Changes in Urbanicity of Iowa Dentists' Practice Locations, 1997-2013: Second Brief in a Series

In this brief we examine trends in practice location of Iowa’s dentist workforce from 1997-2013. Numerous influences on practice location have been identified,including the age and sex of dental practitioners, size of the community where the dentist was born, race/ethnicity, and family factors. Practice location is particularly important because it impacts geographic access to dental care
for residents of rural areas, where shortages of health professionals are more common. As Iowa’s dentist workforce ages, especially those practicing in rural areas, citizens will likely face decreased access to dental care in the coming decade.