Quo Vadis?

Despite the shift in third-party dollars for dental care to dental managed care payment systems because of payers' perceptions that they are more cost effective, significant segments of the population still have no access to oral health care. Costs to consumers continue to rise faster than the economy, generally placing pressure on the profession. The accelerating cost of dental education places pressure on young practitioners. It is unclear whether organized dentistry or market forces will have the strongest influence in addressing these problems.