Ranked: How Often People Visit the Dentist by Country
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Key Takeaways
- The Dutch visit the dentist the most (3.4x times per year), reflecting a culture that emphasizes preventative oral care.
- People in South Korea and Japan also go frequently (1.7–3.1x a year), mirroring those countries’ high rates of overall doctor visits.
Good oral health hinges on more than just brushing and flossing.
It also requires routine check-ups.
This ranking visualizes how often people visit the dentist using data from OECD Health Statistics. It measures the average number of in-person dental consultations per resident in 2023 (or latest year available), last updated 2024.
These Countries Visit the Dentist the Most
The Dutch see their dentist an average of once every 15 weeks.
Universal dental coverage for children, widespread private insurance for adults, and a national emphasis on prevention all help normalize regular cleanings.
| Rank | Country | Region | Average Annual Dental Visits per Person |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Netherlands |
Europe | 3.4 |
| 2 |  Japan* |
Asia | 3.1 |
| 3 |  France |
Europe | 1.7 |
| 4 |  South Korea |
Asia | 1.7 |
| 5 |  Lithuania |
Europe | 1.6 |
| 6 |  Czechia |
Europe | 1.5 |
| 7 |  Estonia |
Europe | 1.5 |
| 8 |  Germany |
Europe | 1.5 |
| 9 |  Luxembourg |
Europe | 1.5 |
| 10 |  Italy |
Europe | 1.4 |
| 11 |  Canada* |
Northern America | 1.3 |
| 12 |  Belgium |
Europe | 1.3 |
| 13 |  Slovak Republic |
Europe | 1.3 |
| 14 |  Austria |
Europe | 1.2 |
| 15 |  Sweden** |
Europe | 1.2 |
| 16 |  Australia* |
Oceania | 1.1 |
| 17 |  Latvia |
Europe | 1.1 |
| 18 |  Croatia |
Europe | 1.1 |
| 19 |  Switzerland* |
Europe | 1.0 |
| 20 |  U.S.* |
Northern America | 1.0 |
| 21 |  Finland |
Europe | 1.0 |
| 22 |  Poland |
Europe | 0.9 |
| 23 |  Denmark |
Europe | 0.8 |
| 24 |  Türkiye |
Asia | 0.7 |
| 25 |  Bulgaria |
Europe | 0.7 |
| 26 |  Hungary |
Europe | 0.6 |
| 27 |  UK |
Europe | 0.6 |
| 28 |  Chile** |
South & Central America | 0.5 |
| 29 |  Costa Rica |
Americas | 0.4 |
| 30 |  Romania |
Europe | 0.3 |
| 31 |  Mexico |
South & Central America | 0.1 |
Note: *As of 2022. **As of 2024.
Industry surveys also show that nearly nine in 10 Dutch adults schedule a check-up at least once a year, underscoring how policy and culture reinforce each other.
East Asia’s High-Frequency Dental Visits
Japan (3.1 annual visits) and South Korea (1.7) trail only the Netherlands (and France).
Both countries also lead the OECD in overall doctor consultations.
Koreans visit physicians roughly 16 times per year, while Japanese patients average 11 visits.
Frequent medical touch-points make semi-annual or even quarterly dental cleanings more convenient. And national health systems subsidize a significant share of costs.
Related: See how often OECD countries visit the doctor every year.These Countries Don’t Like Going to the Dentist
At the other end of the ranking, Mexico (0.1 visits) and Romania (0.3) average fewer than one dental visit every three years.
These are also the poorer countries of in the OECD database, and income levels strongly correlate to better dental care.
In fact, a study published in 2024 showed that high-income countries spend $260 per person on dental care, nearly 500-fold more than low-income nations.
A notable exception to income correlation is the UK (0.6 visits). Long NHS wait-times and a growing reliance on private clinics have also depressed routine check-ups.
Fun fact: Dental care used to be free when the NHS launched. Subsequent demand and rising costs introduced co-pays, and visits accordingly fell.Even Americans only go about once a year.
Higher medical costs and a “go-when-it-hurts” attitude means many Americans delay visits until absolutely necessary.
The Preventative Dividend of Dental Care
The real insight in this graphic is preventative vs. necessary dental care.
Regular cleanings can catch cavities early, reduce costly treatments, and even flag systemic diseases.
Countries that pair insurance coverage with public-health messaging see more dental visits and reap long-term savings.
As policymakers look to trim healthcare budgets, (counterintuitively) encouraging people to visit the dentist more often—and making it affordable—may be a small investment that pays outsized dividends.
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