About 12% of associate dentists plan to retire within six years, according to Dentalpost's 2024 Dental Salary Survey.

The New York City-based NYU College of Dentistry is launching a Bachelor of Science degree in dental hygiene with a concentration in dental science.

More than half of associate dentists are considering applying for a new job before 2025, according to Dentalpost's 2024 Dental Salary Survey.

Here are seven dental staffing updates Becker's has reported on since Oct. 30:

Recruiting challenges for dental practices have slightly fluctuated since the start of 2023, according to polls from the American Dental Association's Health Policy Institute.

Concorde Career Colleges has launched an additional dental hygiene program.

Northeast Delta Dental is investing $5 million to help alleviate dental workforce shortages and rising costs in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont. 

West Virginia was ranked the worst state for jobs, according to a Nov. 29 report by personal finance website WalletHub.

Washington was ranked the best state for jobs, according to a Nov. 29 report by personal finance website WalletHub.

There were 202,536 general practitioner dentists in the U.S. in 2022, an increase of 39,127 dentists since 2001, according to the American Dental Association's Health Policy Institute.

There were 363,880 active dental assistants in the U.S. in 2022, an increase of 96,040 assistants since 2001, according to the American Dental Association's Health Policy Institute.

There were 214,700 active dental hygienists in the U.S. in 2022, an increase of 64,820 hygienists since 2001, according to the American Dental Association's Health Policy Institute.

Here are four updates on dental therapy legislation that Becker's has reported on in 2023:

Wisconsin legislators recently introduced a bill that would allow dental therapists to practice in the state, the Wisconsin State Journal reported Nov. 6.

Dental assisting training and apprenticeship programs have been approved at the state level in Montana and Utah to help combat workforce shortages.

Dentists that are affiliated with DSOs are more concerned with staffing shortages than dentists that are not DSO-affiliated, according to a survey from the American Dental Association's Health Policy Institute.

Approximately two-thirds of dental practices feel they have an adequate number of dental hygienists and dental assistants on staff, according to a survey from the American Dental Association's Health Policy Institute.

The projected change in employment for oral and maxillofacial surgeons is expected to increase 5% by 2032, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. 

The U.S. is projected to be short 36,517 dental professionals by 2031. 

The expected percentage change in employment from 2022 to 2032 for orthodontists is 4%, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.