Difficulty filling vacant staff positions is the most common reason dentists aren't able to accept more patients right now, according to poll findings from the American Dental Association's Health Policy Institute.
For the week of Nov. 15, dentists were asked, "Which of the following factors are limiting your practice's ability to see more patients?" Respondents could select all that apply.
The answers are comparable to responses from August, when 39.3 percent of dentists said trouble filling vacant staff positions was limiting ability to treat more patients.
Of 1,389 respondents, the following percentage said these factors were limiting ability to see more patients in November:
Trouble filling vacant staff positions: 43.9 percent
Not enough patients trying to make appointments: 30.2 percent
COVID-19 safety protocols are limiting the capacity: 29.7 percent
Could accept more patients but don't want to increase patient volume any further: 18.1 percent
None of the above (my practice is satisfied with its current volume of patients): 16.2 percent
Other: 7.3 percent