Dental practices in Minnesota are facing major scheduling backlogs, mainly due to the lack of available dental hygienists, according to a Jan. 10 report by ABC affiliate KSTP-TV.

The dental workforce emerged as one of the biggest issues in the industry during 2023, and there doesn't seem to be a light at the end of the tunnel coming anytime soon.

About 28% of dental practice managers plan to apply for new jobs by the end of 2024, according to Dentalpost's 2024 Dental Salary Survey.

Hiring and retention were the biggest challenges facing dental practice managers in 2023, according to Dentalpost's 2024 Dental Salary Survey.

Dental practice managers saw a jump in both hourly wages and annual income in 2023, according to Dentalpost's 2024 Dental Salary Survey.

Fifty-six percent of dental assistants are considering applying for new jobs before 2025, according to Dentalpost's 2024 Dental Salary Survey.

About 28 percent of dental assistants are satisfied with their compensation, while 37 percent are satisfied with their benefits, according to Dentalpost's 2024 Dental Salary Survey.

Thirty-four percent of dental hygienists plan to retire within six years, according to Dentalpost's 2024 Dental Salary Survey.

Eleven percent of dental hygienists are currently applying for or plan to apply for new jobs by the end of 2024, according to Dentalpost's 2024 Dental Salary Survey.

Nearly half of all dental hygienists are satisfied with their total compensation and benefits, according to Dentalpost's 2024 Dental Salary Survey.

Offering increased starting pay rates, paid time off and retirement plans are the three most commonly offered benefits for dental hygienist and dental assistant applicants over the past two years, according to a poll from the American Dental Association's Health Policy Institute.

Online recruitment staff and word of mouth were the two most effective ways owner dentists used to hire dental hygienists and dental assistants in 2023, according to a poll from the American Dental Association's Health Policy Institute.

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.