Estimating Dentist Numbers in the United States

Requirements Clarification & Assessment

1. Objective Understanding:

   • The goal is to estimate the number of dentists currently practicing in the United States.

2. Scope Definition:

   • Focus only on dentists actively practicing within the United States.
   • Consider both full-time and part-time practicing dentists.

3. Assumptions:

   • The US population is approximately 330 million.
   • Each person visits a dentist twice a year on average.
   • Dentists work 8 hours a day, 5 days a week.
   • Each dental appointment takes approximately 1 hour.

4. Data Sources:

   • Consider using available public data, such as census data, American Dental Association (ADA) statistics, and health department records.

5. Constraints:

   • Limited by the availability of up-to-date and comprehensive data.
   • Must account for variability in dentist work schedules and patient visitation patterns.