title: Economic feasibility of alternative practitioners for provision of dental care to the underserved.
abstract: This study assesses the viability of three alternative practitioner types for provision of dental care to the underserved. Key factors modeled include compensation, training and practice costs, productivity, and payer mix scenarios. Utilizing dental therapists or dental health aide therapists is cost-effective for enhancing access. However, to be sustainable, the practices will require a subsidy or a better reimbursement than modeled. Without tuition support, the debt burden will deter applicants mostlikely to treat the underserved.
authors.affiliation: ECG Management Consultants, Inc, Seattle, WA 98101, USA.
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Matthiesen
mesh_terms: D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D018864:Cultural Diversity; D032022:Delegation, Professional; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000191:economics*; D003726:Dental Assistants / Q000191:economics / Q000193:education; D003727:Dental Auxiliaries / Q000191:economics / Q000193:education; D003729:Dental Care / Q000191:economics*; D003756:Dental Hygienists / Q000191:economics / Q000193:education; D017598:Efficiency, Organizational; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005376:Financial Management; D005380:Financing, Government; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000191:economics; D006801:Humans; D007347:Insurance, Dental / Q000191:economics; D008507:Medically Underserved Area; D010560:Personnel Selection; D011364:Professional Practice / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration; D012051:Reimbursement Mechanisms; D012456:Salaries and Fringe Benefits; D014146:Training Support; D014481:United States