Personnel planning for the next generation of orthodontic patients.

Projections by the Bureau of the Census indicate that there will be an additional 10.4 million youngsters between 5 and 19 years of age living in this country by the year 2000. Estimates are developed for each state and region of the needed numbers of orthodontists to maintain current practitioner levels. The availability of needed practitioners is considered in terms of the number of graduates from orthodontic training programs. A major shortfall is projected in the number of training program graduates needed to maintain current orthodontist-to-population ratios in 2020.