We are living through a time where record numbers of people are voluntarily leaving the jobs they’ve been at for years in search of better working conditions and compensation. This has been termed as The Great Resignation. Many dental offices have reported a dearth of dental hygienists available to work. But is the dental hygienist shortage related to this economic phenomena?
There is currently a dental hygienist shortage in the dental field. Contributing factors to the shortage include safety concerns over COVID-19, reaching retirement age, compensation dissatisfaction, and accumulated musculoskeletal disorders.
The COVID-19 pandemic was one of the greatest disasters in history and no disaster is without its consequences. I myself took a break from dental hygiene during this time and I can attest that the time off has provided me time to reflect on what I really want from my career. Let me show you what I found out.
Reason #1: COVID-19 Concerns
I know one of the main reasons many left dental hygiene during the pandemic was because of the fear of contracting this unknown virus that was landing people into hospitals and coffins. Our jobs directly involve the mouth and our patients breathing into the environment around us. Not to mention that many dental offices are designed with an open concept where there are no doors to separate one operatory from the other. How could we practice our craft knowing that one patient could potentially be infecting another? Many hygienists, including myself, decided to hold back and see how this world event would unfold.
As I personally started to consider going back to work I took as many COVID-related dental continuing education courses (CE) to catch up on the latest recommendations for keeping our patients safe. The first thing that I decided to do was to follow governmental recommendations and get vaccinated against the coronavirus. I couldn’t bare the thought of someone becoming sick on my account. Getting the vaccine gave me peace of mind.
There were also a myriad of ‘new’ (I say new in quotations because these products already existed but took a more important role in view of the airborne pathogen) devices that came out of the dental wood work that were becoming a mainstay in the dental operatory.
The Hi-Vacuum that I almost never touched during a cleaning procedure was now many a hygienists’ constant companion. Face shields, those suffocating N-95masks, and disposable gowns were now the dental hygienist’s lifeline.
One CE I attended highlighted a particularly fancy air purification system that suctioned almost all the aerosols produced by our ultrasonic scalers. The dentist presenting the CE even stated that his hygienists’ face shields had no trace of debris on them after a cleaning. I must say I wanted to get back into the office just to try that!
Despite these relatively quick adaptations in safety many hygienists have still not decided to return to the dental office.
Reason #2 Many Dental Hygienists Decided to Retire
The dental hygiene profession has been around for more than 100 years since its inception in 1917. As the Baby Boomer generation comes closer to retirement age it is no surprise that the dental hygienists among them could have taken this opportunity to hang their gloves for good.
One of the biggest stresses during the Pandemic was not knowing when it would end. How can you plan for the future if you’re in a constant state of suspense? If I were nearing retirement age I would have simply taken advantage of the current situation and wrote into the state to retire my license (which you should do! Never let it lapse!)
Not to mention that the coronavirus was particularly aggressive among the older age group so I really don’t blame any hygienist that retired during this time. If you retired during the pandemic and are reading this I thank you for the work you contributed to our profession. Enjoy your retirement!
Reason #3 Dental Hygienists Are Reconsidering Their Workplace
Historically dental hygienists have earned a good wage for the work they do. The median wage for a hygienist pre-pandemic was $75,500. But, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics it gauges the dental hygienists median wage at $77,800 in 2021–a $2,300 difference. Is this enough of a difference for some to shop around for another job opportunity? Possibly. But the reasons for leaving go deeper than just the pay.
Work conditions are, by far, one of the biggest factors for dental hygienists stepping away from the dental operatory. Interpersonal relationships with coworkers and managers play a big role in the level of work satisfaction a dental hygienist experiences.
It’s amazing what you start to notice when your environment changes for an extended period of time: Those subtle passive aggressive comments from a coworker that were tolerated for years disappear. That overbooked schedule that made your cortisol pump constantly is now on hold. Now you have the time to start looking at other options or simply reconsider whether you need to work at all.
So many parents have enjoyed reconnecting with their families during quarantine. You start to explore other avenues of work and income-production from home in order to continue to nurture those relationships. The Great Resignation, although bad for business, could very well have been one of the best moments for dental hygienists to reconsider their professional environment.
“Only you can make the decision for what you believe your worth is and that will determine how you allow people to treat you.”
-GERMANY KENT (AMERICAN BROADCASTER)
Reason #4 Musculoskeletal Pain
This is one of the saddest reasons impacting the dental hygienist shortage in my opinion. Because of the repetitive motions related to our work, musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are widespread among dental hygiene professionals.
MSDs cause serious pain to the hands, wrists, arms, shoulders, back and legs of most practicing dental hygienists. A lack of good ergonomic tools and habits accumulate over the years and manifest in pain and weakness throughout the body. This, in turn, affect work satisfaction and a reluctance to return to the dental office.
I can only imagine the relief that many a hygienist felt once they stopped practicing during the extended quarantine. I would have done the same if I were in pain every day of the week.
If this is the reason why you have left the dental hygiene profession, please, please, please consider getting a dental ergonomic coach to give you personal training! You can get back in the game, if you so wish. In fact, the whole dental team could benefit from a coach of this sort. You can also find other resources on this blog that can help jump-start your dental hygiene career again.
The Great Reconstruction
Only time will tell what long-term effects the COVID-19 pandemic will have on the dental hygiene profession and the economy at large. But people are resilient and when there’s a will, there’s a way.
If you’ve stepped away from dental hygiene during the pandemic but you are still in love with the spirit of the profession, consider giving back in some way:
- Partner up with another (retired) hygienist to reach out to school children
- Become a mentor at a dental hygiene school or high school
- Consider teledentistry as a remote-work opportunity (this up-and-coming!)
- Write a book or blog to preserve the experience you’ve gained over the years (we need this!)
May all your days post-pandemic and beyond be filled with a sense of satisfaction with whatever you choose to do with your life.
