The dental industry, much like the healthcare industry as a whole, is facing severe staffing shortages. There are many reasons this shortage has become so acute, and it is taking a toll on medical staff and patients alike. Dental healthcare providers are facing increased workloads, which can create excessive work stress. Ensuring your dental healthcare employees know how to cope with work stress is important to their mental health and ability to do their jobs effectively.
Causes and Impacts of Dental Staffing Shortages
The COVID-19 pandemic created a higher demand for dental care than usual. Many patients who deferred non-emergency dental treatment are now seeking it as we put the pandemic behind us. However, this is only one factor compounding the problem. The COVID-19 pandemic restructured the healthcare industry and forced many employees into different roles that were in high demand. As a result, there is now fewer dental healthcare staff than there were before the COVID-19 pandemic.
A lack of dental healthcare professionals hurts patients and staff alike. Dental procedures often require a dental assistant to be present. However, dental assistants are one of the positions where the shortage of healthcare workers is most prevalent. There are also not enough hygienists and front office personnel. Because of this, practices often do not have any available appointments for months on end. While the shortage is forcing patients to defer care, it is also putting extra stress on the dental staff that is working. They are facing higher burdens, and with it, more stress.
What can be Done to Tackle Dental Staffing Shortages?
The lack of dental healthcare workers is a nationwide phenomenon. Forty percent of dental practices across the United States are hiring. Meanwhile, nine out of ten practices are finding that it is very difficult to find workers to fill these roles. Luckily, some states and organizations are spearheading initiatives to train more high school graduates as dental assistants. The Massachusetts Dental Society plans to roll out a social media advertising campaign in order to attract new people to the field.
In the meantime, before the shortage is resolved, dental healthcare providers should focus on making sure their employees are as happy and healthy as possible. Carrying a higher workload than usual takes a toll on dental healthcare staff. Protecting their mental health and providing them with the tools to cope with work stress is essential to making sure they can do their best at work.
Get Certified
American Medical Compliance (AMC) is a leader in the industry for compliance, billing, and HR solutions. Learn more about supporting medical staff by taking AMC’s Work Stress and Mental Health Training for Dental Healthcare Providers course today. Visit https://americanmedicalcompliance.com/ for more information.
Reference
WBUR (2022, August 23). ‘The worst I’ve seen’: Dental practices struggle with staffing shortages. Retrieved from: https://www.wbur.org/news/2022/08/23/dental-labor-shortage-massachusetts.
