Demand For Dental Services May Spike After Many Americans Delayed Care During The Pandemic

PYMNTS  (4/8) said a TIME-Harris Poll  conducted in February “asked 1,093 participants about their healthcare patterns from the previous 12 months,” finding 78 percent of respondents “reported putting off at least one medical service, with dental services leading at a rate of 30 percent.” The article said health facilities may begin to see a “rebound effect” as more Americans get vaccinated against COVID-19. “Not only will vaccinated people begin to return to normal care routines but those who put off care may present with more serious conditions due to earlier postponement,” the article added.
In addition, Health Exec  (4/8, Baxter) reported that a recent survey  from Insure.com found “almost 40% of respondents put off some health services” during the COVID-19 pandemic, and “the healthcare service most Americans were likely to delay was dental visits (21%), followed by primary care (18%), eye doctor (14%), specialist (12%), physical therapy (10%) and mental health (8%).” The article said that “there may be a surge for certain services, such as dentistry, as Americans become more comfortable returning to normal as the national vaccination program continues to unfold.”