New York’s Dental Ranking Is Raising Eyebrows Across The State

New York just landed an eyebrow-raising spot in a new dental health report.

The calendar flips to February on Sunday. February happens to be National Children’s Dental Health Month.

How Bad Is New York's Dental Health?

In honor of National Children’s Dental Health Month, the personal-finance company WalletHub released its report on 2026's States with the Best & Worst Dental Health.

According to the CDC, 35 percent of adults have gone over a year without seeing a dentist.

For all the news that the Hudson Valley is sharing, make sure to follow Hudson Valley Post on Facebook, and download the Hudson Valley Post Mobile App

“Living in a dental health-friendly state can make a world of difference for your mouth and your wallet. While there are plenty of things you can do on your own, such as brushing and flossing regularly, some states feature things like access to fluoridated water, dental health programs in schools and robust benefits through Medicaid," WalletHub Analyst Chip Lupo stated.

Dental Health in New York

According to WalletHub, New York's dental health is below average. Below is how New York State ranked with 1 being the best and 25 being average.

• Overall Rank: 33rd
• 24th – % of Adolescents Who Visited a Dentist in the Past Year
• 29th – % Of Adults Who Visited a Dentist in the Past Year
• 38th – Dental Treatment Costs
• 22nd – Dentists per Capita
• 10th – Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Consumption
• 17th – % of Adults with Poor or Fair Oral Condition
• 31st – % of Adults Who Experienced Oral Pain in the Past Year
• 36th – % of Adults with Low Life Satisfaction Due to Their Oral Condition

Illinois was the best state of dental health, Mississippi the worst.

"States that employ a lot of dental health professionals and have low average costs for care are also ideal to live in, giving you more choices at affordable rates," Lupo added.

Methodology

To determine the states with the healthiest teeth and gums in the U.S., WalletHub compared each state across 25 key metrics.

Metrics ranges from the share of adolescents who visited a dentist in the past year to dental treatment costs to dentists per capita.