Based upon studies conducted in the U. S. and on data from other countries on the method used to provide dental care, increased dental productivity can be achieved through greater use of dental auxiliaries and by the use of expanded function auxiliaries. Dental practice laws should be made less restrictive to enable dentists to more fully utilize auxiliaries in their dental practice. Further, states should not promote restrictive laws regarding the qualifications for becoming a dental auxiliary. States should also reexamine the restrictions currently placed on the ability of a dentist to provide information regarding his practice. Dental practice laws should be modified to permit wide-scale demonstration projects on the feasibility of the school dental nurse program as performed in other countries. Although not directly related to increasing the productivity of a single dentist but instead related to the productivity of the oral health system, the use of flouridated water supplies should be encouraged. Allowing consumers to have greater access to the administration of flourides, and using lesser trained persons will achieve greater returns in terms of reducing unfilled needs than more expensive programs that attempt to increase the supply of highly trained dentists. (Author/PG)