Abstract
TO ERASE the difference between the ideal and the merely adequate in dental care, is one of the greatest challenges in public, healtl today. But since the ideal must wait upon the practical, we are concerned with the more realistic goal of providing the dentists the South will lneed to meet the actual demand foir dental care. This is not easy to do. St,ate and regional boundaries are much more clearly defined on a m.ap than they are in public health plannin,g. The, problem which the South faces in providing fo,r the future, dental health of its citizens is neither unique nor isolated. The dental manpower problem in Arizona. is not, only similar t,o that, in Alabama, but the manner in wllicl Arizona solves it will affect Alabama's answer too. A national shortage of dentists has developed-a shortage a,lready limiting the amount of care which people who want it cani get. This shortage dates from the early 1920's, when improved standards of dental education resulted in the closing of substandard schools, and caused a sharp cut in enrollment. During the depression of the, thirties, a further reduction occurred. By the time World War II began, there were fewer dentis,ts than there were prior to 1930, only about half as many students were attending dental school as in the midtwenties, and not enough new dentists were being produced to replace older dentists who had died or retired. When large numbers oif dentists enitered the service, the shortage was further aggravated.
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