Staffing shortages, rising costs and low payer reimbursements are three persistent challenges that have faced dentists for the last several years.
Here is a deep dive on how these challenges are affecting dentists:
Staffing shortages
COVID-19 exacerbated ongoing workforce shortages, particularly affecting the recruitment of dental assistants and hygienists. These two roles have continued to be the most challenging roles for practices to recruit and retain, leading to salary increases and shifting business practices to try to alleviate the issue. However, few are seeing relief.
Huzefa Kapadia, DDS, the owner of Detroit Sterling Dental and Kapadia Dental Care in Waterford, Mich., told Becker’s last year that he expected dental professionals to return to the workforce after the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I was expecting everybody to come back after Covid and start working again … I just can’t understand why we still have such a significant labor shortage in dentistry where everyone seems to be looking for dental employees,” Dr. Kapadia said. “I do think it’s going to get better. They are training more people for dental hygiene programs as well as dental assisting, but it’ll take a while. I think it might take a couple of more years.”
According to the American Dental Association Health Policy Institute’s most recent economic outlook survey for the second quarter of 2025, more than 90% of dentists described the recruitment of hygienists as “extremely challenging” or “very challenging.” Seventy percent of dentists described the recruitment of dental assistants as “extremely challenging” or “very challenging.”
Rising costs
Dental practices have seen costs increase in several areas over the years, including supplies, materials and staff wages. This year has seen increased strain due to inflation and federal tariffs on imported dental supplies and equipment.
The ADA’s second-quarter economic survey shows that concerns about tariffs and inflation were some of the top reasons dentists were skeptical about the economy.
“These rising costs are putting significant pressure on practice owners, particularly those in small and mid-sized operations,” Sibera Brannon, DDS, told Becker’s. “Some dental leaders are concerned that, if the situation worsens, it could force practices to reduce services or even close. As the industry braces for these financial challenges, strategic planning and advocacy will be key to ensuring long-term sustainability.”
Low reimbursements
Stagnant payer reimbursements have become one of the biggest hurdles to dental practice growth in recent years. The issue is prevalent across private and public insurers, causing financial strife for dental practices of all specialties across the U.S.
This challenge has led many dentists to leave insurance networks altogether, with more considering making the move this year as well. The ADA’s most recent economic survey shows that 23% of dentists have left insurance networks this year, while 31% are considering doing so later this year.
Although some states have increased reimbursements for Medicaid, many dental leaders maintain that the increases are not high enough. This has caused dentists to see fewer patients in the program, worsening dental care accessibility issues.
The lack of adequate reimbursements has become more difficult for dentists to deal with as prices go up in other areas as well.
“One of the biggest factors holding dentistry back from further growth and innovation is the excessive amount of time wasted dealing with insurance companies,” Stacey Verkler, DDS, told Becker’s. “These companies often operate without accountability, engaging in anti-competitive practices that harm both providers and patients. They delay reimbursements, deny necessary treatments and impose arbitrary rules that interfere with clinical decisions. This puts a significant strain on small dental businesses, making it harder for them to compete, thrive or invest in innovative technologies and patient care improvements.”
