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Abstract

Background/purpose: Universal health insurance coverage does not necessarily ensure equitable access to dental care. This study examined Taiwan’s dental workforce distribution using area-level statistical analysis and interpreted the findings through an oral health equity perspective.

Materials and methods: Publicly available county/city-level data on practicing dentists in Taiwan were analyzed. Dentist density was calculated as dentists per 10,000 population. Geographic variation was assessed using descriptive statistics, z-scores, quartile classification, highest-to-lowest ratio, coefficient of variation, and population-weighted Gini coefficient. Group differences were compared by geographic classification using Welch’s t-test, Mann–Whitney U test, Hedges’ g, and Cliff’s delta. Findings were further mapped to global oral health equity priorities.

Results: Taiwan had 16,690 practicing dentists, corresponding to 7.15 dentists per 10,000 population. County-level dentist density ranged from 14.69 in Taipei City to 1.36 in Kinmen County, with a highest-to-lowest ratio of 10.80, coefficient of variation of 0.54, and population-weighted Gini coefficient of 0.21. Six municipalities and city-level areas had significantly higher dentist density than non-six-municipality and county-level areas, respectively. Eastern and offshore areas had significantly lower density than other areas. Public data also showed 157 dental resource-underserved areas and 55 townships or districts without practicing dentists.

Conclusion: Taiwan’s dental workforce challenge is not merely total supply but geographic inequity. Universal coverage may coexist with unequal access, highlighting the need for equity-oriented workforce planning and oral health monitoring.

Publication Date

2026

Received Date

May 05 2026

Accepted Date

June 13 2026

Final Revision Date

June 13 2026

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