Defining and Measuring Dental Health Professional Shortage Areas in Brazil
1
Núcleo de Educação em Saúde Coletiva da Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
Popul. Med. 2026;8(Supplement Supplement 1):A1778
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
In 2024, Brazil reestablished its National Oral Health Policy (Brasil Sorridente) with the aim of expanding access to public oral health services within the Unified Health System (SUS). To support this policy, it is essential to identify geographic inequities and workforce shortages. This study maps the national oral health workforce—dentists (CD) and oral health technicians (TSB)—and identifies areas characterized by social vulnerability, workforce scarcity, and imbalances in professional distribution.
METHODS:
Workforce availability and distribution were assessed using secondary data from the Federal Council of Dentistry (CFO) and the National Registry of Health Facilities (CNES/MS). CFO data captured professionals registered with Regional Dentistry Councils, while CNES included professionals linked to public and private services under formal and non-formal employment arrangements. Population data were obtained from the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE). Geographic inequities were analyzed using three indicators: the professionals-to-population ratio, location quotient, and the Health Workforce Shortage Index. Analyses examined regional patterns, municipal disparities, and clusters of insufficient workforce supply relative to population needs.
RESULTS:
The national average was 19.5 dentists and 2.1 oral health technicians per 10,000 inhabitants. Dentists were highly concentrated in the Southeast, South, and Center-West regions, presented the lowest densities. Nearly half of Brazilian municipalities showed dentist shortages in Primary Health Care (APS). For TSB, higher concentrations were observed in the North, Northeast, and Center-West regions. In contrast, most municipalities—especially in the South and Southeast—had no TSB.
CONCLUSIONS:
Marked geographic inequities persist in Brazil’s oral health workforce. Addressing these gaps requires targeted regional planning, strengthened allocation to underserved areas, expansion of multiprofessional teams, and reinforcement of Primary Health Care as the central strategy for comprehensive oral health within SUS.
In 2024, Brazil reestablished its National Oral Health Policy (Brasil Sorridente) with the aim of expanding access to public oral health services within the Unified Health System (SUS). To support this policy, it is essential to identify geographic inequities and workforce shortages. This study maps the national oral health workforce—dentists (CD) and oral health technicians (TSB)—and identifies areas characterized by social vulnerability, workforce scarcity, and imbalances in professional distribution.
METHODS:
Workforce availability and distribution were assessed using secondary data from the Federal Council of Dentistry (CFO) and the National Registry of Health Facilities (CNES/MS). CFO data captured professionals registered with Regional Dentistry Councils, while CNES included professionals linked to public and private services under formal and non-formal employment arrangements. Population data were obtained from the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE). Geographic inequities were analyzed using three indicators: the professionals-to-population ratio, location quotient, and the Health Workforce Shortage Index. Analyses examined regional patterns, municipal disparities, and clusters of insufficient workforce supply relative to population needs.
RESULTS:
The national average was 19.5 dentists and 2.1 oral health technicians per 10,000 inhabitants. Dentists were highly concentrated in the Southeast, South, and Center-West regions, presented the lowest densities. Nearly half of Brazilian municipalities showed dentist shortages in Primary Health Care (APS). For TSB, higher concentrations were observed in the North, Northeast, and Center-West regions. In contrast, most municipalities—especially in the South and Southeast—had no TSB.
CONCLUSIONS:
Marked geographic inequities persist in Brazil’s oral health workforce. Addressing these gaps requires targeted regional planning, strengthened allocation to underserved areas, expansion of multiprofessional teams, and reinforcement of Primary Health Care as the central strategy for comprehensive oral health within SUS.
| eISSN: | 2654-1459 |
We process personal data collected when visiting the website. The function of obtaining information about users and their behavior is carried out by voluntarily entered information in forms and saving cookies in end devices. Data, including cookies, are used to provide services, improve the user experience and to analyze the traffic in accordance with the Privacy policy. Data are also collected and processed by Google Analytics tool (more).
You can change cookies settings in your browser. Restricted use of cookies in the browser configuration may affect some functionalities of the website.
You can change cookies settings in your browser. Restricted use of cookies in the browser configuration may affect some functionalities of the website.
