Pacific Coast Society of Orthodontists Bulletin Spring 2023 - 57

Practice Management
Engagement, Diversity, & Inclusion Task Force Report
The Changing Landscape of the
Orthodontic Workforce
Dr. Guneet Kohli Kainth
San Jose, CA
PCSO Bulletin Contributor
As dentistry settles into a post-COVID era, a myriad
of studies are underway on the changing delivery of
healthcare and the workforce. Through comparison
of historical data with future projections, researchers
are investigating how dental care is changing
and evolving. Predictions can be made for changes
to the orthodontic workforce by using metrics from
the AAO membership numbers. (The membership
numbers for the AAO are reported from March
2022. These numbers do not include nor reflect the
percentages of orthodontists who are not members
of the AAO.) Typically, the goal each orthodontist
strives for is to provide the highest quality care to
a vast and ever-changing patient population. For
this article, among numerous variables, the three
that will be further addressed are gender, age, and
ethnicity.
The AAO reports that as of March 2022, its members
are 71% male and 29% female. However,
when merely looking at the gender ratio in the
orthodontic resident population, female orthodontic
residents are rapidly outweighing male
orthodontic residents. There are currently 43.1%
male residents and 56.9% female residents. It is
important to note that some respondents may not
have selected a gender to self-identify. Furthermore,
when focusing on the 30- to 39-year age
bracket for AAO members, the number of male
and female orthodontists is equal. However, a
distinct change occurs in the 29 years and younger
population, with 58% female orthodontists to
36% male orthodontists. This new shift is present
Table 1. Percentage of Women and Men by Age*
Sex
29 and
Female
Male
Other or unknown
Younger
58
36
6
30-39
49
48
3
not only in the 29 years and younger orthodontic
member community but also within dental
schools, as female dental students are now the
majority (see Table 1).
Next, 37.6% of the AAO member population is older
than 61 years. For the purpose of this article, only
the demographics of ages 69 years and younger are
considered, as only 2% of the population of active
orthodontists is above this age bracket. Research
demonstrates that US demographics are trending
toward an elder age population, with 16% of the
population being older than 65 years. By the year
2040, 20% of the US population is expected to be in
the greater than 65 years bracket, and by 2060, 25%
of the US population is projected to be older than
65 years.
As the population demographics change and are
trending toward a greater average age, health care
providers must remain cognizant of the demands of
successfully treating these populations, by who can
treat them and how. An interesting point to note
is that, as our profession evolves, orthodontics will
likely be further involved in interdisciplinary care for
the patient population. Such care may include planning
with a surgical or restorative team for complex
skeletal surgical cases or intruding one of the last
remaining molars in a patient's mouth to properly
set up for an implant on the opposing arch. Or it
may entail collaboration with a patient's health care
team to ensure safe and appropriate delivery of
care in conjunction with their dental needs.
Age, years
40-49
35
64
50-59
31
68
60-69
19
81
*AAO-reported demographics as of March 2022. Socioeconomic considerations were not included.
Spring 2023 PCSO Bulletin
57

Pacific Coast Society of Orthodontists Bulletin Spring 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Pacific Coast Society of Orthodontists Bulletin Spring 2023