[Projected supply and geographic distribution of dentists in Taiwan for the year 2000].

Using the data from the Dentist Masterfile of the Department of Health, Executive Yuan, and the reports from all Colleges of Medicine in Taiwan and the Ministry of Defense, this study projected the future supply of dentists as well as their geographic distribution. The components of projection included studying current supply, future increment and loss. The results of this study showed that there would be 7897 active dentists in Taiwan by the year 2000, or 36 dentists per 100,000 population. It also showed the poor geographical distribution of dentists will not substantially ameliorate in response the rapidly increasing supply of dentists. The 14 to 1 ratio of the highest to the lowest (Taipei city V.S. Penghu county) in terms of dentist-population will remain in the coming decade. Finally, this study discussed the projection process as well as the implications for dentist manpower policy in Taiwan.