A New Day for Dentistry
In this episode of “Dental Sound Bites”, Dr. Wright and Dr. Hanlon talk to Marco Vujicic, the Chief Economist and Vice President of the Health Policy Institute at the American Dental Association. The episode discusses the changing trends in Dentistry and how they are impacting the profession.
The conversation begins with an introduction to Marco Vujicic and his role in bringing evidence and data to practical policy debates. The discussion then moves on to the latest research and data about the dental workforce.
The latest data shows that the patient flow has recovered quite well, and practices are at about 90% of pre-pandemic patient volume. However, the hiring challenges in the dental sector are the biggest concern. The latest data shows that about 40% of practices are in the market to hire either an assistant, hygienist, or front office staff. When asked how challenging it is, over 90% of them say it’s nearly impossible or very difficult.
The issue is not limited to just one area. It is widespread and affecting large and small groups, urban and rural areas. The shortage is worse in rural areas. The workforce behavior is changing, and people are re-evaluating the place of work in their lives due to the pandemic. This has led to a “great resignation” or “great reset” in many industries, including Dentistry.
The shortage of the hygiene workforce is about 5% compared to pre-pandemic levels, and there has been a long-term downward trend in assisting programs. The workforce shortage is not a situation that can be resolved overnight and will take multiple years to work through. Innovations in technology and the use of the workforce more effectively for efficiency gains are some of the solutions being explored. However, practices are really hurting for staff, and this is one of the reasons keeping patient volume down.
Overall, the episode highlights the challenges faced by the dental workforce due to changing trends in Dentistry and how it impacts the profession.
Ensure that you follow the best dental practices. We make dental staff training fun by bringing Pizza and Beer (or other drinks) during the training so your team can actually enjoy themselves.
For more assistance contact, your local Hayes representative to help ensure that your staff and practice are compliant with your local Hayes Handpiece representative