The critical health manpower problem in the United States is most evident in the field of dental health. Shortages of dentists arc projected, due to rising population and income levels. This inadequacy will be accentuated by third-party payments, like Medicaid. The dental manpower situation in the Boston metropolitan area was assessed. It was found that towns that have low socioeconomic levels, compared with towns that have higher socioeconomic levels, had: (a) fewer dentists relative to their populations; (b) fewer specialists; (c) older dentists, less productive in terms of equipment, employment of auxiliary personnel, and hours worked, who will require replacement soon; (d) dentists who less frequently employ auxiliary personnel; and (e) recent histories of losing rather than gaining dentists. While demand for dental care is expected to increase in all areas in the future, low socioeconomic areas with large numbers of Medicaid-eligible patients will show dramatic spurts in dental demand. These poverty areas need more dentists, but it is unlikely that this need will be met. This situation is largely masked by the fact that the Boston metropolitan area as a whole has an excellent dental manpower situation. Redistribution of dentists within the Boston metropolitan area will be necessary to meet dental demands resulting from Medicaid. © Lippincott-Raven Publishers.
