Where to Open or Buy an Orthodontic Practice: How to Read the Market
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Where to open or buy an orthodontic practice: how to read the market
An orthodontic practice depends on a narrower slice of the population than a general practice. Most of your patients are children and teens, treatment is largely elective and paid over time, and many general dentists now offer clear aligners. A location that works well for a general dentist can be a poor one for an orthodontist, and the reverse.
This guide walks through what to measure when you are choosing where to open, or judging the market around a practice you might buy.
How many orthodontic practices does the US have?
Dentagraphics' research team has verified 10,581 active orthodontic practices in the US. With about 341 million residents, that is roughly 32,200 residents per orthodontic practice nationally, against about 3,860 residents per general dental practice.
That national figure varies widely by state. Among states with more than 500,000 residents, it ranges from about 19,800 residents per orthodontic practice in Utah to about 50,700 in West Virginia. See the full table in dental specialists per capita by state.
Source: Dentagraphics verified practice counts, October 2026; population from Census ACS.
What to measure around a location
1. Children and teens, not just total population
A market of 100,000 people with a young population supports more orthodontic work than one with the same total and an older population. Look at the number of residents under 18 within a realistic drive of the site. Nationally, about 21% of residents are under 18, so an area well above that share has more of the patients you are building for.
2. Household income
Orthodontic treatment is mostly elective and often paid out of pocket or on a payment plan. Median household income, and the share of households at higher incomes, tell you how much of that demand can turn into accepted cases. Compare the area with its county and metro, not only the US median of about $81,600.
3. Other orthodontists nearby
Count the orthodontic practices within a short drive, and divide the young population by that count. Use a list a person has checked. Online maps often list the same orthodontist at several satellite offices, which can make an area look more crowded than it is.
4. General dentists offering aligners
Many general dentists now offer clear aligners for simpler cases. You don't have to count each one, but a high density of general practices near a site means more of the simpler cases may stay with them. A high number of general practices per resident is also a sign of a strong referral base, so read it both ways.
5. Referral relationships
Many orthodontic patients arrive through a general dentist's referral or a parent's recommendation. Nationally there are about 8 general practices for every orthodontic practice. Look at how many general practices sit near your site, and how many orthodontists they already refer to.
6. Growth
Young families moving into an area are the strongest signal for orthodontics. Population growth, new housing and school enrollment trends all point the same way.
Opening vs buying an orthodontic practice
- Opening: you choose the market, but you start without a patient base or referral relationships. The market data above matters most here.
- Buying: the practice brings patients in treatment and referral sources. Check whether the market can still feed new starts once current cases finish, and whether new orthodontic offices have opened nearby since the practice's best years. See our due diligence checklist.
Frequently asked questions
How many people does an orthodontic practice need? There is no single number. Nationally there are about 32,200 residents per orthodontic practice, but what matters is the number of children and teens within a realistic drive, their families' incomes, and how many orthodontists already serve them.
Is it better to open an orthodontic practice near general dentists? Usually yes, for referrals, but general dentists who offer aligners also keep some simpler cases. A strong general dentist presence is a net positive in most markets.
Where can I see how many orthodontists are near an address? A Dentagraphics membership shows verified practices by specialty around any address or drawn area, along with demographics and household income.
How Dentagraphics helps
- Free plan: state and county demographics and competition.
- Start/Buy membership ($149 per month): unlimited address and area searches, with verified orthodontic, pediatric and general practices around each site.
- Single-Site Study ($695) or Area Analysis ($745): a demographer studies the market for your practice and writes the analysis, including the population, income and nearby orthodontists.
Our competition data covers 118,330 US dental practices verified by hand. We do not broker practices and hold no stake in any location.
Considering a location for an orthodontic practice? See a free sample report, or create a free account to look up demographics and competition in any county today.