Three states have proposed several pieces of legislation that would make changes to various dental roles, including dental therapists, dental hygienists and dental assistants.

A new law in Colorado will allow the state to begin licensing dental therapists, but a lack of training and resources could hinder the state's ability to bring enough in, The Colorado Sun reported March 10.

Patients of a Kentucky dental practice have to wait months for an appointment due to ongoing dental workforce shortages, CBS affiliate WYMT reported March 7. 

The Wisconsin Dental Association launched a social media campaign to help decrease dental workforce shortages. 

Dental hygienist is the position dentists are having the most difficulty recruiting at their practices, according to a poll from the American Dental Association Health Policy Institute.

Several dental companies recently made Forbes' best midsize U.S. employers list for 2023.

Some states are having better luck than others when it comes to staffing, and according to personal finance website WalletHub, employers in New York are having the most success with hiring.

Staffing remains a pain point for dentists, and many anticipate this challenge to continue over the next six months, with 66.3 percent of dentists citing it as a concern, according to a January poll from the American Dental Association's Health Policy Institute.

A new bill, sponsored by the California Dental Association, was proposed with the goal of tackling the state's dental assistant workforce shortage.

Two states recently introduced legislation to help alleviate dental workforce shortages.

A proposed bill in Oregon to allocate $20 million for programs to recruit dental hygienists and assistants is being considered in the state House, according to a Feb. 13 report by Oregon Capital Chronicle. 

TempStars, a dental temping and hiring service, has provided its staffing services to 500 U.S. dental practices. 

Here are seven dental workforce updates Becker's has reported on since March 3:

More than 200,000 dentists will be needed to meet patient demand by 2030, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Health Resources and Services Administration.

Staffing is the top challenge dentists anticipate facing within the next six months, with 66.3 percent of dentists citing it as a concern, according to a recent poll from the American Dental Association's Health Policy Institute.

The Association of Dental Support Organizations launched a task force to address staffing issues in dental practices. 

Fifty-one percent of dentists who are owners or partners have stayed at the same practice for more than 20 years, according to DentalPost's "2023 Dental Salary Survey" annual report.

Dental hygienists remained the most challenging role for dentists to recruit in December, according to a poll from the American Dental Association's Health Policy Institute. 

Hennepin Technical College in Brooklyn Park, Minn., has cut the ribbon on its $1 million dental assistant training facility, CCX Media reported Jan. 10.

The dental industry is still dealing with a shortage of providers exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly dental assistants and hygienists.