Dental practices and DSOs may have to do more than increase compensation in order to get ahead of the industry’s growing dental assistant shortage. Dentalpost’s 2026 “Dental Salary Survey Report” pointed to future challenges with recruiting and retaining dental assistants,…
Staffing Issues
The U.S. currently has 7,980 dental professional shortage areas, according to new data from the Health Resources and Services Administration. The HRSA updates its dashboard showing data on health workforce shortage areas Sept. 1. The dashboard shows that 12,656 practitioners…
The increased demand for dental hygienists has led to a surge in compensation costs. But many hygienists may actually be looking for other things besides a bigger paycheck. The recruitment of hygienists has consistently been one of the biggest challenges…
The dental assistant shortage could worsen as the industry grapples with decreased job satisfaction, an upcoming wave of retirements and program enrollment. Dentalpost’s 2026 Dental Salary Survey Report pointed to potential challenges with recruiting and retaining dental assistants, showing that…
Dental professionals are optimistic that growing enrollment in dental hygiene programs and increased retention rates will help alleviate workforce shortages in the field. But others say more work is needed before further improvements can take place. Enrollment in dental hygiene…
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Seventeen states enacted or implemented changes to dental assistant requirements between April and July 2026, according to Dental Assisting National Board’s Fall 2026 State of the States report. Nine states expanded dental assistant functions, three modified requirements, three changed supervision…
The American Dental Hygienists’ Association has published a white paper arguing that dental hygienists should have self-governance, not just self-regulation. The profession’s current model allows for partial oversight but not enough authority to ensure access to preventive care, according to…
Several states have approved additional funding or moved forward with legislation aimed at improving the dental workforce. Four updates: 1. Nevada Senate Bill 495 would allow individuals to receive a dental hygiene license without completing a dental hygiene program that…
The dental industry has seen slight improvements in employment growth over the last 12 months, according to the American Dental Association’s “State of the U.S. Dental Economy” report for the second quarter of 2026. The ADA recently released its “State…
The American Dental Hygienists’ Association has expressed its opposition to a section of a bill in Nevada that creates an alternative license pathway. Sections 77-79 of Nevada Senate Bill 495 would allow individuals to receive a dental hygiene license without…