When dental hygienists left the workforce after COVID-19 and never came back, the pressure didn’t stop there. It rippled into dental assistants, administrative staff and ultimately the patient experience.
Geith Kallas, DDS, CEO of Smile Makers Dental Center in Tysons Corner, Va., explained what’s driving the crisis across the entire industry — and why his organization is working across two fronts.
Note: This response was lightly edited for clarity and length.
Question: What is the biggest threat to the dental workforce pipeline right now, and how are you responding?
Since COVID, the dental workforce took a hit we have never fully recovered from. The biggest threat is not one role — it’s the entire pipeline.
First, a large number of hygienists left the field and never returned. That made hiring hygienists extremely difficult nationwide, and the shortage spilled over to dental assistants and administrative staff.
Second, expectations have shifted. Many new and existing dentists want to work fewer hours with more control over their schedules. For the entire team — hygienists, assistants and administrative roles — work-life balance is now the top priority. Loyalty has changed. The workforce is more mobile than ever, moving from job to job in search of better pay, flexibility and culture.
Third is the supply problem. We simply do not have enough new dentist and hygienist graduates entering the market. For dental assistants and dental administrators, there is almost no formal educational pipeline. There are no scaled programs graduating this critical workforce, so offices are forced to rely on past experience rather than trained, reliable talent.
Finally, retention. We are competing with every other industry for the same people. We often cannot match what other businesses pay for less stressful jobs, and it’s becoming harder to keep employees motivated and focused on a long-term career in dentistry.
How are we responding as a DSO? We are responding on two fronts: Build and Keep.
We want to build the pipeline ourselves. We cannot wait for the market to fix itself. In Virginia, recent legislation now allows foreign-trained dentists and expanded-function assistants to obtain hygiene licensure — with details and requirements still to come — which will help open the pipeline. Internally, we just launched our own state-approved Dental Assistant school. For our administrative teams, we have created our own training systems that develop both skill and attitude, rather than relying solely on a resume.
We also want to keep the team we have. You can’t out-recruit a retention problem. We are focused on: Competitive total compensation — not just hourly rate, but benefits, PTO and continuing education. Work-life balance by design — flexible scheduling, protected breaks and responsible scheduling that doesn’t overbook chairs. Culture and career path — creating clear growth from dental assistant to lead to trainer to management, so our people see a career, not just a job. This requires constant training, recognition and leadership development to keep them engaged.
The DSOs that will win are the ones that stop looking for ready-made staff and start building and retaining them. The winners will also be the ones that understand the workforce is fundamentally different from what it was pre-COVID.
At the Becker's 5th Annual Future of Dentistry Roundtable, taking place September 14-15 in Chicago, dental leaders and executives will gain insights into emerging technologies, practice growth strategies and the evolving landscape of dental care delivery, with a focus on innovation, patient experience and operational excellence. Apply for complimentary registration now.