The economics of dental practice--present and future

The combination of increased practitioner income, increases in the proportion of the population reporting visits for dental services, decreases in the number of dental school graduates, decreases in the dentist-to-population ratio, and increases in the number of female students and practitioners (many of whom report significantly fewer work hours than their male counterparts), portends favorable economics for dental practices. However, the cost of dental care is "felt" to a greater extent than for other health services. Current and future funding arrangements for dental services could be vulnerable to economic downturns, efforts to control business overhead costs and continued minimal government support. There may need to be concern regarding the infrastructure of economics of dental practice. A series of favorable developments, including increasing dental practitioner income, an increasing use of dental services, decreasing numbers of graduates and decreasing practitioner-to-population ratios would seem to favor continued encouraging prospects for the future of dental practices. However, compared to other health services, the reliance on (1) out-of-pocket funding for a major share of dental expenditures, and (2) limited government support for dental services raise questions regarding the infrastructure of dental economics. These subjects are reviewed in the following presentation.