Oral surgeons in geographic regions and selected metropolitan areas

Region of practice location and size of the metropolitan area where a practice is located have been considered important manpower variables. This report of The Manpower Survey of Oral Surgery in 1974 described the relationship of these two variables to various other characteristics of the practice of oral surgery. Geographic region of the respondents and population of the practice location appeared to influence each other to some extent. There was a small but significant relationship between geographic region and age for 2,251 oral surgeons as well as for the 1,584 in full-time private practice. A similar relationship was observed between population of trade area and age. In each situation, the relationship was not consistent enough to describe a definite trend in the relationship. Both geographic region and population of trade area were associated to a small extent with variations in the professional income of oral surgeons. In New England oral surgeons seemed to earn less than expected whereas in the East North Central states they earned more than expected. There was a significant relationship between geographic region, population of trade area, and type of practice. In the eastern part of the United States, there was a tendency for fewer oral surgeons than statistically expected to establish a solo practice. There was some relationship between geographic region and hours devoted to practice for all oral surgeons as well as for those in full-time private practice. Three regions, West North Central, West South Central, and South Atlantic, had significantly more oral surgeons than statistically expected working more than 50 hours/week, whereas three other regions, East North Central, Mountain, and Pacific, had significantly fewer than statistically expected working more than 50 hours/week. In most areas except New England and the West North Central states, geographic region had no association with the average amount of inpatient or outpatient services the respondents provided. Geographic region appeared to influence the average number of surgical procedures performed. It also had some relationship to the incorporation of dental practice and the distribution of dental staff at the principle hospital used by the respondents. According to the 1974 estimated population for calculating the expected frequencies, there were more active members than expected in the American Society of Oral Surgeons in the New England, Middle Atlantic, and Pacific states and fewer than expected in the West North Central, East South Central, and Mountain states. More respondents than expected on the west coast took two weeks or less of vacation whereas more respondents than statistically expected on the east coast took more than three weeks of vacation.