title: Nationwide survey of dentist recruitment and salaries in community health centers.
abstract: Recruitment of dentists continues to be a problem in community health center (CHC) dental practices. This study was carried out to quantify the scope of the problem and to determine CHC dentist salaries and benefits. Community health center executive directors nationwide were surveyed regarding dentist vacancies, recruiting issues, and salary and benefit information. Of 345 surveys mailed, 159 responses were received (46.1%). Slightly fewer than half of the responding executive directors (47.8%) reported one vacant dentist position. An additional 11.9% of executive directors reported a second vacancy. The overall vacancy rate was 17.6%. Median salaries ranged from 78,000 dollars for entry-level dentists to 90,000 dollars for dentists with 10 or more years of experience, not including benefits. There are difficulties in recruiting dentists to CHC dental practices. Mean salaries in CHCs are slightly higher than in academic positions, but less than in private practice employment or ownership. Caution should be used when comparing salaried positions with substantial benefits to self-employment or sole proprietorships.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health Sciences, Baylor College of Dentistry, USA.
authors.forename: Kenneth A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Bolin
authors.forename: Jay D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Shulman
mesh_terms: D003149:Community Dentistry / Q000191:economics*; D003151:Community Health Centers / Q000191:economics*; D004498:Education, Dental, Continuing; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D010560:Personnel Selection; D011365:Professional Practice Location; D011635:Public Health Administration; D012456:Salaries and Fringe Benefits / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States; D000078329:Workforce