Models and systems of the dental care delivery system are changing. Solo practice is no longer the only alternative for graduating dentists. Over half of recent graduates are employees, and more than ever before, dentists are practicing in groups. This trend is expected to increase over the next 25 years. This article examines various models of dental care delivery, explains why it is important to practice in integrated medical-dental teams, and defines person-centered care, contrasting it with patient-centered care. Systems of care in which teams are currently practicing integrated oral health care delivery are described, along with speculation on the future of person-centered care and the team approach. Critical steps in the education of dental and other health care professionals and the development of clinical models of care in moving forward are considered. This article was written as part of the project "Advancing Dental Education in the 21 Century."

This study compared the number of patients treated per year by general dentists and dental hygienists in solo practice and by those employed by a large group practice. Information on the annual number of patient visits to solo general dental practitioners comes from the 2013 American Dental Association (ADA) Survey of Dental Practice. Patient visits were divided by 2.5 to estimate the number of patients treated annually. The data on group practices come from HealthPartners (HP) of Minnesota, a large not-for-profit medical and dental Health Maintenance Organization that accepts insurance contracts based on global budgets and is financially at risk. In 2013, solo general dentists averaged 1,350 patients, while the average HP general dentist treated 2,052 patients. HP general dentists thus treated over 700 more patients annually than did solo practitioners. This large difference has major implications for the future of the dental delivery system and dental education. This article was written as part of the project "Advancing Dental Education in the 21 Century."

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