Latino dentists in the U.S. Census from 1980 to 2019: Implications for dental care access

This study describes the supply of Latino dentists in the United States from 1980 to 2019, as tabulated by the Census. The number of Latino dentists per 100,000 Latino population was compared to the number of non-Hispanic White (NHW) dentists per 100,000 NHW population. These four-decade comparisons were made for the entire country as well as the five states having the largest Latino populations.

Data from the decennial census and the American Community Survey were used to identify the nationwide population, the number of dentists, and their respective Spanish-language abilities, stratified by race/ethnic group (Latinos and non-Hispanic Whites).

In 1980, there were only 18 Latino dentists for every 100,000 Latino population in the entire nation, compared to 70 NHW dentists per 100,000 NHW population. While there was an increase to 21 Latino dentists per 100,000 in 1990, the supply remained virtually the same over this almost 40-year period, ending back at 18 per 100,000 in 2019. In comparison, there were about four times as many non-Hispanic White dentists as Latino dentists. This national discrepancy was also reflected in the five states that were evaluated. Similarly, Latino dentists were far more likely to speak Spanish than NHW dentists at both the national and state levels.

The Latino dentist supply, already inadequate in 1980, has remained virtually unchanged over the past almost 40 years. The authors believe that this deficiency will have profound consequences, and recommend that initiatives be undertaken to increase the number of Latino dentists.