NMDA Journal Winter 2019

nmdental.org 15 New Mexico allocates considerable resources in supporting a world-class medical school to ensure that the state has an adequate medical workforce that reflects the state’s diversity and to make sure that our students have an educational opportunity that encourages them to serve our state. There is also a less tangible value of educating these students in the uniqueness of our state culture that they could not be found in another state’s school. Through institutional subsidy, student debt is limited to allow greater freedom to practice in settings and locations with the most need. All of these considerations also apply to justify New Mexico having a den- tal school. REGIONAL NEED New Mexico’s dentist workforce is growing far faster than our population with a greater than 10% net increase in the last four years. We have one of the youngest average ages for dentists in the country (4th-46.9) and we have the third highest percentage of dentists in the 21–34 age group (25.5%). We have one of the most diverse workforces in the US including the 2nd highest percentage of Hispanic dentists (12.6%). Despite those encouraging numbers, we still have challenges. Portions of the southern and eastern parts of the state have low numbers of dentists per capita. While we have a great deal of diversity, our dental workforce still does not fully reflect the diversity of our citizens, particu- larly Native Americans. The need to send students out of state for dental school creates higher levels of student debt making it harder for returning dentists to choose rural and underserved populations. Unfortunately, workforce assessment often takes a myopic approach limited by artificially im- posed boundaries of state and county lines. Despite three existing dental schools in eastern Texas, there is a regional shortage of dentists in the areas surrounding and including the Perm- ian Basin of West Texas and Southeast New Mexico. Opportunities for New Mexico • Possibility of regional "management" • Dedicated opportunities for NM students • Cooperation with New Mexico institution • BA/DDS program to encourage diversity and rural practice • Pipeline for NM residencies • Cultural compatibility continues on page 16 