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Dental Health Personnel Planning: a Review of the Literature
Author(s) -
Goodman Harold S.,
Weyant Robert J.
Publication year - 1990
Publication title -
journal of public health dentistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.64
H-Index - 63
eISSN - 1752-7325
pISSN - 0022-4006
DOI - 10.1111/j.1752-7325.1990.tb03558.x
Subject(s) - government (linguistics) , perspective (graphical) , politics , population , public policy , manpower planning , medicine , business , political science , environmental health , operations research , computer science , engineering , philosophy , linguistics , artificial intelligence , law
Dental personnel planning is important in formulating policy in dental education, dental public health programs, and dental care delivery systems. The purpose of this literature review is to illustrate the use of dentist‐to‐population ratios, need‐based models, and demand‐based models in the determination of appropriate supply of dental personnel. A historical perspective is provided that demonstrates how political manipulation and subjectivity have characterized the use of these models by organized dentistry, the federal government, and others. The lack of pertinent data and the inability to predict economic, social, political, and epidemiologic trends weaken the applicability of each model in determining future personnel levels. Considering the long‐term consequences of the use of each model in personnel planning, caution is urged in using any of the presently available models.