ADEA Releases New Data Report on the Results of the 2024 ADEA Survey of Allied Dental Program Directors
ADEA recently released the report Allied Dental 2024: An Analysis of the Results of the 2024 ADEA Survey of Allied Dental Program Directors in the United States. The report examines various aspects of accredited U.S. allied dental education programs during the 2023-24 academic year.
This biennial, spreadsheet-style report reflects the characteristics of the 64% (367) of accredited allied dental education programs in the United States that responded to the 2024 ADEA Survey of U.S. Allied Dental Program Directors. The 35 tables in the report provide a comprehensive overview of allied dental programs, program directors and faculty during the 2023-24 academic year.
The Excel-based report can be accessed here:
Some of the key points we found in 2023-24 academic year include the following:
- Fewer full-time than part-time allied faculty overall. On average, only 33% of the allied faculty were full time. These numbers highlight the heavy use of part-time faculties in most programs.
- Full-time allied faculty hiring outpaced departures. In total, 225 full-time allied faculty were hired and 178 departed in 2024. Both dental hygiene and dental laboratory technology programs experienced significant faculty turnover.
- Full-time allied faculty open positions exceeded lost positions across programs. On average, allied dental programs had an open positions ratio of one open position per seven full-time allied faculty and a lost position ratio of one lost position per 60 full-time allied faculty. These indicate that while some positions were cut, a much larger number remained unfilled during the 2023-24 academic year.
- Allied program directors’ workload exceeded contracts. Though most allied program directors were contracted 36-40 hours a week, nearly 25% reported working 46-50 hours per week and 18% worked 51-60 hours per week.
- Over half of the allied programs plan to increase enrollment. On average, 53% of the allied dental programs planned to increase enrollment.
For more information, please contact the ADEA Office of Educational Services research team at adeadata@adea.org.
Published on August 13, 2025