The U.S. is projected to be short 36,517 dental professionals by 2031.
Here are eight dental staffing updates since Sept. 20:
1. The U.S. is projected to be short 36,517 dental professionals by 2031, according to a Sept. 29 report from McKinsey & Co.
2. The expected percentage change in employment from 2022 to 2032 for orthodontists is 4%.
3. The employment rate of dental hygienists and dental assistants is expected to increase 7% by 2032.
4. The shortage of dental assistants and dental hygienists is causing some practices in Minnesota to cut their hours.
5. Dentists in Multnomah County, Ore., voted to authorize a strike.
6. Patients trying to get an appointment at Southern Smiles Family & Cosmetic Dentistry in College Station, Texas, are facing wait times of up to 10 months.
7. Dentists in public health settings are recruiting staff more heavily than general practice dentists, according to a poll from the American Dental Association's Health Policy Institute.
8. Sen. Roger Marshall, MD, and Sen. Bernie Sanders collaborated to create the Bipartisan Primary Care and Health Workforce Act to address the shortage of healthcare workers.