Here are nine statistics and trends pointing to shifts in the dental workforce and recruitment strategies of employers:
1. Overall, the dentist workforce is getting younger, driven by more dental school graduates joining the workforce each year and the large number of dentists over 60 who have left the field since 2017.
2. Several states have joined interstate dental compacts this year to help combat workforce shortages. Louisiana recently became the first state to adopt the Interstate Dental & Dental Hygiene Licensure Compact, developed by the American Association of Dental Boards, while 12 states have joined the Dentist and Dental Hygienist Compact by the Council of State Governments.
3. The orthodontic field is experiencing a slightly more positive workforce, according to a recent survey from the American Association of Orthodontists.
4. There are currently 7,340 dental professional shortage areas in the U.S., according to new data from the Health Resources and Services Administration. More than 10,700 practitioners are needed to fill shortage areas in the U.S.
5. DSOs have spent 2025 investing in initiatives to bolster staffing and support their practice partners. These initiatives include dental school partnerships, new benefits and leadership development.
6. Recruiting dental hygienists and dental assistants has become slightly less challenging since 2023, but it is still difficult for dentists, according to data from the American Dental Association.
7. Approximately 37.5% of dental practice managers are planning or are actively pursuing a job change within the next few years, according to Dentalpost’s 2025 Dental Salary Survey Report.
8. More than half of all dental assistants are currently applying for new jobs or planning to do so before 2026.
9. About 12% of dental hygienists are currently applying for new jobs or are planning to do so before 2026.
