Enrollment by first-year students in accredited dental hygiene programs has increased 4.3 percent since 2018, but dental assistant enrollment has decreased 21.9 percent over the same period, according to data from the ADA.
Here is how many first-year students were enrolled in dental hygiene and dental assistant programs from the 2018-19 academic year to the 2022-23 year:
Dental hygienists
2018-19: 8,288
2019-20: 8,322
2020-21: 7,745
2021-22: 8,197
2022-23: 8,642
Dental assistants
2018-19: 5,775
2019-20: 5,484
2020-21: 4,923
2021-22: 4,715
2022-23: 4,510