2017 Dentist workforce report

2017 Dentist Workforce Report Georgia Board for Physician Workforce

Characteristics of Licensed Dentists Practicing in Georgia, 2017

In 2017 there were 4,693 dentists actively practicing in the state of Georgia. The rate per 100,000 population was 45.5. There were 23 counties in Georgia (a population of 199,317) with no dentist . The Occupational Outlook Handbook projections show that the dentist occupation is expected to grow 19% in the United States by 2026. This is due to an aging population, popularity of cosmetic dental services, and an increase in access to healthcare.
Source: Occupational Outlook Handbook, Dentists, accessed June 7, 2018 from www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/dentists.htm#tab-6

Chart 1

Distribution of Dentists by Age Group

The 2017 Dental Survey indicated the average age of licensed dentists actively practicing in Georgia was 51 years and the largest single age group was greater than 64 (15%), nearly as large was the 40-44 and the less than 35 age groups (14%). The age group with the fewest number of licensed dentists was 50-54 (10%).

Distribution of Dentists by Gender
Of the 4,693 survey respondents in 2017, 3,211 (69%) were male and 1,472 (31%) were female. According to the American Dental Association (ADA), the number of female dentists increased nationally from 26.2% in 2012 to 31.0% in 2017, an increase of 4.8%. Male dentists declined from 73.8% in 2012 to 69.0% in 2017, a decrease of 4.8%.

Chart 2

1 Source: American Dental Association, Supply of Dentist, accessed June 8, 2018 from www.ada.org

Distribution of Dentists by Work Hours, Georgia 2017
Chart 3
80% of dentists worked 30 hours or more a week and 20% worked less than 30 hours a week.
Distribution of Dentists, Georgia 2012--2017
The distribution of dentists from 2012--2014 was reported by the American Dental Association. The ADA's count of dentists was higher and included dentists who were both practicing and non-practicing in Georgia. The Georgia Board for Physician Workforce (GBPW) utilizes data from the Georgia Dental Board licensure survey which includes practicing dentist only. The GBPW did not report on dentist supply and distribution prior to 2015.
Chart 4

ADA

GBPW

Source: American Dental Association, Health Policy Institute Analysis of ADA Masterfile, accessed on June 8, 2018 from www.ada.org/en/science-research/health-policy-institute/data-center/supply-of-dentists.

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Dentists Median Salaries by Specialty, U.S. 2017
Chart 5

Source: Occupational Outlook Handbook, Dentists, accessed March 8, 2017 from www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/dentists.htm#tab-6
Distribution of Dentists by Age Group, Gender, and Work Hours, Georgia 2015 and 2017
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Chart 7

Chart 8 3

Map 1
Atkinson Baker Banks Brooks Chattahoochee Clay Crawford Echols Hancock Heard Jenkins Long Marion Montgomery Oglethorpe Pulaski
Quitman Randolph Schley Taliaferro Twiggs Warren Webster
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Distribution of Dentists by General Dentistry and Other Specialty Services* Georgia 2017
Table 1
* In table 1 Other Specialty Services includes the following practice types: Dental Public Health, Endodontists, Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology, and Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Orthodontists & Dentofacial Orthopedists, Pediatric Dentists, Periodontists, and Prosthodontists.
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Distribution of Dentists by General Dentistry and Other Specialty Services* Georgia 2017
Table 1, cont.
* In table 1 Other Specialty Services includes the following practice types: Dental Public Health, Endodontists, Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology, and Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Orthodontists & Dentofacial Orthopedists, Pediatric Dentists, Periodontists, and Prosthodontists.
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Acknowledgements
This report was produced under the direction of LaSharn Hughes, MBA, Executive Director; Data Team: Andrea Pass, MBA, Data Analyst; G.E. Alan Dever, MD, PhD, Consultant; Jocelyn Hart, Administrative Assistant III; and Janice Campbell, Administrative Assistant. The Board would like to thank the Georgia Board of Dentistry for providing dentist renewal survey data.
The Dentist Workforce Report can be viewed and downloaded on the internet at gbpw.georgia.gov. The Georgia Board for Physician Workforce welcomes comments and suggestions for future editions of this
report. Please send comments to gbpw@dch.ga.gov. Please follow us on Twitter: @GAPhysicianWork
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