As states face shortage of dentists, demand for care soars By HPN Staff A recent government report shows that several states face a shortage of dentists, which could leave millions of Americans, particularly in rural areas, without easy access to dental care. The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has identified health professional shortage areas (HPSAs) in the primary medical care, mental health, and dental fields. For dental services, an HPSA is defined as an area in which there is fewer than one dentist per 5,000 people. The report identifies 7,054 dental HPSAs, impacting more than 59 million Americans. Why it matters With a growing population, the increase in the number of dental HPSAs has raised concerns among some about the advent of “dental deserts,” areas of the country where access to dental care is greatly limited. The HRSAs' number echoes similar, earlier studies, such as one published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in December of last year, which found that 1.7 million Americans lived farther than 30 minutes away from the nearest dental clinic. This lack of access can result in fewer people seeking dental services, less preventive dental care, and overall poorer oral health outcomes. Even for those who still choose to seek care, the strained access can result in longer waiting times and higher costs. Several policy proposals have been advanced by industry and government to address this shortage and meet the estimated number of 10,000 new dentists needed to close the gap. These include opening new dental schools, loan repayment programs and the expansion of telehealth services to include dental services. One policy being tried, but may prove controversial, is the creation of new dental professional categories which would allow dental hygienists and therapists to perform procedures normally reserved for fully certified dentists. The bigger picture The 10 states with the greatest number of people living within an HSPA, according to the report, are: Florida New York California Virginia Puerto Rico Illinois Arizona Texas Tennessee Louisiana Much of what is behind the dental professional shortage is tied to the COVID-19 pandemic — a significant number of people left the dental field during the pandemic, including more than 3,000 dental hygienists. And while this phenomenon took place across virtually all medical fields, the dental industry falls well behind the rest of the health care sector in workforce recovery. Meanwhile, the median age of dentists in the U.S. is 51.5 years, suggesting that a large number of retirements are pending. Additional details It's not only dentists leaving the practice: a 2022 study from the American Dental Association’s Health Policy Institute reports that roughly one-third of dental assistants and hygienists could retire within the next 5 years, adding to existing staffing concerns. Complicating the issue further is that the demand for dental care is increasing, evidenced by Bureau of Labor Statistics projections of 5% job growth in dentistry through 2033.
