The U.S. dental workforce shrunk by 3 percent during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a new report from the American Institute of Dental Public Health.
The dental organization analyzed workforce data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics to create the October report.
Five notes from the report:
1. The loss of dental professionals will lead to decreases in tax revenue and labor income. It will also lead to shortages in Medicaid and Medicare provider networks.
2. States that have not fully rebounded from 2020 workforce shortages lost a combined $66.5 million in annual state income tax revenue.
3. Dental hygienists represent the largest attrition group and are the furthest from returning to full capacity.
4. Dental assistants are projected to be one of the most in-demand professions over the next decade.
5. Although wages have slightly increased for dental professionals since 2020, they are still comparatively low and may be contributing to workforce shortages.