Status of the dental health care workforce in Shanghai, China.

OBJECTIVES: The status of the dental health care workforce in Shanghai was investigated in order to support and improve regional planning of this workforce. METHODS: Questionnaires were used to survey all dental medical units in Shanghai. Data were collected on the quantity, structure and levels of dental health personnel. RESULTS: A total of 852 dental medical units and 3,218 dentists were identified in Shanghai. The ratio of dentists to population is 1 : 5,201. CONCLUSIONS: Presently, the total dental health workforce in Shanghai is relatively sufficient, but its distribution is inequitable because there are fewer dental health personnel employed in the suburbs. Moreover, the structure of the dental health workforce in Shanghai is inequitable and specialists in preventive dentistry are lacking. The results of this study can be applied to help Shanghai achieve the rational distribution and efficient utilisation of the dental health workforce available.