workforce_re-registration

The Center for Health Workforce Studies at the University at Albany in collaboration
with the State Education Department and the New York State Department of Health to
launch a re-registration survey for all licensed dentists and dental hygienists in New
York State

Assuring an adequate supply of dentists and dental hygienists to provide quality oral health care requires that policy makers,
educators, and health care stakeholders have accurate information on the supply and demand for oral health professionals. While
the state has one of the best population-to-dentist ratios in the country, the distribution of dentists is geographically uneven. Many
rural and inner-city areas have shortages of dentists and dental hygienists and specialty services may not be available.

Since the data currently available on the oral health workforce in New York are limited, there is growing recognition of the need
for better information about the oral health workforce -- who they are, where they work, their practice characteristics, and their
future plans.

The Center for Health Workforce Studies at the University at Albany in collaboration with the State Education Department and the
New York State Department of Health will soon launch a re-registration survey for all licensed dentists and dental hygienists in
New York. The goal of this research is to monitor the oral health workforce in the state and provide better data on the supply and
distribution of dentists and dental hygienists to inform the design, targeting, and evaluation of programs and policies to increase
access to oral health services.

For the past 10 years, the Center and State Education Department have conducted a similar re-registration survey of New York’s
physicians. The survey data have supported the development of an annual report that profiles the physician workforce in the state.
These reports have helped health policy makers and medical educators to plan programs and implement appropriate changes. (For
the most recent physician workforce profile released by the Center, visit http://chws.albany.edu). The Center also uses data from
the re-registration survey to prepare applications for the federal designation of primary care shortage areas.

Similarly, the Center plans to release an annual report based on survey responses describing the supply and distribution of dentists
and dental hygienists across the state. The Center also intends to use data drawn from the surveys to prepare applications for the
federal designation of dental health professional shortage areas.

The need to inform and educate policy-makers and officials about oral health needs and the supply and demand for dentists and
dental hygienists is imperative. The re-registration surveys for dentists and dental hygienists will support the collection and analysis
of relevant data to identify problems, set priorities, and assess the state’s progress toward goals and objectives for improved oral
health care for all New Yorkers.

20 Corporate Woods Blvd.
Suite 602
Albany, New York 12211
ph: 518-465-0044
fax: 518-465-3219
alt: 800-255-2100
nysdf@nysdental.org