ADA.org: Future of Dentistry Full Report

FUTURE OFDENTISTRY

disease patterns of the population. Other factors that
impact the capacity of the dental workforce are pro-
ductivity, efficiency, extent of duties of allied personnel,
new technology and techniques, and emerging research
that alters the manner of diagnosis and treatment.
Continued study of dental workforce adequacy is
essential. Studies should assess the number of dental
care providers available to treat the public and
should provide an in-depth analysis of the need for
dental care as well as the demand for dental care. It
should address the capabilities and duties of the var-
ious members of the dental team and establish
whether alterations must be made to assure that the
public can be adequately served.
The national supply of dental services will in-
crease substantially due to enhanced dental produc-
tivity. There is potential to increase dental output
through more efficient use of allied dental person-
nel. These factors indicate that an increase in the
aggregate number of dentists may not be necessary.
Nevertheless, the nation must be ready to act if cir-
cumstances change.
Existing regional workforce imbalances may
become more pronounced in the future. Given the
widely varying workforce conditions among states,
one overall national policy is not likely to satisfy
every state's needs. Each state should address its
workforce issues based on its specific circumstances.
Flexibility is a desirable strategy for workforce
policy. If more dental capacity is needed, an attrac-
tive workforce option is to adjust the number of
allied dental personnel. This is a cost-effective
means to generate additional dental services.
However, dental hygienists and dental assistants are
not available in sufficient numbers in some regions
of the country. Open positions for dental hygienists
in dental offices are difficult to fill, sometimes
remaining vacant for extended periods of time.

Clinical Practice Recommendation-1: Continued
comprehensive studies should be conducted to assess
the capacity of the dental workforce addressing all of
the possible factors and variables that affect the abili-
ty to provide adequate services to the public. The sta-
tus of the workforce should be reassessed periodically.

Clinical Practice Recommendation-2:The dental
profession must continually evaluate its data
requirements and collect needed data in sufficient
quantity, frequency and detail to form the basis for
a rational assessment of workforce requirements.

Clinical Practice Recommendation-3: Due to

regional workforce imbalances, a consortium of

appropriate leaders and other policymakers should be

convened to develop a plan to address these issues.

Clinical Practice Recommendation-4: Individual

states or regions should develop workforce plans

that address their specific needs.

Workforce Model...........................................................................................................................

With the data collected from these workforce

assessments, valid evaluations of the future needs of

the ever-changing population will be possible. It is

imperative to develop a workforce model that por-

trays the emerging pattern of the need for dental

services. Creative methods must be developed to

assure an "elastic" workforce that adjusts to the

changes in a timely and effective manner.

Factors that might be considered in the model

could include geographic distribution of dental

health care providers, the approved duties of allied

personnel and incentive programs that attract prac-

titioners to underserved areas.

Clinical Practice Recommendation-5: Workforce

models should continually be evaluated and

changed, refined and strengthened, as necessary to

forecast the future dental care needs and demands of

the public.

Workforce Balance and Diversity...................................................................................................

The dental profession must develop a balanced

workforce. A balanced workforce is one that is suf-

ficient in number and educationally and culturally

prepared for the many roles required to satisfy the

needs of the public. The workforce must also be

balanced in its capacity to address health promotion

and disease prevention as well as diagnosis and

treatment for the public it serves.

Today's dental workforce is not representative of

the ethnic composition of the population.

Furthermore, enrollment in dental schools and par-

ticipation in the allied dental fields from minority

populations is far below what is desirable in trying

to achieve balance with the present and future eth-

nic distribution of the public. It is imperative that

efforts be made to increase the participation of the

growing minority groups into the dental profession.

Programs to address this issue should include, but

Vision and Recommendations