Here are five statistics Becker's has reported on in 2023 that could lead to future roadblocks in the dental industry:
1. Loans continue to be the main source of debt for dental education, with 66 percent of dental students using loans to pay for dental school, according to data from the American Dental Education Association.
2. The United States needs 11,896 dental professionals to fill shortage areas, according to data from KFF.
3. Approximately one-third (31.4 percent) of dental hygienists and 33.7 percent of dental assistants are expecting to retire within the next five years, according to dental workforce shortage research from the American Dental Association's Health Policy Institute.
4. Most dental practices continue to struggle recruiting staff, with 79.8 percent of dental practices reporting dental hygienists as "extremely challenging" to recruit, according to the ADA.
5. Patient no-shows and cancellations continue to be the largest barrier preventing dental practice schedules from reaching full capacity this year. When asked by the ADA what was preventing schedules from reaching 100 percent capacity, 81.3 percent of dentists said patient no-shows and cancellations less than 24 hours beforehand were responsible. About 42 percent of dentists said patient cancellations more than 24 hours before the appointment prevented full schedules.