Downward Trend Noted in Dental Employment
The American Dental Association Health Policy Institute (ADA HPI) reported a decrease in dental employment—the first since April 2020—during the month of March. Part of an ongoing trend since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of dentists retiring and the number of dental hygienists leaving the profession are both on the rise. The ADA HPI noted a loss of 1,500 dental jobs—both clinical and staff—from February 2022 to March 2022.
Dentists are retiring in higher numbers than in previous years, and the ADA HPI suggests this is contributing to dentistry’s stagnant labor market. The exodus of dental hygienists is mainly of their own accord, with concerns regarding the safety of clinical work, decreased access to childcare, and low pay cited as reasons for leaving the profession. Click here to read more.
