Market · Northeast Asia
Japan has 80.9 dentists per 100,000 people (employed basis, 2024)
Dental market data for Japan: 15 sourced metrics with as-of dates, source links and comparability ratings; gaps are listed explicitly.
Dental Market Radar Editorial Team · Updated · Data as of
Japan had 80.9 dentists per 100,000 people in 2024 (employed basis), derived from 100,266 employed dentists (MHLW Survey of Physicians, Dentists and Pharmacists 2024) divided by total population (World Bank WDI).
Key points
- Japan had 100,266 employed dentists in 2024, according to MHLW Survey of Physicians, Dentists and Pharmacists 2024.
- Japan had 103,652 registered dentists in 2024, according to MHLW Survey of Physicians, Dentists and Pharmacists 2024.
- Japan had 66,378 registered dental clinics in 2024, according to MHLW Survey of Medical Institutions 2024.
- Japan had 149,579 dental hygienists in 2024, according to MHLW Report on Public Health Administration and Services 2024.
Coverage of the expected metric set: 12 of 12 have a value (1 of them stale), 0 are documented as no reliable figure, 0 are not yet collected. See the coverage matrix.
Cite this
Dental Market Radar (dentalmarketradar.com), Japan dental market data, https://dentalmarketradar.com/markets/jp/
Permanent URL: https://dentalmarketradar.com/markets/jp/. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
Key stats
Versus the region
What is the population of Japan?
Japan had a population of 123,802,000 in 2024, according to Statistics Bureau of Japan Population Estimates.
What is the GDP per capita of Japan?
Japan had a GDP per capita of US$33,797 in 2024, according to World Bank WDI.
How many dentists are there in Japan?
Japan had 103,652 registered dentists in 2024, according to MHLW Survey of Physicians, Dentists and Pharmacists 2024.
How many practising dentists are there in Japan?
Japan had 100,266 employed dentists in 2024, according to MHLW Survey of Physicians, Dentists and Pharmacists 2024.
How many dentists per 100,000 people does Japan have?
Japan had 80.9 dentists per 100,000 people in 2024 (employed basis), derived from 100,266 employed dentists (MHLW Survey of Physicians, Dentists and Pharmacists 2024) divided by total population (World Bank WDI).
How many dental clinics are there in Japan?
Japan had 66,378 registered dental clinics in 2024, according to MHLW Survey of Medical Institutions 2024.
How many dental hygienists are there in Japan?
Japan had 149,579 dental hygienists in 2024, according to MHLW Report on Public Health Administration and Services 2024.
How many dental technicians are there in Japan?
Japan had 31,733 dental technicians in 2024, according to MHLW Report on Public Health Administration and Services 2024.
How many dentists graduate each year in Japan?
Japan had 1,657 new dental graduates in 2025, according to MHLW Pass announcement, 118th National Dentist Licensing Examination.
Tier-1 snapshot
Per-capita rates use World Bank total population for the same year; the national statistics figure stays in the Context table below.
Workforce
Facilities
| Metric | Latest value | Basis | As of | Comparability | Source | State |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dental clinics total | 66,378 facilities | registered | Comparability A | Survey of Medical Institutions 2024 (Overview of results) | Value | |
| Hospitals with a dental department | 1,238 facilities | other | Comparability B | Survey of Medical Institutions 2024 (Overview of results) | Value | |
| DSO share of dental clinics (%) (tier 2) | No figure found why No reliable public estimate. Medical-corporation ownership (25.7% of dental clinics, MHLW 2024) is the closest official proxy but is a legal form, not a DSO/chain measure. | other | Comparability C | Survey of Medical Institutions 2024 (Overview of results) | Not available | |
| Dental businesses total (tier 2) | No record | No record |
Self-pay
| Metric | Latest value | Basis | As of | Comparability | Source | State |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Implant procedures annual (tier 2) | Not published why No national count found. Searches of MHLW, JSOI journal and Survey of Dental Diseases returned only prevalence in older adults (3.8% of age 65+ in 2016, cited second-hand) and clinic-level studies.… | other | Comparability C | Survey of Medical Institutions 2024 (Overview of results) | Not available | |
| Clear aligner cases annual (tier 2) | No figure found why No reliable public estimate. Orthodontics is largely uninsured; no official or association count found. Company disclosures (Align) cover APAC only. | other | Comparability C | Survey of Medical Institutions 2024 (Overview of results) | Not available | |
| Self-pay share of dental spend (%) (tier 2) | 10.8% (stale) | other | Comparability B | Global Neglect of Dental Coverage in Universal Health Coverage Systems and Japan’s Broad Coverage (Int Dent J 2020) | Value (stale) | |
| Total dental spend (US$) (tier 2) | No figure found why FY2023 (Apr 2023-Mar 2024). Not recorded in USD: MHLW national medical expenditure covers insured care only; dental medical expenditure FY2023 = 3,294.5 billion yen (6.9% of 48,091.5 billion yen).… | other | Comparability C | National Medical Care Expenditure FY2023 (Overview of results) | Not available | |
| Dental public coverage | Universal public insurance covers a wide range of dental treatment with copayment by age (30% ages 6-69 for most insured; 20% pre-school children and 70-74;… (stale) | other | Comparability B | Global Neglect of Dental Coverage in Universal Health Coverage Systems and Japan’s Broad Coverage (Int Dent J 2020) | Value (stale) | |
| Dental spend local currency (tier 2) | No record | No record |
Digital
| Metric | Latest value | Basis | As of | Comparability | Source | State |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Intraoral scanners installed (tier 2) | No figure found why No unit count. Only a penetration survey exists: 70.7% IOS utilisation among 260 implant-society dentists in two branches (J Jpn Soc Oral Implantol 39(2):156-163, 2026-06-30), not nationally… | other | Comparability C | J Jpn Soc Oral Implantol 39(2):156-163 (IOS utilization questionnaire) | Not available | |
| Chairside cadcam installed base (tier 2) | No figure found why No reliable public estimate found (CAD/CAM crowns are insured since 2014/2024 revisions but no installed-base count was located). | other | Comparability C | Survey of Medical Institutions 2024 (Overview of results) | Not available | |
| Dental 3d printer installed base (tier 2) | No figure found why No reliable public estimate found. | other | Comparability C | Survey of Medical Institutions 2024 (Overview of results) | Not available | |
| Ios penetration % dentists (tier 2) | No record | No record |
Sleep
| Metric | Latest value | Basis | As of | Comparability | Source | State |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adult OSA prevalence (%) (tier 2) | 14.0% (stale) | estimate | Comparability C | Estimation of the global prevalence and burden of obstructive sleep apnoea (Lancet Respir Med 2019) | Value (stale) | |
| Oral appliance reimbursement (tier 2) | Covered by dental insurance: oral appliance for sleep apnoea, 3,000 points (acrylic type) or 2,000 points (thermoplastic type), billable only on a request with… (stale) | other | Comparability B | Summary of FY2018 dental fee-schedule revision (Hokkaido regional bureau) | Value (stale) |
Context
| Metric | Latest value | Basis | As of | Comparability | Source | State |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 123,802,000 persons | other | Comparability A | Population Estimates (1 Oct 2024) | Value | |
| GDP per capita (US$) | US$33,797 | other | Comparability A | World Bank WDI: GDP per capita (current US$), Japan | Value |
Local definitions
- Population
- Population estimate as of 1 October 2024 (Japanese and foreign residents)
- GDP per capita (US$)
- GDP per capita in current US dollars (market exchange rate)
- Dentists (total)
- Dentists with an address in Japan who filed the biennial notification under Dentists Act Art. 6(3)
- Dentists (practising)
- Dentists whose primary place of work is a medical facility (hospital, clinic)
- Dentists per 100,000 population
- Headline rate (DECISIONS L4/L5): dentists_practising (employed) divided by World Bank total population, same year
- Dental hygienists total
- Licensed dental hygienists employed (就業) as reported to prefectures, as of end of year
- Dental technicians total
- Licensed dental technicians employed (就業) as reported to prefectures
- Dental graduates annual
- New graduates (新卒者) passing the national dentist licensing examination
- Dental schools total
- Faculties of dentistry (6-year dental course) surveyed by MEXT
- Dental clinics total
- Dental clinics (歯科診療所) in operation on 1 October 2024, excluding suspended
- Hospitals with a dental department
- Hospitals that advertise 歯科 as a clinical department (multiple departments counted per hospital)
- Dental public coverage
- Scope of Japan statutory health insurance for dental care
Documented gaps
Reasons: No figure found (gap): we searched and found nothing; Not applicable (structural): the measure does not exist or does not apply there; Source blocked (blocked_source): a source exists but could not be read; Not published (not_published): the authorities do not publish it.
- DSO share of dental clinics (%): gap. No reliable public estimate. Medical-corporation ownership (25.7% of dental clinics, MHLW 2024) is the closest official proxy but is a legal form, not a DSO/chain measure. (record)
- Implant procedures annual: not_published. No national count found. Searches of MHLW, JSOI journal and Survey of Dental Diseases returned only prevalence in older adults (3.8% of age 65+ in 2016, cited second-hand) and clinic-level studies. Implants are outside the insurance schedule so no claims data exist. (record)
- Clear aligner cases annual: gap. No reliable public estimate. Orthodontics is largely uninsured; no official or association count found. Company disclosures (Align) cover APAC only. (record)
- Total dental spend (US$): gap. FY2023 (Apr 2023-Mar 2024). Not recorded in USD: MHLW national medical expenditure covers insured care only; dental medical expenditure FY2023 = 3,294.5 billion yen (6.9% of 48,091.5 billion yen). Propose a local-currency metric (see gaps/JP.md). (record)
- Intraoral scanners installed: gap. No unit count. Only a penetration survey exists: 70.7% IOS utilisation among 260 implant-society dentists in two branches (J Jpn Soc Oral Implantol 39(2):156-163, 2026-06-30), not nationally representative. Propose metric ios_penetration_pct_dentists. (record)
- Chairside cadcam installed base: gap. No reliable public estimate found (CAD/CAM crowns are insured since 2014/2024 revisions but no installed-base count was located). (record)
- Dental 3d printer installed base: gap. No reliable public estimate found. (record)
Data notes
Series breaks: a change in source or definition inside a series. A jump across a break is never growth.
No series breaks documented.
Desk notes on gaps
All values were read from documents fetched this session (MHLW PDFs downloaded and text-extracted; MEXT chart; MHLW exam page; Int Dent J commentary; Lancet Respir Med PMC copy; World Bank API). Quotes in data/facts/JP.yaml are copied programmatically from the extracted text.
Tier 1
| Metric | Status | Value / reason |
|---|---|---|
| population | filled | 123,802,000 (Statistics Bureau, 1 Oct 2024; rounded to thousands by source) |
| gdp_per_capita_usd | filled, medium | US$33,797 (2024, World Bank WDI; Cabinet Office publishes yen only) |
| dentists_total | filled | 103,652 (2024); 105,267 (2022) |
| dentists_practising | filled, comparability B | 100,266 "engaged at medical facilities" (2024); 101,919 (2022). Japan does not publish a "practising" register count. |
| dentists_per_100k | filled | 83.7 reported (2024) |
| dental_hygienists_total | filled | 149,579 employed (2024) |
| dental_technicians_total | filled | 31,733 employed (2024) |
| dental_graduates_annual | filled, comparability B | 1,657 new graduates passing the 118th licensing exam (Mar 2025); no graduates-per-year series fetched |
| dental_schools_total | filled, derived | 29 faculties (11 national, 1 public, 17 private) counted from the MEXT chart labels; no sentence stating "29" was fetched |
| dental_clinics_total | filled | 66,378 (2024) |
| hospitals_with_dental_dept | filled, derived, comparability B | 1,238 hospitals list 歯科 (1,071 general + 167 psychiatric); other dental departments may add a few |
| dental_public_coverage | filled, medium | composite text; exclusions rest on a peer-reviewed commentary (2020), not an MHLW page |
Tier 2 scan
| Metric | Status | Note |
|---|---|---|
| dso_clinic_share_pct | null | Medical corporations own 25.7% of dental clinics (2024) but that is a legal form, not a DSO measure |
| implant_procedures_annual | null | No national count; implants are uninsured so no claims data |
| clear_aligner_cases_annual | null | Uninsured; no official or association count |
| self_pay_share_of_dental_spend_pct | filled, medium, comparability B | 10.8% of dental-clinic treatment costs were uninsured in 2017 (cited in Int Dent J 2020, citation 11). Original source not located; refresh with MHLW 医療経済実態調査 if found |
| dental_spend_total_usd | null | MHLW gives insured dental expenditure FY2023 = 3,294.5 billion yen (6.9% of national medical expenditure). Needs local-currency metric |
| ios_installed_base | null | Only a penetration survey: 70.7% of 260 JSOI dentists (2026), not representative |
| chairside_cadcam_installed_base | null | No reliable public estimate |
| dental_3d_printer_installed_base | null | No reliable public estimate |
| osa_prevalence_adult_pct | filled, low, comparability C | 14.0% modelled for ages 30-69, AHI >=15 (Benjafield 2019); not a national survey |
| oral_appliance_reimbursement | filled, medium | Insured since the 2018 schedule at least (3,000/2,000 points, medical referral required). Later revisions not checked |
Proposed metrics
ios_penetration_pct_dentists(percent): share of dentists using an intraoral scanner, with survey n and sampling frame in notes. JP: 70.7% (n=260, JSOI branches, 2026).dental_spend_local_currency(+currencyin notes) anddental_spend_insured_local: the insured dental line from national health-accounts tables is published in local currency (JP FY2023 3,294.5 billion yen).dentists_nonpractisingor apractising_basisnote field: to separate registered vs employed counts at the metric level rather than in notes.
What paid or industry sources could fill
- IOS, CAD/CAM and 3D-printer installed bases: manufacturer/distributor panels (NDA) or an association-backed survey with the Japan Dental Association. Rough cost US$15k-40k per market for a survey; unverified.
- Implants and aligners: company disclosures (Straumann, Align, Nobel) give APAC aggregates only; JSOI surveys may give volumes.
- DSO share: no definition in Japan; medical-corporation chains disclose clinic counts in annual reports (free).
Decisions needed from the project owner
- Accept comparability-B proxies for
dentists_practisinganddental_graduates_annualin the public tables, labelled. - Approve adding the proposed metrics above (leader owns
metrics.yamladditions via desk A). - Whether to cite the 2018 fee-schedule summary for oral appliances or wait for a current fee-schedule table.
Sources
- Survey of Physicians, Dentists and Pharmacists 2024 (Overview) (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW))
- Report on Public Health Administration and Services 2024 (employed health workers) (MHLW)
- Survey of Medical Institutions 2024 (Overview of results) (MHLW)
- Population Estimates (1 Oct 2024) (Statistics Bureau of Japan)
- World Bank WDI: Population, total (SP.POP.TOTL) (World Bank (UN Population Division, national statistics offices and others))
- World Bank WDI: GDP per capita (current US$), Japan (World Bank)
- Pass announcement, 118th National Dentist Licensing Examination (MHLW)
- MEXT survey of dental faculties: enrolment fill rate and competition (FY2023-25 average) (MEXT (Higher Education Bureau, Medical Education Division))
- National Medical Care Expenditure FY2023 (Overview of results) (MHLW)
- Global Neglect of Dental Coverage in Universal Health Coverage Systems and Japan’s Broad Coverage (Int Dent J 2020) (International Dental Journal (peer-reviewed commentary))
- Summary of FY2018 dental fee-schedule revision (Hokkaido regional bureau) (MHLW Hokkaido Regional Bureau of Health and Welfare)
- Estimation of the global prevalence and burden of obstructive sleep apnoea (Lancet Respir Med 2019) (Lancet Respiratory Medicine (peer-reviewed))
- J Jpn Soc Oral Implantol 39(2):156-163 (IOS utilization questionnaire) (Japanese Society of Oral Implantology)
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