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Health

California's Supply Of Dentists In State Of Flux

By Kenny Goldberg / Health Reporter
Published March 31, 2014 at 3:00 AM PDT
This story was published more than 10 years ago.

The UCLA Center for Health Policy Research says a shortage of dentists could come back to bite California.

The center’s new report shows more than 35,000 dentists are registered to practice in the state.

But a growing percentage are choosing to move elsewhere. In addition, more young dentists are going into specialties, which could reduce access to general care.

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UCLA’s Naderah Pourat said another problem is where dentists choose to practice.

“There’s definitely clusters in urban and suburban areas, and not enough in some of the rural areas or underserved areas. That’s the challenge we have," Pourat explained.

The San Joaquin Valley has the state’s lowest ratio of dentists to patients. The highest is in the San Francisco Bay Area.

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Kenny Goldberg
Kenny Goldberg covered health for KPBS, where he reported on a wide range of health-related topics. His radio and television work garnered three Golden Mike awards, Best in Show from the Society of Professional Journalists, and numerous other honors. He has also been awarded fellowships from the New York Times Foundation and the National Press Foundation. In addition to his work for KPBS, Kenny was a frequent contributor to the California Report, heard on public radio stations throughout California. A Seattle native, Kenny graduated from the University of Washington, and began his broadcasting career in the news departments of KOGO and KSDO in San Diego. In his spare time, Kenny loves to practice tai chi, hike, and travel with his wife, Angela.
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