How often should we see our dentist? Sometimes, this is dictated by our dental insurance, or concerns about costs, or even the availability of dental care. But what interval should we strive for to get the best outcomes for our oral health? In this article, we look at what the research evidence has to say about the matter.
How Often Do People See Their Dentist?
In the European Union (EU), the average number of dental visits per person per year varies a lot between countries (see Figure 1). Figures 2, 3, and 4 give you an idea of how many people see their dentist per year in the United Kingdom (UK), Canada, and the United States (US).
Figure 1. Number of dentist consultations per inhabitant in the EU in 2021, by country.
Source: Statista, 2023.
Figure 2. Usual pattern of dental care attendance by gender in the UK, 2020.
Source: UK Government Statistics, 2024.
Figure 3. Percentage of Canadians with at least one dental visit in the past year by age and gender, 2018.
Source: Canadian Community Health Survey, 2018.
Figure 4. Percentage of adults aged 18–64 with a dental visit in the past 12 months in the US, 2019 and 2020.
Source: CDC, 2022.
Based on findings from the data from these sources, the following factors appear to influence an individual’s likelihood of seeing a dental professional:
- Race and ethnicity
- Income
- Urbanicity
- Age
- Dental insurance
- Gender
How Often Should People See Their Dentist? The Evidence
The research evidence in support of people seeing their dental healthcare professional at certain intervals is lacking. The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) recommends a child’s first visit by age 1 year or within 6 months of the first tooth eruption (whichever comes first). However, their recommendation is based on cost outcomes and not on evidence supporting dental (or other) health outcomes. The AAPD further recommends a dental visit every six months after the initial visit, but no evidence supporting that recommendation is provided.
In the UK, most dentists invite their patients back for visits every 6 months. However, the large UK INTERVAL trial did not support this recommendation. The study concluded that there are no dental health benefits to biannual dental visits compared to risk-based intervals or dental visits every 2 years for people at low risk. However, the study was limited to adults, so it provides us with no information about what is best for children and adolescents.
A large 2023 review study looked at 4537 published research papers to answer the question: “What evidence is currently available for the effect of different frequencies of dental visits on dental caries and periodontal disease?” The studies were from all over the world. The review found that the most common recommendation from dental professionals was for dental care visits every 6 months for all their patients. However, the evidence supporting that recommendation was either weak or of low quality.
The review found that for adults, there is little to no effect on dental caries and periodontal disease from biannual, once every 2 years, or even risk-based dental visits. The study authors, therefore, suggested that in the absence of evidence for specific dental visit intervals, dental professionals should make individually tailored, risk-based recommendations for dental visits rather than suggesting fixed frequencies. The review found that there was not enough evidence for making recommendations for children.
Let’s look at a few individual studies to see if they can shed any more light on the subject. A systematic review looked at early preventive dental visits (EPDVs) in children. The review found that evidence for a first EPDV visit by age 1 year is weak and that an EPDV before age 3 years is likely only of benefit to high-risk children or those with existing dental disease.
The Bottom Line
Overall, there is a lack of good-quality evidence supporting how often people should see their dentist. However, there is also a lack of good evidence supporting the widely touted twice-yearly visits.
The bottom line, based on the research evidence we have, suggests that recommendations should be tailored to individuals based on their oral health and risk. Unfortunately, the definition of “high-risk” individuals is not given in many of the studies. Nonetheless, the World Health Organization (WHO) suggests that those at high risk could include:
- Smokers
- People with diabetes
- People with existing dental or gingival disease
- People aged 60 and older
- People with poor oral hygiene
- Consumers of a poor, high-sugar diet
- Frequent alcohol users
- Areca nut users
- People with known human papillomavirus infection
- People with poor alignment of teeth
- People with a history of cleft lip and palate
At-risk children may benefit from an EPDV by age 3 years. In children and adults of average risk for dental disease, a not less than biennial (every 2 years) dental visit may be reasonable, although there is little evidence supporting even this frequency. For individuals of all ages, dental visits should be risk-based, although guidelines defining the exact intervals are lacking.
