Nearly half of all dental hygienists are satisfied with their total compensation and benefits, according to Dentalpost's 2024 Dental Salary Survey.

Offering increased starting pay rates, paid time off and retirement plans are the three most commonly offered benefits for dental hygienist and dental assistant applicants over the past two years, according to a poll from the American Dental Association's Health Policy Institute.

Online recruitment staff and word of mouth were the two most effective ways owner dentists used to hire dental hygienists and dental assistants in 2023, according to a poll from the American Dental Association's Health Policy Institute.

About 12% of associate dentists plan to retire within six years, according to Dentalpost's 2024 Dental Salary Survey.

The New York City-based NYU College of Dentistry is launching a Bachelor of Science degree in dental hygiene with a concentration in dental science.

More than half of associate dentists are considering applying for a new job before 2025, according to Dentalpost's 2024 Dental Salary Survey.

Here are seven dental staffing updates Becker's has reported on since Oct. 30:

Recruiting challenges for dental practices have slightly fluctuated since the start of 2023, according to polls from the American Dental Association's Health Policy Institute.

Concorde Career Colleges has launched an additional dental hygiene program.

Northeast Delta Dental is investing $5 million to help alleviate dental workforce shortages and rising costs in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont. 

West Virginia was ranked the worst state for jobs, according to a Nov. 29 report by personal finance website WalletHub.

Washington was ranked the best state for jobs, according to a Nov. 29 report by personal finance website WalletHub.

There were 202,536 general practitioner dentists in the U.S. in 2022, an increase of 39,127 dentists since 2001, according to the American Dental Association's Health Policy Institute.

There were 363,880 active dental assistants in the U.S. in 2022, an increase of 96,040 assistants since 2001, according to the American Dental Association's Health Policy Institute.

There were 214,700 active dental hygienists in the U.S. in 2022, an increase of 64,820 hygienists since 2001, according to the American Dental Association's Health Policy Institute.

Here are four updates on dental therapy legislation that Becker's has reported on in 2023:

Wisconsin legislators recently introduced a bill that would allow dental therapists to practice in the state, the Wisconsin State Journal reported Nov. 6.

Dental assisting training and apprenticeship programs have been approved at the state level in Montana and Utah to help combat workforce shortages.

Dentists that are affiliated with DSOs are more concerned with staffing shortages than dentists that are not DSO-affiliated, according to a survey from the American Dental Association's Health Policy Institute.

Approximately two-thirds of dental practices feel they have an adequate number of dental hygienists and dental assistants on staff, according to a survey from the American Dental Association's Health Policy Institute.