Requirement and supply of dental services in Victoria.

The appropriateness of dental manpower has become a great uncertainty in the changing practice of dentistry. This paper presents research on the requirement for and supply of dental services in Victoria between 1984 and 1996. The requirement for dental services was found to be increasing due to population growth and higher per capita demand due to decreased endentulism. The supply of dental services was found to be mildly decreasing due to balanced supplementation and attrition processes and subtle sex ratio and age distribution changes among dentists. The resulting market excess, even after consideration of idle capacity and transfer of services supplied to dental therapists, provides a marked contrast to many, but not all, developed countries. It also offers an opportunity to shape occupational and specialty distribution to the advantage of dental professions and the public.