The dental hygienist shortage is a multifaceted issue requiring various solutions, according to Barry Lyon, DDS.
Dr. Lyon, dental director for Main Street Children’s Dentistry and Orthodontics and Dental Care Alliance, recently spoke with Becker’s to discuss how the industry can alleviate these shortages.
Editor’s note: This Q&A is part of a weekly series featuring Dr. Lyon focused on topics in the dental industry and DSO field. The views expressed are those of Dr. Lyon and do not necessarily reflect those of Main Street Children’s Dentistry and Orthodontics or Dental Care Alliance.
This response was lightly edited for clarity and length.
Dr. Barry Lyon:
Dentists are continuing to struggle hiring dental hygienists. The COVID-19 pandemic has had a detrimental impact on dental teams since its start in 2020. Data from the American Dental Association shows that the national supply of dental hygienists took a notable hit in 2020, with a decrease in employment of about 12% from 2019. While the recovery has been mixed, dental hygienists are still 5% below their pre-pandemic supply. Dental hygiene programs are trying to help, but there are not enough spots and fewer resources, resulting in fewer qualified hygienists graduating.
Low pay is a major factor accounting for the shortage of hygienists, with the median annual wage for dental hygienists being $94,260 in May 2024, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. In addition, many hygienists want only part-time or temporary employment. Adding to this is the lack of effectiveness of training programs. Dental hygiene education is costly, and that prevents many programs from expanding. The shortage exists despite the 335 accredited programs accepting almost 10,000 students. Of those, only 86.5% graduate.
The effect of the shortage has heavily impacted dentists mostly by reducing dental office capacity by 11%. As a result, there is decreased practice revenue and fewer available appointments. Making things even worse is the increased workload on dentists that is contributing to burnout.
The solution to the hygienist shortage is a multipronged approach. Dentists need to be creative when they recruit hygienists by offering flexible workdays and hours, along with competitive pay and benefits. State dental boards need to support efforts to expand the roles of hygienists, and state supported educational programs need increased funding to expand student access.
