The poll examines the economic impact of COVID-19 on 1,883 dental practices for the week of Jan. 17. Respondents were asked if they had recently or were currently recruiting for four roles: dental hygienists, dental assistants, dentists and administrative staff.
Results of the poll:
Dental hygienists
Yes: 33 percent
No: 65.3 percent
Not sure: 1.7 percent
Dental assistants
Yes: 39 percent
No: 58.2 percent
Not sure: 2.8 percent
Dentists
Yes: 14.1 percent
No: 83.6 percent
Not sure: 2.3 percent
Administrative staff
Yes: 27.2 percent
No: 69.8 percent
Not sure: 3 percent
Despite the majority of respondents stating they were not recruiting for these roles, staffing was still listed as the top challenge for dental practices, with 68.8 percent of respondents reporting staffing as their greatest challenge.
