Hygienists remain most challenging role to recruit at dental practices

Hygienists remained the most challenging role for dentists to recruit in August, according to a poll from the American Dental Association's Health Policy Institute. 

The poll was taken as part of the ADA's monthly "Economic Outlook and Emerging Issues in Dentistry" report. The HPI surveyed 1,204 dentists on the roles they were recruiting for. 

Percentage of dentists hiring dental staff: 

Dental hygienists

Yes: 36.7 percent

No: 60.8 percent

Not sure: 2.5 percent

Dental assistants

Yes: 38.6 percent

No: 58.3 percent

Not sure: 3.1 percent

Dentists

Yes: 15.2 percent

No: 81.1 percent

Not sure: 3.7 percent

Administrative staff

Yes: 28.9 percent

No: 66.5 percent

Not sure: 4.6 percent

The HPI received 753 responses to a question asking how challenging it was to recruit for these roles. Here is how they responded:

Dental hygienists

Extremely challenging: 77.6 percent

Very challenging: 16.5 percent

Dental assistants

Extremely challenging: 57.8 percent

Very challenging: 28.6 percent

Moderately challenging: 10.5 percent

Dentists

Extremely challenging: 53.6 percent

Very challenging: 23.5 percent

Moderately challenging: 14.2 percent

Administrative staff

Extremely challenging: 44 percent

Very challenging: 34.5 percent

Moderately challenging: 15.5 percent

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