University of Pittsburgh Creates Program to Alleviate Dental Assistant Shortage

According to the American Dental Association, more than 40% of United States dental practices are seeking to hire new dental team members, and dental assistants are at the top of that list. Pennsylvania is no stranger to the nationwide phenomenon of increased demand for dental services coupled with shortages in availability of oral health professionals. Thus, the University of Pittsburgh has initiated a new program that provides 14-month long paid internships for qualified high school students who would like to become dental assistants. Funded by a grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry, the program is partnering with local public schools to identify the best candidates for the program. Besides increasing the number of dental assistants in the state, the program also hopes to diversity this workforce. Click here to read more.