The persistent shortage of dental hygienists is leading to scheduling backlogs at dental practices, according to a Feb. 4 report from CBS affiliate WKRC.
Due to the shortage, the American Dental Association has proposed lowering the qualification standards and barrier for dental hygienists to join the industry.
In November, the ADA suggested increasing the faculty-to-student ratio in dental hygiene programs, allowing dental students to practice as hygienists after completing their competencies and permitting dentists from other countries to obtain a license to practice dental hygiene in the U.S.
West Chester (Ohio) Family Dentistry, for example, usually has two hygienists for each of its three dentists. However, the practice currently has three hygienists in total. Patients are having to wait up to six months to get an appointment for a regular cleaning and checkup at the practice, with other offices in the area having waits of up to nine months, the report said.
The American Dental Hygienists Association released a position statement on the state of the hygienist workforce in December and offered potential strategies to help increase the number of dental hygienists.