Merced
Incorporated city · Population 99,435 (2026)
96
NPI records
9.7 records per 10,000 residents.
2026 dental access report
Merced County dentists, compared community by community
The CMS NPI Registry lists 149 active individual dental-provider records across 8 tracked Merced County communities. This is a location-based registry count, not a complete countywide workforce estimate. Within the city of Merced, the same registry method finds 96 individual records, while the separately reviewed directory contains 43 practice pages.
- NPI data updated
- Sep 18, 2026
- Page reviewed
- Sep. 15, 2026
- Communities tracked
- 8 of 8
- Method
- NPI-1 location records
149
NPI records in tracked communities
6.7
Records per 10,000 included residents
2
Pediatric-dentistry NPI records
6/6
Specialist types represented
Community comparison
Where are dentist records concentrated in Merced County?
Merced has the largest recorded supply among the communities tracked here. Winton and Gustine have no matching active individual NPI records in the current data.
Los Banos
Incorporated city · Population 49,255 (2026)
19
NPI records
3.9 records per 10,000 residents.
Atwater
Incorporated city · Population 31,806 (2026)
19
NPI records
6.0 records per 10,000 residents.
Livingston
Incorporated city · Population 14,402 (2026)
10
NPI records
6.9 records per 10,000 residents.
Winton
Census-designated place · Population 11,709 (2020)
0
NPI records
No matching active individual NPI records found.
Gustine
Incorporated city · Population 5,955 (2026)
0
NPI records
No matching active individual NPI records found.
Dos Palos
Incorporated city · Population 5,685 (2026)
1
NPI records
1.8 records per 10,000 residents.
Planada
Census-designated place · Population 4,164 (2020)
4
NPI records
9.6 records per 10,000 residents.
| Community | Place type | Population | NPI records | Per 10,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Merced | Incorporated city | 99,435(2026) | 96 | 9.7 |
| Los Banos | Incorporated city | 49,255(2026) | 19 | 3.9 |
| Atwater | Incorporated city | 31,806(2026) | 19 | 6.0 |
| Livingston | Incorporated city | 14,402(2026) | 10 | 6.9 |
| Winton | Census-designated place | 11,709(2020) | 0 | — |
| Gustine | Incorporated city | 5,955(2026) | 0 | — |
| Dos Palos | Incorporated city | 5,685(2026) | 1 | 1.8 |
| Planada | Census-designated place | 4,164(2020) | 4 | 9.6 |
Incorporated-city populations use California Department of Finance estimates for January 1, 2026. Planada and Winton use 2020 Census counts. A dash means no matching NPI record was found; it does not prove that no dentist serves that community.
Specialty mix
Why does the report show 2 pediatric dentists?
Within this defined NPI dataset, 2 active individual records carry a pediatric-dentistry taxonomy. The matching records are listed in Merced. NPPES taxonomy is submitted by the provider, so the result should be cited as a registry count rather than a definitive count of practicing pediatric dentists.
CMS states that an NPI does not validate licensure or credentials. Offices offering children's dentistry may also appear under general dentistry rather than the pediatric specialist taxonomy.
Read the CMS NPI Registry definition- General dentistry
- 136
- Pediatric dentistry
- 2
- Orthodontics
- 6
- Oral and maxillofacial surgery
- 1
- Periodontics
- 2
- Endodontics
- 1
- Prosthodontics
- 1
County evidence
What does Merced County's oral-health assessment report?
The county's 2025 assessment combines surveys, program data, interviews, and provider mapping. Its findings describe access barriers that NPI records cannot measure.
54.4%
of caregivers reported trouble accessing dental care for their child
Merced County Caregiver Survey, 2023–2025; n=309
51.8%
of caregivers who reported difficulty named limited dentist availability
Respondents reporting access difficulty; n=168
51%
of Merced County residents were enrolled in Medi-Cal
Approximate share reported as of August 2025
Why does the county assessment report 76 providers?
The assessment mapped 76 dental providers across county subdivisions. This page counts individual NPI records at listed locations in eight named communities. The study periods, geographic rules, and counting methods differ, so the totals should not be treated as competing estimates.
Federal shortage designations remain active
HRSA's 2026 federal records list 6 dental Health Professional Shortage Area designations for Merced County: one population-group designation and five facility designations. A designation identifies an eligible shortage area or facility; it is not a count of dentists.
Nearby comparison
How does Merced compare with nearby Central Valley cities?
These are city-level NPI record rates using the same method and current population source. They do not measure appointment availability.
Fresno
Fresno County
- Dentists listed
- 543
- Per 10k
- 9.7
Modesto
Stanislaus County
- Dentists listed
- 272
- Per 10k
- 12.4
Merced
Merced County
- Dentists listed
- 96
- Per 10k
- 9.7
Turlock
Stanislaus County
- Dentists listed
- 91
- Per 10k
- 12.5
Atwater
Merced County
- Dentists listed
- 19
- Per 10k
- 6.0
Los Banos
Merced County
- Dentists listed
- 19
- Per 10k
- 3.9
Chowchilla
Madera County
- Dentists listed
- 10
- Per 10k
- 5.2
Reproducible method
How were the dentist counts calculated?
The steps below define the numerator, location rule, categories, and population denominator.
- 1
Query individual NPI records
Use the CMS NPI Registry API, version 2.1, with enumeration type NPI-1, taxonomy description “Dentist,” location address, California, and each community name.
- 2
Keep active dental records
Keep records whose NPI status is active and whose taxonomy code begins with 1223. Deduplicate by NPI within each community.
- 3
Assign one specialty category
Use the dental taxonomy codes on each record. A recognized specialist code takes precedence over the general-dentist category, so each record appears once in the specialty totals.
- 4
Calculate community rates
Divide each community's NPI record count by its published population and multiply by 10,000. The combined rate uses only the named, inventoried communities.
- 5
Keep practice pages separate
Report the consumer directory as a distinct office-level count. Reviewed practice pages are not added to, subtracted from, or used as a substitute for the individual NPI record total.
Suggested citation
Central Valley Dentists. “Merced County Dentists: 2026 Dental Access Report.” NPI data updated Sep 18, 2026. Methodology version 1.1.
Source notes
Primary sources and publication dates
Figures in this report are based on the public sources and publication dates listed below.
Source 1
CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES)
CMS NPI Registry API, version 2.1, active individual NPI records with a dental taxonomy and a listed practice location in each named community.
Source 2
Central Valley Dentists reviewed practice directory
Current dental-practice pages are counted separately from individual NPI provider records. Locations are reconciled against first-party websites, Google business records, and NPPES.
Source 3
California Department of Finance E-1 population estimates
State of California, Department of Finance, E-1 Population Estimates for Cities, Counties and the State with Annual Percent Change — January 1, 2025 and 2026. Sacramento, California, May 2026.
Source 4
U.S. Census Bureau 2020 Census
U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census population counts for California census-designated places. Used for Planada and Winton.
Source 5
Merced County incorporated cities
Merced County official list of incorporated cities: Atwater, Dos Palos, Gustine, Livingston, Los Banos, and Merced.
Source 6
Merced County 2025 Oral Health Needs Assessment
Merced County Department of Public Health, Oral Health Needs Assessment, revised December 30, 2025.
Source 7
HRSA 2026 dental HPSA county listing
Health Resources and Services Administration, 2026 federal Dental Health HPSA County and County Equivalent Listing.
Questions
Questions about Merced County dentist counts
Short answers to the distinctions that most often change how these numbers are interpreted.
How many dentists are in Merced County?
The CMS NPI Registry lists 149 active individual dental-provider records across 8 tracked Merced County communities as of Sep 18, 2026. This is not a complete countywide workforce count: an NPI can remain active when a dentist is not currently practicing at the listed address, and this report does not cover every unincorporated community.
Why does the report show 2 pediatric dentists?
This dataset contains 2 active individual NPI records with a pediatric-dentistry taxonomy in Merced. The result is accurate for the defined registry query, but it does not prove that only 2 pediatric dentists practice anywhere in the county.
Why are dentist records and dental offices different totals?
The Merced row counts 96 individual NPI provider records, while the separately reviewed city directory counts 43 practice pages. One office can include several dentists, and one dentist can list more than one practice location, so those totals should not be equal.
Why not divide the record count by the full county population?
The numerator covers eight named communities rather than every county location. Dividing that partial numerator by the full county population would make the rate look lower without measuring the missing areas. The report therefore uses only the combined population of the included communities.
Which Merced County communities are included?
The report includes the six incorporated cities of Atwater, Dos Palos, Gustine, Livingston, Los Banos, and Merced, plus the census-designated places of Planada and Winton.
Looking for an office rather than a data record?
Browse published Merced-area practice profiles, then confirm specialty, insurance participation, and appointment availability with the office.