The Evolving Pipeline of Hispanic Dentists in the US

The Hispanic/Latino (H/L) dentist population is disproportionately small compared to the rapidly growing and historically underserved H/L population in the US, and current enrollment will not meet the demand. Half of the H/L dentists in the US are foreign-born, and about 1 in 5 were trained outside the US. Changing licensure laws have limited the pathways for non US-trained providers. Using a nationally representative sample survey of H/L dentists and a policy review, this study elucidates trends and challenges in H/L dentists’ pathways to practice, examines the changing patterns of care delivery, and identifies access and care delivery goals for the H/L population.