Staffing Issues

The amount of general practice dentists in the U.S. has increased more than 20 percent from 2001 to 2021.

The number of dental anesthesiologists in the U.S. has increased from zero in 2018 to 97 in 2021, according to recent data from the American Dental Association.

The number of U.S. orofacial pain specialists has increased from zero in 2019 to 25 in 2021, according to recent data from the American Dental Association.

Female dentists tend to be younger than male dentists, with 21.5 percent of women being over the age of 55 compared to 45.2 percent of male dentists.

The dental workforce is making strides in adding women to the industry, seeing a nearly 20 percent increase in women over 20 years.

The number of patients seen at dental practices during the week of Feb. 14 was lower than the maximum amount staffing levels would allow, according to new data from the American Dental Association. 

Workforce shortages are the biggest factor preventing dental practices from recruiting dental assistants and hygienists, according to a new poll from the American Dental Association.

Two states are considering legislation that would expand the scope of practice for dental professionals, and the American Dental Association is calling for more attention to workforce shortages and oral health disparities. 

As of August 2021, less than half of dental hygienists who left employment early in the pandemic returned to the workforce, according to research published in the February issue of The Journal of Dental Hygiene.

The Alaska House of Representatives passed a bill that would allow dental hygienists to apply for permits to work independently, Alaska Native News reported Feb. 18.