Office of Rural Health & Primary Care
Health Workforce Analysis Program
Profile of Minnesota Dentists – 2005
The Office of Rural Health and Primary Care asks dentists to answer questions about their
employment status and the nature of their practices each year when they renew their licenses.
Response to the survey is voluntary and does not affect license renewal.
Numbers of Dentists
In January 2006, there were 3,847 dentists with Minnesota licenses. Some of these were retired or
not working as dentists, and many lived or practiced in other states.
Based on survey responses and licensing data from the Minnesota Board of Dentistry, the Office of
Rural Health and Primary Care estimates approximately 2,950 dentist were practicing at least part
time at Minnesota practice sites in early 2005. For explanation of this estimate, see the
methodological note at the end of this report.
Using the July 1, 2005, population estimate for Minnesota, 2,950 dentists equate to 57 active
dentists per 100,000 people.
All data reported below is for dentists who worked at least part time at a primary practice site in
Minnesota, according to the Office of Rural Health and Primary Care survey of dentists renewing
licenses for 2005.
Geographic Distribution
Dental practices are mostly located in metropolitan areas and small cities and regional centers. The
46 most rural counties have 13 percent of the state’s population, but only eight percent of the
state’s practicing dentists.
2004 Population
Urban
Rural (old definition)
Statewide
Metropolitan counties
Micropolitan counties
Rural (new definition)
3,015,421
2,129,685
5,145,106
3,732,499
752,857
659,750
Percent of
Population
58.6%
41.%
100.0%
72.5%
14.6%
12.8%
Percent of Dentists
68.6%
31.4%
100.0%
78.5%
13.7%
7.8%
Shading is used to distinguish data reported under the old urban-rural definition from data reported
under the new MSA-micropolitan-rural definition (see page 7 for full explanation).
P.O. Box 64882
St. Paul, MN 55164-0882
(651) 282-3838
http://www.health.state.mn.us
November 2005
Profile of Minnesota Dentists – 2005
page 2
Dental practices are mostly located in metropolitan areas, small cities and regional centers. The 46
most rural counties have 13 percent of the state’s population, but only 8 percent of the state’s
practicing dentists.
Geographic Distribution of Active Minnesota Dentists
Micropolitan
14%
Rural
8%
Metropolitan
78%
2004 Minnesota Population
Rural
13%
Micropolitan
15%
Metropolitan
72%
Profile of Minnesota Dentists – 2005
page 3
Gender of dentists
Only 20 percent of all dentists are female, but females account for nearly 40 percent of dentists under
age 45. Urban dentists are more likely to be female than are rural dentists. Eighty-seven percent of
female dentists practice in metropolitan areas and only 5 percent practice in the 46 most rural counties.
Respondents
2,446
335
477
838
606
190
1,679
767
1,920
334
192
All dentists
Under 35
35-44
45-54
55-64
65 and older
Urban locations
Rural locations (old definition)
Metropolitan
Micropolitan
Rural (new definition)
Percent male
79.9%
58.4%
62.5%
82.5%
96.2%
98.4%
77.0%
86.2%
77.9%
86.5%
88.5%
Percent female
20.1%
41.6%
37.5%
17.5%
3.8%
1.6%
23.0%
13.7%
22.1%
13.2%
11.5%
Shading is used to distinguish data reported under the old urban-rural definition from data reported under the
new MSA-micropolitan-rural definition (see page 7 for full explanation).
Age and gender of dentists
Rural dentists tend to be older than urban dentists. The greatest difference appears when the median
age (49) of dentists in metropolitan areas is compared to the median age (53) for the 46 most rural
counties. About one in three practicing dentists is 55 or older. Nearly 40 percent of dentists in the most
rural counties are 55 or older. Only 24 percent are under 45, compared to 34 percent of dentists in
metropolitan areas.
Age of Active Minnesota Dentists
34.30%
24.80%
19.50%
13.60%
7.80%
< 35
35-44
45-54
55-64
65+
Profile of Minnesota Dentists – 2005
page 4
Age Group
Statewide
n = 1.872
Urban
n = 1,287
Rural
n = 585
Metropolitan
n = 1,920
Micropolitan
n = 334
Rural
n =192
respondents
respondents
respondents
respondents
respondents
respondents
Median age
50
49
51
49
51
53
Less than 35
13.6%
14.5%
12.0%
14.3%
11.7%
11.5%
35-44
19.5%
20.4%
17.5%
20.1%
20.4%
12.0%
45-54
34.3%
34.1%
34.6%
34.1%
33.2%
38.0%
55-64
24.8%
22.9%
28.8%
23.7%
27.2%
31.3%
65 and older
7.8%
8.0%
7.2%
7.9%
7.5%
7.3%
Total
100.0%
100.0%
100.0%
100.0%
100.0%
100.0%
Shading is used to distinguish data reported under the old urban-rural definition from data reported under the
new MSA-micropolitan-rural definition (see page 7 for full explanation).
Dentist specialties
Twenty percent of respondents reported training or board certification in a specialty area.
Eighty-six percent of specialists were male. Eighty-five percent of specialists had primary practices
in urban areas.
Orthodontics
Oral and maxillofacial surgery
Endodontics
Pediatric dentistry
Prosthodontics
Periodontics
Other specialities
5 percent
4 percent
2 percent
2 percent
2 percent
2 percent
3 percent
Types of Practice Sites
Eighty-nine percent of dentists work in private dental offices, about evenly split between solo and
group practices. Private practices account for 95 percent of dentists in the most rural counties, but rural
dentists are much more likely to work in solo practices than group practices.
Type of Work Site
Total respondents
Solo private
Group private
Educational
Clinic (non staff
HMO)
Hospital (acute care)
Institutional
Public health facility
Staff model HMO
Other
Statewide
Urban
Rural
Metropolitan
Micropolitan
Rural
2,446
43.6%
45.5%
4.1%
.8%
1,679
38.0%
48.7%
5.6%
1.0%
767
55.8%
38.5%
.8%
.5%
1,920
39.1%
48.3%
5.1%
.9%
334
51.8%
43.1%
.3%
.6%
192
74.5%
20.8%
.5%
.5%
.4%
.9%
.8%
1.8%
2.2%
.6%
1.0%
.7%
2.6%
2.0%
.1%
.8%
.95
-02.6%
.5%
.9%
.8%
2.2%
2.1%
.3%
.9%
.3%
-02.7%
-0.5%
1.0%
-02.1%
Shading is used to distinguish data reported under the old urban-rural definition from data reported under the
new MSA-micropolitan-rural definition (see page 7 for full explanation).
Profile of Minnesota Dentists – 2005
page 5
Metropolitan Counties
Other, 12.6%
Private solo,
39.1%
Private group,
48.3%
Micropolitan Counties
Other, 5.1%
Private solo,
51.8%
Private group,
43.1%
Rural Counties
Private group,
20.8%
Other, 4.7%
Private solo,
74.5%
Profile of Minnesota Dentists – 2005
page 6
Males account for 87 percent of dentists in solo private practices. Forty-seven percent of male dentists
are in solo private practices, compared to only 29 percent of females. Female dentists are significantly
less likely than males to be in solo practices in all parts of the state—metropolitan, micropolitan and
rural areas.
Gender by type of work site
Type of Work site
ALL SITES
Solo private
Group private
Educational
Clinic (non staff HMO)
Hospital (acute care)
Institutional
Public health facility
Staff model HMO
Other
Respondents
2,446
1,066
1,112
100
20
11
22
19
43
53
Primary work sites by gender
Type of Work site
Respondents
Solo private
Group private
Educational
Clinic (non staff HMO)
Hospital (acute care)
Institutional
Public health facility
Staff model HMO
Other
Percent male
1,954
86.5%
75.8%
81.0%
65.0%
63.6%
86.4%
52.6%
67.4%
56.6%
Males
1,954
47.2%
43.1%
4.1%
.7%
.4%
.9%
.5%
1.5%
1.5%
Percent female
491
13.5%
24.1%
19.0%
35.0%
36.4%
13.6%
47.4%
32.6%
43.4%
Females
491
29.3%
54.6%
3.9%
1.4%
.8%
.6%
1.8%
2.9%
4.7%
Profile of Minnesota Dentists – 2005
page 7
Methodological note for numbers of dentists
Data reported here is from responses received from dentists renewing their licenses for 2005. Renewals were
due January 1, 2005, so most dentists answered the survey in December 2004, or early 2005.
The Board of Dentistry received at least 3,695 license renewals for 2005. This estimate is based on the number
of active licenses in effect January 1, 2006, minus new initial licenses and license reinstatements during 2005.
The estimate is not precise because it may include some early renewals of licenses due for renewal in January
2006. The Board of Dentistry does not keep a count of the number of licenses renewed.
The Office of Rural Health and Primary Care received survey responses from 3,066 dentists renewing their
licenses for 2005. At the time of license renewal, 2,446 of these said they working at least part-time at a
primary practice site in Minnesota.
The exact number of dentists actually practicing in Minnesota is not known. Survey respondents represented 83
percent of all dentists renewing licenses in 2005. If active Minnesota-based dentists responded to the survey at
about the same rate as all dentists renewing their licenses, the estimated total number of dentists working at
least part time in Minnesota would be about 2,950. If active Minnesota dentists were more likely to respond to
the survey, the estimated number of active Minnesota dentists would be somewhat lower.
Using the July 1, 2005, population estimate for Minnesota, 2,950 dentists equate to 57 active dentists per
100,000 people.
Because of different data sources and definitions, this estimate of 57 active dentists is not directly comparable to
other reported data. The Bureau of Health Professions in the U.S. Health Resources and Services
Administration reported that Minnesota had 3,522 practicing dentists in 2000, or 71 dentists per 100,000 people,
exceeding the national number of 64. This federal data appears to include licensed dentists practicing in states
other than the state in which licensed.
Dental workforce data has previously been reported for “urban” and “rural” portions of the state. Urban has
been defined to include seven Twin Cities metropolitan counties (Anoka, Carver, Dakota, Hennepin, Ramsey,
Scott and Washington) and the cities of Duluth, Rochester and St. Cloud. For 2005, data is also reported for
three groupings that focuses greater attention on the 46 most rural counties:
Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSA) counties – 21 Minnesota counties included in seven
metropolitan statistical areas (Minneapolis-St. Paul, St. Cloud, Rochester, Duluth-Superior, Fargo,
Grand Forks and
La Crosse)
Micropolitan counties – 20 counties surrounding smaller urban centers of at least 10,000 people
Rural – 46 counties outside MSAs and Micropolitan areas
In data tables, shading is used to distinguish data reported under the old urban-rural definition from data
reported under the new MSA-micropolitan-rural definition.