本研究調查目的主要在探討大台中地區（台中市、台中縣）牙科助理人員的人力運用及分布情形，在2006年間利用電話訪問的方式來進行調查，而接受電訪對象是大台中地區的牙科醫療院所。調查的數據顯示牙科醫療院所共有870家，受訪率為97.5％，牙醫師總人數為1431人，牙醫助理總人數為1868人，平均每位牙醫師任用1.31位牙醫助理，而台中縣人力卻比台中市為高，其主要原因在台中縣人力兼職比率較高。大台中地區有兩間醫學院附牙醫學系及一口腔衛生系、牙體技術系，培育出的牙醫師及口腔輔助人員應最多，加上本研究地區牙醫師與人口數比率實屬較
高之地區，相對的此地區有13.37%之牙科醫療院所及9.41%之牙醫師未聘用助理協助診所工作。所以在牙醫師的業務繁多且牙醫輔助人員卻很少情況下，本研究可反應出大台中地區牙科醫療品質尚有提高之空間。本次調查的結果可提供其它地區牙科醫療院所參考比較，更進一步瞭解牙科醫療體系人力分布情況和需求，以及做為未來國家整體牙科醫療制度的規劃和制定之參考使用。

The purpose of this study was to characterize the resources, numbers, utilization and distribution of dental assistants in the large Taichung area including Taichung City and Taichung County.
Among the dental offices contacted by phone during 2006 in the large Taichung area, 870 of them agree to participate in this phone survey with a participating rate of 97.5%. Overall, there were 1431 dentists and 1868 dental assistants in these 870 dental offices. On average, 1.31 dental
assistants were employed by each dentist. Interestingly, the manpower in Taichung County was higher than that in Taichung City because of the ratio of the part-time job in Taichung County was higher. Based on the fact that there were two medical universities in large Taichung area with associated department of dentistry, dental hygiene and dental laboratory technology, there should be sufficient numbers of trained dentists and assistants. In addition, the dentist versus population ratio in large Taichung area was actually among the higher ones. However, there are still 13.37% dental offices and 9.41% dentists without hiring dental assistants. Therefore,
our study indicates the quality of dental care in the large Taichung area deserves improvement considering the relatively low employment rate of dental assistants by the local dentists.
In conclusion, our result will provides reference for dental offices in other regions of Taiwan. Moreover, it will facilitate better understanding of demand, distribution and utilization of resources and manpower in dental care, and future standardization of national dental care system.