Dental professionals are optimistic that growing enrollment in dental hygiene programs and increased retention rates will help alleviate workforce shortages in the field. But others say more work is needed before further improvements can take place.
Enrollment in dental hygiene programs has continued to increase after experiencing a drop during the early years of the pandemic. Dental hygiene programs have seen a 15% increase in total enrollment since 2021, according to new data from the American Dental Association. The number of graduates from hygiene programs has also continued to increase since 2022, reaching 7,739 in 2024.
Source: Will a larger hygienist pipeline solve dentistry’s labor crisis? / Becker’s Dental