82% stayed home, and residents fill 69% of Iowa's seats.84% stayed home, and residents fill 69% of Iowa's seats.87% stayed home, and residents fill 72% of Iowa's seats.
Matriculants from Iowa by the state of their dental school, 2021–2025. Hover a state for the count.
From 2021 to 2025, 341 students from Iowa started dental school, 28th in the nation. 82% stayed in Iowa, all of them at public schools.
The 62 who left went to 22 other states. The most popular out-of-state school was Creighton University (NE), with 18 students.
Iowa's dental school enrolled 405 students over the same years, 69% of them residents. Illinois (22) and Wisconsin (22) sent the most outsiders.
| School | State | Type | Students | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Iowa | IA | Public | 279 | 81.8% |
| Creighton University | NE | Private | 18 | 5.3% |
| University of Minnesota | MN | Public | 5 | 1.5% |
| Kansas City University | MO | Private | 3 | 0.9% |
| University of Nebraska Medical Center | NE | Public | 3 | 0.9% |
| Harvard University | MA | Private | 2 | 0.6% |
| LECOM College of Dental Medicine | FL | Private | 2 | 0.6% |
| Lincoln Memorial University | TN | Private | 2 | 0.6% |
| Marquette University | WI | Private | 2 | 0.6% |
| Midwestern University - AZ | AZ | Private | 2 | 0.6% |
| Midwestern University - IL | IL | Private | 2 | 0.6% |
| Roseman University of Health Sciences | UT | Private | 2 | 0.6% |
| University of Louisville | KY | Public | 2 | 0.6% |
| University of North Carolina | NC | Public | 2 | 0.6% |
| Arizona School of Dentistry & Oral Health | AZ | Private | 1 | 0.3% |
| Howard University | DC | Private | 1 | 0.3% |
| Indiana University | IN | Public | 1 | 0.3% |
| LSU Health Sciences Center | LA | Public | 1 | 0.3% |
| Meharry Medical College | TN | Private | 1 | 0.3% |
| Missouri School of Dentistry & Oral Health | MO | Private | 1 | 0.3% |
| New York University | NY | Private | 1 | 0.3% |
| Oregon Health & Science University | OR | Public | 1 | 0.3% |
| Texas A&M University | TX | Public | 1 | 0.3% |
| UT Health San Antonio | TX | Public | 1 | 0.3% |
| University of Colorado | CO | Public | 1 | 0.3% |
| University of Michigan | MI | Public | 1 | 0.3% |
| University of Pittsburgh | PA | Public | 1 | 0.3% |
| University of Tennessee | TN | Public | 1 | 0.3% |
| Virginia Commonwealth University | VA | Public | 1 | 0.3% |
Matriculants from Iowa by the state of their dental school, 2016–2025. Hover a state for the count.
From 2016 to 2025, 667 students from Iowa started dental school, 28th in the nation. 84% stayed in Iowa, all of them at public schools.
The 104 who left went to 23 other states. The most popular out-of-state school was Creighton University (NE), with 32 students.
Iowa's dental school enrolled 811 students over the same years, 69% of them residents. Illinois (46) and Wisconsin (43) sent the most outsiders.
Iowa's dental school enrolled 811 students; 69% were residents. Top out-of-state feeders:
| School | State | Type | Students | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Iowa | IA | Public | 563 | 84.4% |
| Creighton University | NE | Private | 32 | 4.8% |
| University of Minnesota | MN | Public | 7 | 1.0% |
| Marquette University | WI | Private | 6 | 0.9% |
| Midwestern University - IL | IL | Private | 5 | 0.7% |
| Roseman University of Health Sciences | UT | Private | 5 | 0.7% |
| University of Nebraska Medical Center | NE | Public | 5 | 0.7% |
| LECOM College of Dental Medicine | FL | Private | 4 | 0.6% |
| Kansas City University | MO | Private | 3 | 0.4% |
| Midwestern University - AZ | AZ | Private | 3 | 0.4% |
| University of North Carolina | NC | Public | 3 | 0.4% |
| Harvard University | MA | Private | 2 | 0.3% |
| Howard University | DC | Private | 2 | 0.3% |
| Lincoln Memorial University | TN | Private | 2 | 0.3% |
| Meharry Medical College | TN | Private | 2 | 0.3% |
| Missouri School of Dentistry & Oral Health | MO | Private | 2 | 0.3% |
| Oregon Health & Science University | OR | Public | 2 | 0.3% |
| UT Health San Antonio | TX | Public | 2 | 0.3% |
| University of Louisville | KY | Public | 2 | 0.3% |
| Arizona School of Dentistry & Oral Health | AZ | Private | 1 | 0.1% |
| Boston University | MA | Private | 1 | 0.1% |
| Indiana University | IN | Public | 1 | 0.1% |
| LSU Health Sciences Center | LA | Public | 1 | 0.1% |
| New York University | NY | Private | 1 | 0.1% |
| Texas A&M University | TX | Public | 1 | 0.1% |
| Tufts University | MA | Private | 1 | 0.1% |
| University of Colorado | CO | Public | 1 | 0.1% |
| University of Michigan | MI | Public | 1 | 0.1% |
| University of Missouri, Kansas City | MO | Public | 1 | 0.1% |
| University of Pennsylvania | PA | Private | 1 | 0.1% |
| University of Pittsburgh | PA | Public | 1 | 0.1% |
| University of Tennessee | TN | Public | 1 | 0.1% |
| Virginia Commonwealth University | VA | Public | 1 | 0.1% |
| Western University of Health Sciences | CA | Private | 1 | 0.1% |
Matriculants from Iowa by the state of their dental school, 2000–2025. Hover a state for the count.
From 2000 to 2025, 1,711 students from Iowa started dental school, 29th in the nation. 87% stayed in Iowa, all of them at public schools.
The 221 who left went to 29 other states. The most popular out-of-state school was Creighton University (NE), with 71 students.
Iowa's dental school enrolled 2,073 students over the same years, 72% of them residents. Illinois (106) and Wisconsin (92) sent the most outsiders.
| School | State | Type | Students | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Iowa | IA | Public | 1,490 | 87.1% |
| Creighton University | NE | Private | 71 | 4.1% |
| Marquette University | WI | Private | 12 | 0.7% |
| Midwestern University - IL | IL | Private | 11 | 0.6% |
| University of Minnesota | MN | Public | 11 | 0.6% |
| Roseman University of Health Sciences | UT | Private | 8 | 0.5% |
| University of North Carolina | NC | Public | 8 | 0.5% |
| New York University | NY | Private | 7 | 0.4% |
| University of Nebraska Medical Center | NE | Public | 7 | 0.4% |
| Boston University | MA | Private | 6 | 0.4% |
| LECOM College of Dental Medicine | FL | Private | 6 | 0.4% |
| Midwestern University - AZ | AZ | Private | 6 | 0.4% |
| Missouri School of Dentistry & Oral Health | MO | Private | 6 | 0.4% |
| University of Louisville | KY | Public | 6 | 0.4% |
| Howard University | DC | Private | 4 | 0.2% |
| Case Western Reserve University | OH | Private | 3 | 0.2% |
| Harvard University | MA | Private | 3 | 0.2% |
| Kansas City University | MO | Private | 3 | 0.2% |
| Ohio State University | OH | Public | 3 | 0.2% |
| Oregon Health & Science University | OR | Public | 3 | 0.2% |
| University of Missouri, Kansas City | MO | Public | 3 | 0.2% |
| Arizona School of Dentistry & Oral Health | AZ | Private | 2 | 0.1% |
| Indiana University | IN | Public | 2 | 0.1% |
| Lincoln Memorial University | TN | Private | 2 | 0.1% |
| Meharry Medical College | TN | Private | 2 | 0.1% |
| UT Health San Antonio | TX | Public | 2 | 0.1% |
| University of Colorado | CO | Public | 2 | 0.1% |
| University of Michigan | MI | Public | 2 | 0.1% |
| University of Pennsylvania | PA | Private | 2 | 0.1% |
| Western University of Health Sciences | CA | Private | 2 | 0.1% |
| Columbia University | NY | Private | 1 | 0.1% |
| LSU Health Sciences Center | LA | Public | 1 | 0.1% |
| Medical University of South Carolina | SC | Public | 1 | 0.1% |
| Temple University | PA | Public | 1 | 0.1% |
| Texas A&M University | TX | Public | 1 | 0.1% |
| Tufts University | MA | Private | 1 | 0.1% |
| University at Buffalo | NY | Public | 1 | 0.1% |
| University of Florida | FL | Public | 1 | 0.1% |
| University of Maryland | MD | Public | 1 | 0.1% |
| University of Nevada, Las Vegas | NV | Public | 1 | 0.1% |
| University of New England | ME | Private | 1 | 0.1% |
| University of Pittsburgh | PA | Public | 1 | 0.1% |
| University of Tennessee | TN | Public | 1 | 0.1% |
| University of Washington | WA | Public | 1 | 0.1% |
| University of the Pacific | CA | Private | 1 | 0.1% |
| Virginia Commonwealth University | VA | Public | 1 | 0.1% |
In the last five years, 82% of Iowa's first-year dental students stayed in-state, down from 92% in 2000–2004. Nationally, 57% stayed home in 2025, down from 66% in 2000.
1,572 dentists work in Iowa: 48.5 per 100,000 people, below the U.S. rate of 60.0. That's #39 of 51 for dentists per person. The number of dentists is up 3% since 2001.
Dentists working in dentistry, counted where they work. *The ADA advises caution with 2023–2025 figures. Source: ADA.
Iowa lost a net 34 dentists to other states from 2019 to 2024 (−2.5% of its 2019 dentists), #41 of 51. The state's overall population changed by −0.3% from domestic migration (2020–2025).
Dentists active in both 2019 and 2024, so new graduates and retirees are not counted. Source: ADA.
Path