Dental Scalers (Hand Scalers) In The United States
Written by the Equate Instruments Technical Team · Reviewed by the Medical & Dental Board, Equate Instruments · Published ·
In the United States, Equate supplies 78 hand scalers references directly to clinics, dental groups and distributors. In 2019, an estimated 15.7% of people aged 15 and over in the United States had severe periodontal disease (WHO).
Key points
- In 2019, total US expenditure on outpatient dental care was an estimated US$133,506 million, or US$405 per person (WHO).
Dentists in the United States at a glance
- Dentists in the US (ADA HPI supply series): 163,409 (2001) to 202,485 (2024)
- +23.9% since 2001
- Dentists in the US (ADA HPI supply series): 163,409 (2001) to 202,485 (2024)
- American Dental Association Health Policy Institute, 2024
- In 2025, the United States had 205,088 professionally active dentists (ADA Health Policy Institute).
- 205,088
- In 2025, the United States had 205,088 professionally active dentists (ADA Health Policy Institute).
- American Dental Association Health Policy Institute, 2025
- In 2025, the United States had 60.0 dentists per 100,000 people, with ratios varying by state (ADA Health Policy Institute).
- 60
- In 2025, the United States had 60.0 dentists per 100,000 people, with ratios varying by state (ADA Health Policy Institute).
- American Dental Association Health Policy Institute, 2025
- In 2025, 39.4% of US dentists were women and 21.2% were specialists (ADA Health Policy Institute).
- 39.4
- In 2025, 39.4% of US dentists were women and 21.2% were specialists (ADA Health Policy Institute).
- American Dental Association Health Policy Institute, 2025
- dental schools listed
- 15
- dental schools listed
- Equate research
- Untreated caries, age 5+24.3%
- Severe periodontal disease, 15+15.7%
- No natural teeth, 20+10.2%
The dark line marks the median of Equate's 22 markets. Source: WHO Oral Health Country Profiles 2022 (2019 estimates).
Which types of hand scalers do clinics in the United States stock?
- Jacquette scalers
- Mini and micro sickles
- Hoe scalers
What are hand scalers used for in the United States?
A dental scaler is a hand instrument for removing calculus (tartar) from tooth surfaces above the gumline. See the full guide to dental Scalers (Hand Scalers).
Where do dental students in the United States learn to use hand scalers?
Students at University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine and Columbia University College of Dental Medicine and 13 other the United States dental schools train with hand scalers in their clinical years.
Popular Equate dental scalers (hand scalers) for the United States
All products
What do dentists in the United States search for when buying hand scalers?
In North America, hand scalers draw about 42,250 searches a month (Google Keyword Planner bands, October 2025 to September 2026). The most searched terms are "dental scaler", "scalers", "tooth scaler" and "204 scaler".
Which hand scalers does Equate supply to the United States?
Local guides: San Francisco, Seattle and Washington.
How are hand scalers regulated in the United States?
The FDA sorts medical devices into three classes; Class I is lowest risk and about 74% of Class I device types are exempt from premarket notification (FDA).
How should hand scalers be cleaned and sterilised in the United States?
In 2022, 72.3% of the US population served by community water systems, 209,135,866 people, received fluoridated water (CDC).
What shapes demand for hand scalers in the United States?
In 2019, total US expenditure on outpatient dental care was an estimated US$133,506 million, or US$405 per person (WHO).
In 2021, the WHO recorded that routine, preventive and curative oral health care were not included in the largest US government health financing scheme, which covered 15% of the population (WHO).
Why do practices in the United States buy hand scalers from Equate?
- Samples are available, so a clinic in the United States can test an instrument before ordering in volume.
- Buyers in the United States deal with the manufacturer itself, choosing from 78 hand scalers references.
Social listening
What dental professionals and students in the United States discuss online
Instrument quality, wear and replacement cost
MixedPosters warn that cheaper instruments can bend, dull or need retipping sooner, which cancels out the saving, and that owners pay for every replacement. Some also note that many kit items are rarely used.
- Saving $$ when purchasing dental instruments?· Student Doctor Network, 2012
- Dental Schools & Instruments: Rented vs Bought?· Student Doctor Network, 2009
Buying or leasing dental school instrument kits
CriticalStudents say schools set the required kit, so they cannot shop around, and yearly instrument fees run from a few thousand dollars to well over ten thousand. Many schools are moving to leasing, which students like because broken or worn instruments are replaced and the school controls sterilisation.
“renting is better” (Student Doctor Network, 2009)
- Instrument kits and freebies· Student Doctor Network, 2023
- Dental Schools & Instruments: Rented vs Bought?· Student Doctor Network, 2009
- Possible to save $$$ on dental school equipment?· Student Doctor Network, 2012
Equate's summary of public threads on Student Doctor Network, read 2026-10-27. No posters are named and brand names are left out; thread links are listed in the page's data file.
Equate data
The Equate dental scalers (hand scalers) range for the United States
Catalogue explorer: 78 references
| Pattern | References | Figures | Handles | Coatings | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Posterior Sickle Scalers | 25 | — | anatomical, hollow, knurled, silicone, solid | plasma, titanium-coated, titanium-nitride | EI-0009EI-0054 |
| Anterior Sickle Scalers | 14 | — | ergonomic, hollow, knurled, solid | plasma | EI-0122EI-0190 |
| Jacquette Scalers | 11 | — | knurled, silicone, solid | plasma | EI-0253EI-1070 |
| Mini Sickle Scalers | 10 | — | ergonomic, silicone | — | EI-0248EI-0968 |
| Micro Sickle Scalers | 6 | — | ergonomic, silicone | — | EI-0249EI-0969 |
| Posterior Hoe Scalers | 3 | — | hollow, silicone | — | EI-1006EI-1007 |
| Anterior Hoe Scalers | 1 | — | silicone | — | EI-1005 |
| Scaler & Curette Kits | 8 | — | silicone | — | EI-0244EI-1087 |
Starter kit for a new practice in the United States
- Anterior sickle:H6-H7 Anterior Sickle ScalerEI-0251
- Posterior sickle:Sickle Scaler 204SEI-0009
- Jacquette:Sharp Jacquette J-ScalerEI-0253
What buyers search for
About 42,250 searches a month across 199 related terms.
- dental scaler5,000
- scalers5,000
- tooth scaler5,000
- 204 scaler500
- 204s scaler500
- 204s sickle scaler500
Your Regional Executive · North America
Ahmed Kamal
Regional Executive, Long Island, NY
Frequently asked questions
Can clinics in the United States buy hand scalers directly from Equate?
Yes. Equate sells directly to clinics, dental groups and distributors in the United States. The Regional Executive for North America handles quotes, samples and volume pricing.
References
- World Health Organization (2019)
- US Food and Drug Administration (2026)
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2022)
- Gehrig JS, et al. Fundamentals of Periodontal Instrumentation & Advanced Root Instrumentation. Wolters Kluwer
- Newman MG, Takei HH, Klokkevold PR, Carranza FA. Newman and Carranza's Clinical Periodontology. Elsevier (periodontal instruments)
- Kohn WG, et al. Guidelines for Infection Control in Dental Health-Care Settings, 2003. MMWR 52(RR-17), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
I am a… in the United States
