BACKGROUND AND AIM: In the current healthcare system of Iran, there is a great emphasis on improving the quality healthcare services and access of all people to these services, especially in the field of oral health. Achieving this goal requires the provision of services by dentists. In order to adopt the best policies in this regard, having up-to-date knowledge on the number and distribution of the workforce is crucial. Therefore, the aim of this study was to present a report on the status of dental resources in
Iran in ۲۰۱۹ based on the number of dentists.METHODS: In the present descriptive study, data was collected from several sources. The statistics of specialist
dentists graduated in the country were collected through correspondence with all dentistry faculties of the country. In addition to presenting the statistics of available
dentists and
dentists employed in the country, the "dentist to population ratio" index was also used to examine the distribution of
dentists across the country.RESULTS: The number of general and specialist
dentists across
Iran in ۲۰۱۹ is calculated to be ۳۰۸۱۱ and ۴۵۹۳, respectively. Notably, the largest number of specialists was in the specialized field of endodontics (۱۳.۸%), and the lowest number belonged to oral and maxillofacial pathology (۴.۲%). In Iran, there are ۴۳
dentists per ۱۰۰۰۰۰ people. The number of general and specialist
dentists with office license and employed in the private sectors is ۱۸۲۸۷ and ۲۷۷۳, respectively. Moreover, overall, ۳۶ state universities in ۱۰ specialized fields offer courses with ۱۸۲۴ specialists as faculty members.CONCLUSION: Although the number of general and specialist
dentists in the country has increased considerably in recent years, the distribution of these individuals across different regions of
Iran has been overlooked, and the dentist to ۱۰۰۰۰۰ population ratio differs in various provinces of the country.
