Development of a New Methodology for Dental Health Professional Shortage Area Designation

Funders:	Health Research Services Administration (HRSA) National Center for Health Workforce Analysis
Research center:	North Carolina Rural Health Research and Policy Analysis Center Phone: 919.966.5541
Lead researcher:	Thomas C. Ricketts, PhD , 919.966.5541, tom_ricketts@unc.edu
Project funded:	September 2003
Project completed:	December 2005
Topics:	Dental health Workforce

This project developed a methodology for designating dental health professional shortage areas within the United States, through the application of a conceptual model of dental access and use derived from empirical studies. The model will guide the analysis of national dental utilization data and their relationship to the socio-demographic characteristics of potential dental care service areas in the United States. The analysis will create a set of factor weights that can be applied to areas to determine those that have shortages of dental professionals.

Findings have been summarized in a report to HRSA and includes a detailed analysis and summary of the effects of the proposed methodology on designations; and data, summaries, and a detailed description of the application of the proposed methodology. This proposal is under consideration at HRSA.

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