Results of the 2011 survey are also used to examine the industry of private practicing prosthodontists, including revenue, patients, and expenses. The 2011 Survey of Prosthodontists, sponsored and funded by the American College of Prosthodontists (ACP), was initially mailed to 2600 members and nonmembers of the ACP in early April 2011.[9] There were three mailings of the survey, including the initial mailing and two follow-up mailings to nonrespondents. The conduct of the survey and the processing of returned surveys were both conducted by an outside research firm. The overall response rate to the

2011 survey was 22.0% (568 respondents). learn more The 2600 prosthodontists included in the survey sample were randomly selected from a list of 2791 names provided by the ACP, representing an estimated 93.2% of all prosthodontists. The 568 respondents represent 22.0% of the sample and 20.4% of the full list of prosthodontists. An outside firm was responsible for the printing of the survey questionnaire and cover letters, the mailing of all questionnaires, the receipt and processing of all returned surveys, the conversion of survey responses from the mailed questionnaire to electronic data files, and finalization of data sent to the survey

analysts for review and tabulation. LDE225 research buy In addition to the initial mailing of the survey, two additional follow-up mailings were sent to the nonrespondents. Nonrespondent follow-up mailings were possible, as each mailed questionnaire

contained a survey code used to determine who did and did not respond to the survey, while maintaining respondent confidentiality. The survey code allowed follow-up mailings to be sent only to those who had not responded, helping to minimize the survey mailing costs. Results from the 2011 survey are selectively used in comparison MCE to the results from the 2008 Survey of Prosthodontists. Most of the questions used in the 2008 survey were also included in the 2011 survey. Topics addressed in the 2011 survey included occupation and years in practice; personal and demographic characteristics; education and board status; characteristics of private practice; patients and patient visits; procedures rendered by prosthodontists; gross billings and receipts, fees charged, net income and practice expenses; employment of staff, experience and wages, practice operatories, and size; and referral sources for prosthodontists. Respondents to the 2011 survey responded from April through September 2011 but reported survey data about the year 2010. Respondents to the 2008 survey were asked to report practice conditions during 2007. Survey results obtained for 2007 and 2010 are shown in Table 1 for selected variables including respondent age, gender, years since key activity dates, size of practice, and region location.