.17 | $20,400.83 |
| 46 | Hawaii | 2.53% | $466.55 | $18,444.75 |
| 47 | West Virginia | 2.40% | $408.48 | $17,046.93 |
| 48 | Pennsylvania | 2.36% | $459.46 | $19,444.42 |
| 49 | Rhode Island | 2.31% | $429.20 | $18,609.95 |
| 50 | Ohio | 2.29% | $420.09 | $18,381.10 |
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