The president of Spain's General Council of Dentists has called for a review of workforce planning amid concerns that the number of dentistry graduates entering the profession is outstripping available career opportunities.
Óscar Castro Reino told Demócrata that the country was producing around 2,000 new dentistry graduates each year and warned that growth in university places was creating a mismatch between the number of trained professionals and the capacity limits of the professional market.
According to the latest figures from Spain's National Statistics Institute, there are now 43,672 practising dentists registered in the country – a 1.9% increase on the previous year.
Mr Castro said the continued growth in dentist numbers required 'responsible planning' and called for a rigorous assessment of both population needs and labour market capacity.
The workforce issues in Spain are in contrast to those in the UK, where challenges are driven more by distribution and access than overall dentist numbers.
Dr Victoria Holden, president-elect of the British Association of Private Dentistry, said: 'Unlike Spain, UK dental school numbers remain relatively tightly controlled and many communities continue to experience significant difficulties accessing dental care.
'The challenge for UK dentistry is less about overall dentist numbers and more about workforce planning, geographical distribution, and ensuring that highly trained clinicians are able to work in environments that are professionally and financially sustainable.'
Mr Castro added that the problems faced in Spain should not be viewed simply in terms of registration numbers but as a wider question of healthcare workforce planning.
'The priority must be to guarantee quality training, an orderly integration into the labour market, and safe oral healthcare for citizens,' he said.
He also stressed that the objective was not to restrict entry into the profession, but to avoid an oversupply that could ‘negatively affect the professionals themselves, especially the youngest ones, and the quality of dental care’.
Ms Holden added that the Spanish situation highlighted the importance of a robust, evidence-based approach to workforce planning, appropriate distribution of clinicians, and a sustainable model for delivering care.
'Policymakers should ensure that decisions on training places, international recruitment and service provision are informed by a clear understanding of future patient demand and workforce needs,’ she said.