Measuring the supply and demand for dentists in a population

A more precise methodology for measuring the supply and demand for dental services in the population is needed. The traditional approach for evaluating dental manpower needs in a given geographic area has been to compute a population per dentist ratio and then to compare the computed ratio with some norm, such as the same ratio for the state or nation. Use of the population per dentist ratio to detect surplus and shortage areas has several deficiencies: the 'ideal' population per dentist ratio is unknown, even on an average basis over a large population served by many dentists. Thus, the use of a normative value for population per dentist ratio is questionable; comparison of population per dentist ratios between populations makes the assumption that all dental practitioners are equally productive; comparison of the ratios also assumes that the dental demands of the populations are equal. A more refined approach to the detection of dental surplus and shortage areas has recently been suggested by Mumma. The purpose of this paper is to apply a modification of the Mumma approach to an existing population, the State of Iowa, and to correlate the results with those obtained from the population per dentist ratio and a dental busyness index.