2026 dental access report card
Dental access in South Carolina
From the U.S. Dental Access Report 2026 by Pete Johnson, founder of dentalist.ai. Source: federal NPPES registry (October 2026) and Census Vintage 2024 estimates. Updated October 21, 2026.
Overall access rank
42nd of 51
65.5 dentists per 100k people (national: 80.2)
Pediatric access rank
32nd of 51
12.2 pediatric dentists per 100k children (national: 14.9)
3,590
Registered dentists
2,920
Practice addresses
191
Cities and towns
18.3%
Specialist share
Specialty coverage
Dentists in South Carolina by primary registered specialty, with the per-100k rate next to the national rate.
| Specialty | Dentists | Per 100k | National |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pediatric dentistry | 141 | 2.6 | 3.2 |
| Orthodontics | 155 | 2.8 | 4 |
| Oral surgery | 127 | 2.3 | 2.7 |
| Endodontics | 96 | 1.8 | 2 |
| Periodontics | 92 | 1.7 | 1.9 |
| Prosthodontics | 45 | 0.8 | 1.1 |
Where South Carolina's dentists concentrate
| City | Dentists | Pediatric |
|---|---|---|
| Columbia | 365 | 10 |
| Charleston | 332 | 24 |
| Greenville | 272 | 17 |
| Spartanburg | 137 | 6 |
| Summerville | 131 | 4 |
frequently asked questions
How many dentists are in South Carolina?
South Carolina has 3,590 NPI-registered dentists practicing at 2,920 addresses in 191 cities and towns, per the federal NPPES registry (October 2026). That is 65.5 dentists per 100,000 residents, against a national rate of 80.2.
How does South Carolina rank for dental access?
South Carolina ranks 42nd of 51 for dentists per capita in the U.S. Dental Access Report 2026. For pediatric access it ranks 32nd of 51, with 12.2 pediatric dentists per 100,000 children.
How many pediatric dentists does South Carolina have?
South Carolina has 141 NPI-registered pediatric dentists, roughly one for every 8,171 children in the state. The national average is one for every 6,705 children.
Counts are individual dentists' NPI registrations from the federal NPPES registry (October 2026), with deactivated registrations removed; they are not licensure data and can include dentists who have retired. Denominators: Census Vintage 2024 estimates. Full methodology in the national report.
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