According to the American Dental Association (ADA) Health Policy Institute's poll, which was conducted the week of January 18, patients' confidence in returning to the dental office is on the rise. The percentage of respondents who reported that they have already been back or are ready to go for a dental appointment was 88%.

The ADA Health Policy Institute summarized the results in a webinar about the COVID-19 economic impact on dental practices. Here are some key takeaways from the poll:

• At the time of the poll, patient volume reached 80% of pre-COVID-19 levels.
• Staffing in dental offices was at 99% of pre-COVID-19 levels.
• Four out of five employee dentists were being paid fully.
• It is not likely that the remaining 12% of patients will come back to the dental office before COVID-19 is fully under control.
• Overall hiring and employment rates have almost fully recovered to pre-COVID-19 levels. Patient volume has recovered to 80% range and will continue to increase as more people get vaccinated. Full recovery is not expected before the end of summer or fall.

The ADA's YouTube channel has more webinars on previous COVID-19 related data. Additional resources such as reports, slide decks, and an interactive data dashboard can be found at ADA.org/HPI.