Oral Health, U.S. 2002 Annual Report
Section 16: DENTAL CARE WORKFORCE/
COST OF DENTAL CARE/
ACCESSIBILITY OF DENTAL CARE
| 16.7 |
Proportion of dental degrees awarded to members of underrepresented racial and ethnic groups |
Healthy People 2010 objectives include increasing the numbers of health professionals from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups as an integral part of addressing access to care issues. The proportion of female dental students rose from 2% in 1970 to 38% in 1990. Although minority dental school graduates as a whole increased from 7% in 1970 to 30% in 1990 (Feinberg, 1992), some racial and ethnic minorities remain severely underrepresented. For instance, blacks represented 5.7% of U.S. dental students in 1991-1992. Black dental graduates in 1991 represented 5.1% of all dental graduates. These percentages are far below the percentage of blacks in the general population (Sinkford, 1992).
SOURCE OF DATA
Analyses reported here are drawn from the American Dental Association (ADA) reports titled Survey of Predoctoral Dental Institutions, for dental school classes graduating in 1999 and 2000, and from the American Dental Education Association (ADEA) publication, "Survey of Dental School Seniors—1999 Graduating Class." Data in the ADA reports are obtained from the dental schools while those in the ADEA report are obtained from the graduating students.
The ADA reports that 4,095 dental school students graduated in 1999 and 4,171 in 2000. Neither percentages for blacks (4.2% and 5.7%) or Hispanics (5.0% and 5.3%) varied greatly in this 2-year period (Table 16.7.1). The percentage of black graduates was similar to that in 1991.
There were few differences in post-dental school plans between men and women among 1999 dental school graduates. A higher percentage of blacks/African Americans planned on pursuing advanced education and a lower percentage intended to enter private practice, compared to other groups (Table 16.7.2).
Table 16.7.1. Percent representation in the 1999 and 2000 U.S. dental school graduating class by selected characteristics
This table lists the percentage and number of dental school students graduating in 1999 and 2000 by gender and racial/ethnic group with the characteristics in the left bar.
| |
|
|
35.3 (1,446) |
39.5 (1,647) |
|
64.7 (2,649) |
60.5 (2,524) |
| |
|
|
64.9 (2,657) |
62.2 (2,596) |
|
4.2 (174) |
5.7 (239) |
|
5.0 (204) |
5.3 (220) |
|
0.7 (27) |
0.7 (31) |
|
24.4 (999) |
24.8 (1,034) |
|
0.8 (34) |
1.2 (51) |
Source: Survey of Predoctoral Dental Institutions, ADA, for graduating classes of 1999 and 2000. Materials used with permission of the American Dental Association.
Table 16.7.2. Plans following dental school graduation by race/ethnicity
This table lists the immediate plans following graduation for dental school graduates by race and ethnicity with the plans listed in the left bar such as private practice; advanced education; teaching, research, or administration; government service; and undecided.
|
22.2% |
4.8% |
1.8% |
4.9% |
5.5% |
|
5.6% |
14.7% |
10.7% |
15.5% |
12.0% |
|
16.7% |
42.3% |
26.8% |
42.3% |
33.3% |
|
44.5% |
61.8% |
39.3% |
62.7% |
50.8% |
|
27.8% |
29.1% |
37.5% |
34.5% |
36.4% |
|
0.0% |
2.1% |
3.6% |
1.4% |
0.9% |
|
16.7% |
8.8% |
15.2% |
7.7% |
11.5% |
|
5.6% |
2.7% |
6.3% |
3.5% |
2.0% |
Source: American Dental Education Association. Survey of Dental School Seniors—1999 Graduating Class. Materials used with the permission of the American Dental Education Association.
REFERENCES
Feinberg E. The changing face of dentistry. Texas Dental Journal 1992:25–27.
Sinkford J. Issues and challenges facing the minority woman dentist. J Dent Educ 1992;56:561–565.
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