DT News - MEA - Middle Eastern dental market to swell to more than US$1.6 billion

Donna Santos

Dr Kamran Zamanian

Mon. 5 February 2024

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Although the dental industry in the Middle East plunged in value by more than 30% in 2020 owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, by 2023 it had rebounded so significantly that predictions hold the market to be worth upwards of US$1.6 billion by 2029.^1–5 The industry includes a variety of market segments, such as dental prostheses, digital dentistry, dental bone graft substitutes and other biomaterials, dental implants and dental operatory equipment, and continuous developments have turned what was a sinking market into something robust, promising valuable gains for the region, which includes Bahrain, Iran, Israel, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

Ageing population by country in the Middle East in 2022.

Dental prostheses market

The dental prostheses market, encompassing crowns and bridges, inlays, onlays and complete dentures, is the largest segment. It is expected that the demand for dental prostheses will continue to grow, thanks to an expanding regional population, which has increased by more than 35% since 2005.⁶ It is the aged among the population which has significantly bolstered this market’s growth. According to data published by the World Bank, it can be estimated that the UAE’s ageing population has been growing at an average annual growth rate of 19%, followed by Kuwait at 12%.⁷ Moreover, this demand is fuelled by the growing number of migrant workers, as Arab states are considered a top destination for economic opportunity. A Pew Research Center article reported that 93.9% of residents in the UAE, 80.6% of residents in Qatar and 71.3% of residents in Kuwait in 2020 were international migrants.⁸ Overall, the dental prostheses market is expected to reach over US$900 million in 2029, the majority being accounted for by crowns and bridges.²

Dental prostheses market in the Middle East in 2019–2029.

Dental implant market in the Middle East in 2019–2029.

Dental implant market

In line with the growth of the dental prostheses market, the dental implant market is poised to reach US$187 million.⁵ Improved access to dental healthcare is expected to continue boosting market demand in the short term, allowing patients suffering from edentulism to receive implants with ease and reliability. Based on estimates of per capita expenditure on dental healthcare, Israel has the highest per capita expenditure compared with other countries in the Middle East, followed by Qatar.

According to the Global Burden of Disease study, Qatar has the highest score in caries in the permanent dentition among individuals aged 20 years and above, while Israel has the highest score in periodontal disease in the same age group.⁹ Efforts and initiatives for dental health awareness in each country, leading to improvements in oral health, may have a negative impact on market growth.

Digital dentistry market

The Middle East has consistently embraced and integrated digitisation into its dental workflows through the utilisation of CAD/CAM technologies and dental 3D printers. The increasing prevalence of dental clinics has contributed to a rise in unit sales in recent years. Moreover, the number of dentists is continually growing across each country in the region. For instance, in the UAE, the number of dentists increased fivefold from 2010 to 2018, 1,203 compared with 6,273.^10, 11

Furthermore, the growing popularity of clear aligners has contributed to an increase in unit sales of intra-oral scanners. With the expansion of the Straumann Group, Align Technology, Dentsply Sirona and other significant competitors in the dental industry in the Middle East, it is expected that the growth will continue to increase annually.^12–14

A substantial portion of the digital dentistry market is accounted for by CAD/CAM materials, followed by CAD/CAM devices. The dental 3D printer market is identified as the most rapidly growing segment. The CAD/CAM device market is the most concentrated owing to increased competition across all segments. The milling system market, in particular, is saturated with competitors, leading to price reduction. Both the intra-oral scanner and laboratory scanner markets are experiencing pricing pressure as low-cost manufacturers gain traction. In the chairside CAD/CAM system market, new competitors, including dental distributors offering open CAD/CAM system services, are emerging, resulting in an overall decline in pricing across all segments of the global CAD/CAM device market. Consequently, the digital dentistry market in the Middle East is expected to reach a market value of US$69.4 million by 2029.¹

Digital dentistry market in the Middle East in 2019–2029.

Dental bone graft substitute and other biomaterials market in the Middle East in 2019–2029.

Dental bone graft substitute and other biomaterials

The dental bone graft substitute and other biomaterials market is closely associated with the dental implant market, as dental bone graft substitute and dental membrane products are commonly used in dental implant procedures. One of the major drivers of this market in the Middle East is the ageing population, and the market is further fuelled by improved access to and the quality of dental care.

However, similar to the dental implant market, this is expected to provide a short-term boost. In the longer term, as oral health improves, the demand for restorative therapies could begin to decrease. The longer-term impacts of these developments remain to be seen, but for the foreseeable future, the market is expected to experience stable growth. Overall, the dental bone graft substitute and other biomaterials market in the Middle East was valued at US$24 million in 2020 and is expected to reach more than US$32 million by 2029.³

Dental operatory equipment market in the Middle East in 2019–2029.

Dental operatory equipment market

The dental operatory equipment market includes dental chair units, dental cabinetry, dental handpieces, curing lights, ultrasonic scalers, intra-oral cameras, caries detection devices, dental autoclaves, dental vacuum systems, dental air compressors, practice management software, dental microscopes and dental lasers. Unit sales of these items will be driven by the growing number of dental clinics, as the presence of both local and migrant dentists continues to increase in the Middle East. Technological innovation, bolstered by a product bundling marketing strategy, has played a significant role in boosting unit sales.

However, this market growth will be hampered by the generational displacement of dentists. Senior practitioners are often less inclined to adopt new technology, as it requires learning to use unfamiliar tools instead of the more familiar ones with which they have gained extensive experience. Because the average age of retirement among dentists is continuing to increase, a growing number of older dentists are expected to remain active in the field over the forecast period. This persistence of senior practitioners is likely to contribute to the sustained usage and sales of older technology in the dental industry. As dental clinics continue to expand owing to the growing number of dentists, it is expected that this market will grow and possibly reach a market value of US$457 million in 2029.⁴

Conclusion

Among the dental markets in the Middle East, the largest market is the dental prostheses market, followed by the dental operatory equipment market. Overall, the growing ageing population, which includes migrant residents in the Middle East, is having a significant impact on all the markets mentioned in this report, resulting in a positive trend, which is being propelled by the increasing number of dentists and improved dental healthcare access. Technological innovation and the continued embrace of digitisation will also fuel the growth of these markets.

However, these advancements are being tempered by the ongoing improvements in dental hygiene. The generational displacement of dentists too is having different impacts on the digital dentistry market, likely boosting unit sales while limiting growth for dental operatory equipment. The continuous evolution of product materials and the intense competition in the market are expected to exert a significant impact that must be closely monitored in the coming years.

Editorial note:

A complete list of references can be found here.

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