Abstract

BRAVO-PEREZ, Manuel. Inequalities in the workload per dentist inSpain from 1987 to 1997: Workload per dentist. RCOE [online]. 2004, vol.9, n.3, pp.227-284. ISSN 1138-123X.

Introduction and purpose: During the last two decades Spanish Dentistry has witnessed a great increase in the number of dentists, with a 42.0% reduction in the private workload per dentist between 1987 and 1997. The aim of this study was to compare the reduction in workload between the different Spanish Autonomous Communities (CCAA). Methods: Data were taken from censuses of the population and of dental practitioners, as well as from the Spanish National Health Interview Surveys. The percentage of persons who had visited the dentist in the three months prior to the survey was calculated, as well as the percentage of persons of this last group whose last visit had been to a private practitioner. The total number of visits made by this population was taken as the estimate of total private visits in each CCAA during three months. Total private activity was then divided by the number of dentists. Results and Conclusiones: Both in 1987 and 1997 there are significant differences in the workload per dentist depending on the CCAA, although not in the workload reduction during that period of time.

Keywords : Dentist; Dental utilisation; Workload; Spain.

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