Contents:

I Introduction 1 A Survey of Dental Practice 1 B Characteristics of Dentists in Private Practice and Their Patients 2 C Types of Dentists 3 II Private Practice Dentistry in the United States, 2004 5 III Characteristics of Dentists in Private Practice 6 A Independent Dentists 6 B Solo Dentists 18 C Independent Nonsolo Dentists 28 D Employed Dentists 39 IV Patients of Dentists in Private Practice 44 A Independent Dentists 44 B Solo Dentists 51 C Independent Nonsolo Dentists 58 V Survey Methodology 65 VI Glossary 67 VII 2005 Survey of Dental Practice Survey Instrument 71 II Private Practice Dentistry in the United States, 2004 Table 1: Primary and Secondary Occupations of Dentists in Private Practice, 2004 (Weighted) 5 III Characteristics of Dentists in Private Practice A Independent Dentists Table 2: Age of Independent Dentists, 2004 6 Table 3: Graduation Year of Independent Dentists, 2004 6 Table 4: Gender of Independent Dentists, 2004 7 Table 5: Regional Distribution of Independent Dentists and All Active Private Practitioners, 2004 9 Table 6: Average Age of Independent Dentists by Gender, 2004 10 Table 7: Initial Employment Status in the Primary Private Practice of Independent Dentists, 2004 11 Table 8: Current Employment Status in the Primary Private Practice of Independent Dentists, 2004 11 Table 9: Current Employment Status in the Primary Private Practice of Independent Dentists Who Began as Nonowners, 2004 13 Table 10: Number of Dentists in the Primary Private Practice of Independent Dentists, 2004 (Weighted) 14 Table 11: Distribution of Dentists in the Primary Private Practice of Independent Dentists, 2004 (Weighted) 14 Table 12: Distribution of Independent Dentists in the Primary Private Practice of Independent Dentists, 2004 (Weighted) 15 Table 13: Distribution of Nonowner Dentists in the Primary Private Practice of Independent Dentists, 2004 (Weighted) 15 Table 14: Time Spent in the Primary Private Practice by Independent Dentists, 2004 16 Table 15: Number of Operatories and Square Feet of Office Space in the Primary Private Practice of Independent Dentists, 2004 (Weighted) 17 Table 16: Number of Office Locations per Practice of Independent Dentists, 2004 17 B Solo Dentists Table 17: Age of Solo Dentists, 2004 18 Table 18: Graduation Year of Solo Dentists, 2004 18 Table 19: Gender of Solo Dentists, 2004 19 Table 20: Regional Distribution of Solo Dentists and All Active Private Practitioners, 2004 21 Table 21: Average Age of Solo Dentists by Gender, 2004 22 Table 22: Initial Employment Status in the Primary Private Practice of Solo Dentists, 2004 23 Table 23: Current Employment Status in the Primary Private Practice of Solo Dentists, 2004 23 Table 24: Current Employment Status in the Primary Private Practice of Solo Dentists Who Began as Nonowners, 2004 25 Table 25: Time Spent in the Primary Private Practice by Solo Dentists, 2004 26 Table 26: Number of Operatories and Square Feet of Office Space in the Primary Private Practice of Solo Dentists, 2004 (Weighted) 27 Table 27: Number of Office Locations per Practice of Solo Dentists, 2004 27 C Independent Nonsolo Dentists Table 28: Age of Independent Nonsolo Dentists, 2004 28 Table 29: Graduation Year of Independent Nonsolo Dentists, 2004 28 Table 30: Gender of Independent Nonsolo Dentists, 2004 29 Table 31: Regional Distribution of Independent Nonsolo Dentists and All Active Private Practitioners, 2004 31 Table 32: Average Age of Independent Nonsolo Dentists by Gender, 2004 32 Table 33: Initial Employment Status in the Primary Private Practice of Independent Nonsolo Dentists, 2004 33 Table 34: Current Employment Status in the Primary Private Practice of Independent Nonsolo Dentists, 2004 33 Table 35: Number of Dentists in the Primary Private Practice of Independent Nonsolo Dentists, 2004 (Weighted) 35 Table 36: Distribution of Dentists in the Primary Private Practices of Independent Nonsolo Dentists, 2004 (Weighted) 35 Table 37: Distribution of Independent Nonsolo Dentists in the Primary Private Practices of Independent Nonsolo Dentists, 2004 (Weighted) 36 Table 38: Distribution of Nonowner Dentists in the Primary Private Practices of Independent Nonsolo Dentists, 2004 (Weighted) 36 Table 39: Time Spent in the Primary Private Practice by Independent Nonsolo Dentists, 2004 37 Table 40: Number of Operatories and Square Feet of Office Space in the Primary Private Practice of Independent Nonsolo Dentists, 2004 (Weighted) 38 Table 41: Number of Office Locations per Practice of Independent Nonsolo Dentists, 2004 38 D Employed Dentists Table 42: Age of Employed Dentists, 2004 39 Table 43: Graduation Year of Employed Dentists, 2004 39 Table 44 Gender of Employed Dentists, 2004 40 Table 45: Average Age of Employed Dentists by Gender, 2004 42 Table 46: Time Spent in the Primary Private Practice by Employed Dentists, 2004 43 IV Patients of Dentists in Private Practice A Independent Dentists Table 47: Patient Characteristics among Independent Dentists, 2004 44 Table 48: Percentage of Independent Dentists Who Had No Patients Covered by Various Types of Insurance, 2004 45 Table 49: Appointment Length and Annual Number of Visits among Independent Dentists, 2004 46 Table 50: Patient Wait for Scheduled Appointments and After Arrival among Independent Dentists, 2004 48 Table 51: Number of Patient Visits Including Dental Hygienist Appointments among Independent Dentists, 2004 48 Table 52: Number of Patient Visits Excluding Dental Hygienist Appointments among Independent Dentists, 2004 49 Table 53: Number of Patient Visits Including Dental Hygienist Appointments among Independent Dentists Who Employ Dental Hygienists, 2004 50 Table 54: Number of Patient Visits Excluding Dental Hygienist Appointments among Independent Dentists by Dentist’s Age, 2004 50 B Solo Dentists Table 55: Patient Characteristics among Solo Dentists, 2004 51 Table 56: Percentage of Solo Dentists Who Had No Patients Covered by Various Types of Insurance, 2004 52 Table 57: Appointment Length and Annual Number of Visits among Solo Dentists, 2004 53 Table 58: Patient Wait for Scheduled Appointments and After Arrival among Solo Dentists, 2004 55 Table 59: Number of Patient Visits Including Dental Hygienist Appointments among Solo Dentists, 2004 55 Table 60: Number of Patient Visits Excluding Dental Hygienist Appointments among Solo Dentists, 2004 56 Table 61: Number of Patient Visits Including Dental Hygienist Appointments among Solo Dentists Who Employ Dental Hygienists, 2004 57 Table 62: Number of Patient Visits Excluding Dental Hygienist Appointments among Solo Dentists by Dentist’s Age, 2004 57 C Independent Nonsolo Dentists Table 63: Patient Characteristics among Independent Nonsolo Dentists, 2004 58 Table 64: Percentage of Independent Nonsolo Dentists Who Had No Patients Covered by Various Types of Insurance, 2004 59 Table 65: Appointment Length and Annual Number of Visits among Independent Nonsolo Dentists, 2004 60 Table 66: Patient Wait for Scheduled Appointments and After Arrival among Independent Nonsolo Dentists, 2004 62 Table 67: Number of Patient Visits Including Dental Hygienist Appointments among Independent Nonsolo Dentists, 2004 62 Table 68: Number of Patient Visits Excluding Dental Hygienist Appointments among Independent Nonsolo Dentists, 2004 63 Table 69: Number of Patient Visits Including Dental Hygienist Appointments among Independent Nonsolo Dentists Who Employ Dental Hygienists, 2004 64 Table 70: Number of Patient Visits Excluding Dental Hygienist Appointments among Independent Nonsolo Dentists by Dentist’s Age, 2004 64 I Introduction C Types of Dentists Figure 1: Distribution of Responding Dentists Whose Primary Occupation Was Private Practice, 2004 4 II Private Practice Dentistry in the United States, 2004 Figure 2: Employment Situation of All Dentists in Private Practice, 2004 (Weighted) 5 III Characteristics of Dentists in Private Practice A Independent Dentists Figure 3: Gender Distribution of Independent Dentists, 2004 (Weighted) 7 Figure 4: Gender Distribution of Independent Dentists, 2000 - 2004 (Weighted) 8 Figure 5: Regional Distribution of Independent Dentists, 2004 (Weighted) 9 Figure 6: Average Age of Independent Dentists by Gender, 2000 - 2004 (Weighted) 10 Figure 7: Initial and Current Employment Status of Independent Dentists, 2004 (Weighted) 12 Figure 8: Current Employment Status in the Primary Private Practice of Independent Dentists Who Began as Nonowners, 2000 - 2004 (Weighted) 13 Figure 9: Hours Spent per Week in the Primary Private Practice by Independent Dentists, 2000 - 2004 (Weighted) 16 B Solo Dentists Figure 10: Gender Distribution of Solo Dentists, 2004 (Weighted) 19 Figure 11: Gender Distribution of Solo Dentists, 2000 - 2004 (Weighted) 20 Figure 12: Regional Distribution of Solo Dentists, 2004 (Weighted) 21 Figure 13: Average Age of Solo Dentists by Gender, 2000 - 2004 (Weighted) 22 Figure 14: Initial and Current Employment Status of Solo Dentists, 2004 (Weighted) 24 Figure 15: Current Employment Status in the Primary Private Practice of Solo Dentists Who Began as Nonowners, 2000 - 2004 (Weighted) 25 Figure 16: Hours Spent per Week in the Primary Private Practice by Solo Dentists, 2000 - 2004 (Weighted) 26 C Independent Nonsolo Dentists Figure 17: Gender Distribution of Independent Nonsolo Dentists, 2004 (Weighted) 29 Figure 18: Gender Distribution of Independent Nonsolo Dentists, 2001 – 2004 (Weighted) 30 Figure 19: Regional Distribution of Independent Nonsolo Dentists, 2004 (Weighted) 31 Figure 20: Average Age of Independent Nonsolo Dentists by Gender, 2001 - 2004 (Weighted) 32 Figure 21: Initial and Current Employment Status of Independent Nonsolo Dentists, 2004 (Weighted) 34 Figure 22: Hours Spent per Week in the Primary Private Practice by Independent Nonsolo Dentists, 2001 - 2004 (Weighted) 37 D Employed Dentists Figure 23: Gender Distribution of Employed Dentists, 2004 (Weighted) 40 Figure 24: Gender Distribution of Employed Dentists, 2000 - 2004 (Weighted) 41 Figure 25: Average Age of Employed Dentists by Gender, 2000 - 2004 (Weighted) 42 Figure 26: Hours Spent per Week in the Primary Private Practice by Employed Dentists, 2000 - 2004 (Weighted) 43 IV Patients of Dentists in Private Practice A Independent Dentists Figure 27: Patient Insurance Coverage among Independent Dentists, 2000 - 2004 (Weighted) 45 Figure 28: Average Appointment Length in Minutes among Independent Dentists, 2000 - 2004 46 Figure 29: Appointment Length among Independent Dentists, 2004 47 Figure 30: Average Number of Annual Visits to Independent Dentists, 2000 - 2004 47 Figure 31: Average Number of Total Patient Visits per Week among Independent Dentists, 2000 - 2004 (Weighted) 49 B Solo Dentists Figure 32: Patient Insurance Coverage among Solo Dentists, 2000 - 2004 (Weighted) 52 Figure 33: Average Appointment Length in Minutes among Solo Dentists, 2000 - 2004 53 Figure 34: Appointment Length among Solo Dentists, 2004 54 Figure 35: Average Number of Annual Visits to Solo Dentists, 2000 - 2004 54 Figure 36: Average Number of Total Patient Visits per Week among Solo Dentists, 2000 - 2004 (Weighted) 56 C Independent Nonsolo Dentists Figure 37: Patient Insurance Coverage among Independent Nonsolo Dentists, 2001 - 2004 (Weighted) 59 Figure 38: Average Appointment Length in Minutes among Independent Nonsolo Dentists, 2001 - 2004 60 Figure 39: Appointment Length among Independent Nonsolo Dentists, 2004 61 Figure 40: Average Number of Annual Visits to Independent Nonsolo Dentists, 2001 - 2004 61 Figure 41: Average Number of Total Patient Visits per Week among Independent Nonsolo Dentists, 2001 - 2004 (Weighted) 63