Abstract

For a long time sociologists of professions have neglected the study of the dental profession both at national and international level. Among health professionals, dentistry seems peculiar given the largely private nature of its practice and, conversely, the inadequate public supply. There is a paucity of available data on the state of oral health both in Italy and in Europe due to the lack of reliable monitoring systems in many countries as well as the lack of political attention on this topic. However, the focus on this issue is growing in recent years, due to the increasing inequalities in access in dental care. The article focuses on the current configuration of dental care in Italy, showing both the demand and the supply of dental services. The main results of an empirical research, which was carried out to gather the orientation of the Italian dentists about the economic crisis, are shown. Finally, some considerations are proposed in order to assess whether and to what extent the supply, that are facing a strong crisis can satisfy the need for care expressed by the population.