Data Source

"Area Health Resource File/National Provider Identifier Downloadable File: The Area Health Resource File is a collection of data from more than 60 sources, including the American Medical Association, American Hospital Association, US Census Bureau, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Bureau of Labor Statistics, and National Center for Health Statistics. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services maintains the National Provider Identifier (NPI) Downloadable File. This file contains information on every healthcare provider with a provider ID number. Any provider who electronically transmits health information in connection with a HIPAA standard transaction is required to have a provider ID."

Measure Methods

• "Dentists is a ratio​​​​​: Dentists is the ratio of the population to dentists. The ratio represents the population served by one dentist if the entire population of a county was distributed equally across all practicing dentists. For example, if a county has a population of 50,000 and has 20 dentists, their ratio would be: 2,500:1. The value on the right side of the ratio is always 1 or 0; 1 indicates that there is at least one dentist in the county, and zero indicates there are no registered dentists in the county."

• "Dentists has been corrected: County Health Rankings found an error in the calculation of population-to-provider ratios for Dentists in 2013 and 2014. They were double-counting people living in each county's group quarters (like dorms or prisons)."

• "Some data are suppressed: A missing value is reported for counties with a population greater than 4,000 and 0 dentists."

• "Measure limitations: Dentists are classified by county, but dentists living on the edge of counties or who practice in multiple locations may see patient populations that reside in surrounding counties. This data comes from the National Provider Identifier Downloadable File, which has some limitations. Providers who transmit electronic health records are required to obtain an identification number, but very small providers may not obtain a number. While providers can deactivate their identification number, some dentists included in this list may no longer be practicing or accepting new patients."

• "The left side of the ratio: The left side of the ratio is the total county population."

• "The right side of the ratio: The right side of the ratio is the number of dentists in a county. Registered dentists with a National Provider Identifier are counted."

• "Can This Measure Be Used to Track Progress?: This measure can be used to track progress. To better understand this estimate, confirming this data with additional data sources at the local level is particularly valuable."

Source: Dentists | County Health Rankings & Roadmaps

References