Staff Shortages

Dental shortage areas top 8K in U.S., HRSA reports
By DrBicuspid.com staff writers
Nearly 79 million people now live in HRSA-designated dental shortage areas as some hygienist vacancies stretch past six months.
October 30, 2026
U.S. map with states colored in varying shades of blue representing data distribution or regional variation.
1 in 5 dentists waited 6-plus months to fill hygienist roles: ADA
By DrBicuspid.com staff writers
About one-third of dentists recruited hygienists in the third quarter, and most called the process very or extremely challenging.
October 22, 2026
Close-up of a person taping a 'Now Hiring' sign to a glass door.
Hygienist shortage pushes practices to rework staffing models
By DrBicuspid.com staff writers
More than 90% of dentists call hygienist recruitment difficult, and federal projections show the workforce gap could widen through 2038.
September 9, 2026
A red-and-white 'Help Wanted' sign is taped to a glass window.
Is your dental hygienist quitting? This may be a predictor.
By Melissa Busch
A new study reveals the predictors signaling that dental hygienists intend to quit.
August 7, 2026
A dental hygienist wearing personal protective equipment looks out an office window.
Action for Dental Health Act advances in Congress
By DrBicuspid.com staff writers
Bipartisan legislation would reauthorize $15 million in annual dental workforce grants amid a hygienist shortage.
August 6, 2026
American flag waving in front of the U.S. Capitol dome.
The hidden cost of staff turnover in dental, and whether tech can fix it
By Nathan James
Your best hygienists aren't leaving for another practice, writes Nathan James. They're leaving for a reason that most owners aren't fixing.
August 6, 2026
Headshot of Nathan James, chief product officer, global head of product and design at Planet DDS.
GoTu, Henry Schein partner
By DrBicuspid.com staff writers
GoTu has joined forces with Henry Schein.
July 6, 2026
Five smiling women healthcare providers.
Federal funding builds dental workforce in underserved areas
By DrBicuspid.com staff writers
Two programs funding community-based dental residencies are training dentists to stay and practice in areas that need them the most.
July 2, 2026
Historic downtown street in a small town with brick buildings, American flags, lamp posts, and a green hillside backdrop.
Dentistry is facing a workforce crisis, and these numbers show why it's already urgent
By DrBicuspid.com staff writers
As dentists know, the dental workforce shortage is here. Dr. Nicole McGrath-Barnes explains what's behind the crisis.
June 1, 2026
The DrBicuspid.com Podcast promotional image featuring a masked cartoon dentist and a microphone.
ADHA updates position statement on workforce shortage
By DrBicuspid.com staff writers
The ADHA says three years of data confirm the dental hygiene workforce crisis is a retention problem, not a pipeline problem.
May 26, 2026
The American Dental Hygienists' Association logo in purple and gray.
The team retention problem in dentistry
Dentistry's staffing crisis isn't about finding talent, but rather it's about keeping it, writes Chris Mizenko.
May 4, 2026
Red and white 'Help Wanted' sign displayed in office window.
ADA: Dental job growth nearly stagnant in early 2026
By DrBicuspid.com staff writers
The ADA's Q1 2026 economic report shows that dental sector job growth has barely moved, with only a 0.5% increase over the past year.
April 23, 2026
Hand posting a 'Now Hiring' sign to a glass door.
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