The Growing Use of Locums Tenens Dentists
USE OF LOCUM TENENS DENTISTS RISING An emerging shortage of dentists and the industry rebound from COVID-19 have led to a significant increase in the use of locum tenens dentists in recent years. Prior to 2005, AMN Healthcare received virtually no requests for locum tenens dentists, with virtually 100% of the requests we received to fill “temporary days” being for physicians. By 2015, however, 5% of our total temporary days requested were for dentists. That number rose to 6% in 2019, dropped in 2020 due to the pandemic, but is expected to be 5% in 2021, a 50% increase over the previous year.
Based on the requests we receive, the types of dentists in most demand as locum tenens are as follows:
DENTISTS IN MOST DEMAND AS LOCUM TENENS 1. General Practice 2. Pediatrics 3. Endodontic 4. Oral and Maxillofacial
The graphs below include further data reflecting supply and demand trends in dentistry.
NUMBER OF DENTISTS BY SPECIALTY AND PER POPULATION/2019
SPECIALTY
NUMBER OF DENTISTS
DENTISTS PER 100,000
Dental Public Health
1,076
0,36
Endodontics
4,445
1,48
General Practice
163,563
54,52
Oral and Maxillofacial
85
0,03
Oral Pathology
476
0,16
Oral Surgeon
6,450
2,15
Orthodontics
9,475
3,16
Pedodontics
4,932
1,64
Periodontics
5,106
1,70
Prosthodontics
3,359
1,12
Source: Kaiser Family Foundation and www.statefacts.org
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