New report: 91 percent of adults say oral health is a key part of overall health

Adults are increasingly recognizing the connection between oral health and broader systemic conditions, with awareness of links to chronic illnesses such as kidney disease, diabetes and dementia rising this year.

Younger adults are helping drive this shift, with Gen Z showing notable year-over-year gains in understanding how oral health connects to overall and chronic health. Among Gen Z respondents, 94 percent say oral health is very or extremely important to their overall health, up from 89 percent in 2025.

"Oral health is playing an increasingly important role in how adults define overall well-being," said James W. Hutchison, president and CEO, Delta Dental Plans Association. "As awareness grows, particularly among younger adults, it creates powerful momentum to advance prevention, expand access and drive better long-term health outcomes."

Additional key findings from the 2026 State of America's Oral Health and Wellness Report include:

• 90 percent of adults say preventive dental exams are just as important as an annual physical exam, up from 87 percent in 2025.
• In 2025, adults living in urban areas were more likely than those in rural areas to report a preventive dental visit (53 percent vs. 40 percent).
• More than 8 in 10 (81 percent) of Gen Z respondents agree that protecting oral health is closely connected to mental health, up from 73 percent last year.
• About half (48 percent) of Gen Z respondents rate their oral health positively, up significantly from 31 percent in 2025.
• 95 percent of parents say their child's oral health is a top priority.
• In 2026, 78 percent of parents rated their child's oral health as "good" or "excellent," the highest level in five years.

To read the 2026 State of America's Oral Health and Wellness Report and learn more about the research methodology and full findings, head to www.deltadental.com/state-of-americas-oral-health-report.

About the report

Delta Dental Plans Association commissioned a third-party market research firm, Material Holdings, to conduct the research that formed the basis of this report. Material conducted the research between Jan. 5 and Jan. 15, 2026, using an email invitation and online surveys of audiences recruited through an opt-in panel:

• 1,000 nationally representative U.S. adults ages 18-plus
• 1,000 parents of children ages 12 and younger

Geographic distribution quotas were set to ensure reliable representation of the U.S. population. The margin of error is +/- 3%.

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