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released: 3 Nov 2008 author: AIHW Dental Statistics and Research Unit

This report provides dentist labour force projections from 2005 to the year 2020. In 2007 the establishment of three new regionally located dental schools was announced, which will result in a substantial increase in the number of dentist graduates trained in Australia. These latest projections take into account the three new schools and other recent changes in the supply of dental visits and services.

ISSN 1445-775X; Cat. no. DEN 189; 6pp.; INTERNET ONLY

Summary

  • The annual number of Australian citizen dentist graduates from Australian universities is anticipated to more than double, increasing to approximately 500 graduates by 2014.
  • The number of practising dentists is projected to increase by half (49.4%), to over 15,000, by 2020.
  • The number of dentists per 100,000 population is also expected to increase by just over one-quarter (27.9%), to 63.2 dentists per 100,000, by 2020.
  • Capacity to supply dentist visits is projected to increase by just over one-quarter (28.6%) by 2020 (‘medium’ supply scenario).
  • A comparison of projected supply with projected demand for total aggregate dental visits (‘medium’ scenarios) estimates approximate shortfall of 800 to 900 dental providers by the year 2020.

Recommended citation

AIHW Dental Statistics and Research Unit 2008. Dentist labour force projections, 2005-2020. DSRU research report no. 43. Cat. no. DEN 189. Canberra: AIHW. Viewed 13 January 2013 <http://www.aihw.gov.au/publication-detail/?id=6442468179>.