The supply of dental manpower in the United States

Abstract

This description of the supply of dental services in the United States addresses the number, kind, distribution, and training of dentists and dental auxiliaries, and the organizational factors that affect the production of dental services. Beginning with a brief historical review, the paper gives a general overview of the different types of dental personnel including the dentist, dental hygienist, dental assistant, and laboratory technician. The discussion of these categories of providers includes consideration of manpower planning as it has evolved over the past two decades, National manpower legislation is mentioned first as a reaction to the projected dentist shortage and then in response to the issues of geographic maldistribution and the effects of specialization. The second section of the paper discusses the dynamics of the dental care market. The distribution of the supply of services is identified and related to patterns of utilization and productivity. These factors are considered to be part of the set of dynamic relationships that help explain the current manpower problems of geographic and specialty maldistribution. A concluding section superficially discusses policy implications regarding the potential for increasing supply by: (1) increasing the number of dentists, (2) increasing the numbers and functions of auxiliaries, (3) increasing practice efficiency through group practice, and (4) reducing the restrictions that result from current state dental practice acts.