Compared to Distribution

an indicator guage with the arrow in the green the value is in the best half of communities.

an indicator guage with the arrow in the yellow the value is in the 2nd worst quarter of communities.

an indicator guage with the arrow in the red the value is in the worst quarter of communities.

Compared to Target

green circle with white tick inside it meets target; red circle with white cross inside it does not meet target.

Compared to a Single Value

green diamond with downward arrow inside it lower than the comparison value; red diamond with downward arrow inside it higher than the comparison value; blue diamond with downward arrow inside it not statistically different from comparison value.

Trend

green square outline with upward trending arrow inside it green square outline with downward trending arrow inside it non-significant change over time; green square with upward trending arrow inside it green square with downward trending arrow inside it significant change over time; blue square with equals sign no change over time.

Compared to Prior Value

green triangle with upward trending arrow inside it higher than the previous measurement period; green triangle with downward trending arrow inside it lower than the previous measurement period; blue equals sign no statistically different change from previous measurement period.

green chart bars Significantly better than the overall value

red chart bars Significantly worse than the overall value

light blue chart bars No significant difference with the overall value

gray chart bars No data on significance available

Dentist Rate

Measurement Period: 2022

This indicator shows the rate of dentists per 100,000 population.

Why is this important?

Oral health has been shown to impact overall health and well-being. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly one-third of all adults in the United States have untreated tooth decay, or tooth caries, and one in seven adults ages 35 to 44 years old has periodontal (gum) disease. Tooth decay is the most prevalent chronic infectious disease affecting children in the U.S., and impacts more than a quarter of children ages 2 to 5 and more than half of children ages 12 to 15. Given these serious health consequences, it is important to maintain good oral health. It is recommended that adults and children see a dentist on a regular basis. Professional dental care helps to maintain the overall health of the teeth and mouth, and provides for early detection of pre-cancerous or cancerous lesions. People living in areas with low rates of dentists may have difficulty accessing the dental care they need.

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