Table 4. Historical estimates and projections of active physicians and dentists as of December 31: Selected years 1950-90.

Year	Number of active physicians			Number of active dentists
	Total	M.D.'s1	D.O.'s2
Historical estimates
1950	219,900	209,000	10,900	79,190
1955	240,200	228,600	11,600	84,370
1960	259,400	247,300	12,200	90,120
1965	288,700	277,600	211,100	95,990
1970	326,500	314,200	12,300	102,220
1974	369,900	356,200	13,700	110,400
1975	384,400	370,400	14,000	112,450
1978	424,000	408,300	15,700	120,620
1980	457,500	440,400	17,100	126,240
1981	466,700	448,700	18,000	129,180
1982	479,900	461,200	18,700	132,010
1983	492,900	473,200	19,700	135,120
1984	506,500	485,700	20,800	137,950
Projections
1986	534,800	511,600	23,200	143,320
1988	562,000	536,300	25,700	147,410
1990	587,700	559,500	28,200	150,760
	Average annual percent change
Selected periods
1950-55	1.8	1.8	1.3	1.3
1955-60	1.6	1.6	1.0	1.3
1960-65	2.2	2.3	3-1.9	1.3
1965-70	2.5	2.5	2.1	1.3
1970-75	3.3	3.3	2.6	1.9
1975-80	3.5	3.5	4.1	2.3
1980-85	2.6	2.8	5.1	2.2
1985-90	2.5	2.5	5.2	1.4
1984-86	2.8	2.6	5.6	1.9
1986-88	2.5	2.4	5.3	1.4
1988-90	2.3	2.1	4.8	1.1
1984-88	2.6	2.5	5.4	1.7
1965-84	3.0	3.0	3.4	1.9
1974-84	3.2	3.1	4.3	2.3
1984-90	2.5	2.4	5.2	1.5

¹Medical doctors.

²Doctors of osteopathy.

³The decline in the number of active D.O.'s from 1960 to 1965 reflects the granting of approximately 2,400 M.D. degrees to osteopathic physicians who had graduated from the University of California College of Medicine at Irvine. These physicians are included with active M.D.'s beginning in 1962.

SOURCES: Health Care Financing Administration, Office of the Actuary: Data from the Division of National Cost Estimates; (Bureau of Health Professions 1985).