Dental shortages continue to impact care in state
Patients residing in rural areas of Wisconsin may face barriers to accessing dental care.
The COVID-19 pandemic facilitated the earlier retirement of a large number of older dental providers, according to a news article from Wausau Pilot & Review. Data from the ADA Health Policy Institute indicated that compared with the age breakdown of dentists in 2020, about 33% vs 25% of Wisconsin’s dentists were baby boomers and 50% vs 33% of them were millennials in 2023. This generational gap is expected to widen in the coming years. As a result, dental shortages have led to delayed care and fewer options for accessing dental clinics — particularly in rural areas. Even prior to the pandemic, Wisconsin had been facing dental shortages. Federal data suggested that 33% of the state’s rural counties and 15% of its metropolitan counties are considered dental health professional shortage areas.
Dentists practicing in rural areas of Wisconsin have experienced challenges in encouraging early career dentists to move permanently to underserved communities. For instance, HPI data has shown that dental graduates have more student debt and are more interested in practicing in urban environments. The state is among 26 U.S. states that continuously lose early career dentists when they pursue opportunities in other states. Further, graduates are less likely to start their own practice and more likely to use their first jobs to gain experience and make money to pay off their loans.
However, in 2023, the Wisconsin Dentistry Examining Board decided to allow graduates of the state’s only dental program at the Marquette University’s School of Dentistry to forgo the practical examination prior to receiving their state licensure. The expedited licensure process, in combination with recent adjustments to the state scholarship program for dental students, provides graduates with incentives to practice in rural areas of Wisconsin.
Read more: Wausau Pilot & Review
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