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Is There a Shortage of Dental Hygienists and Assistants in California?: Findings from the 2003 California Dental Survey
Publication Date: December 2005
Publisher(s): UCLA Center for Health Policy Research
Author(s): Nadereh Pourat; Dylan H. Roby; Roberta Wyn; Marvin Marcus
Funder(s): California Dental Association Foundation
Funder(s): California Dental Association Foundation
Topic: Health (Dental health services)
Health (Quality of health care)
Keywords: dental hygiene; oral health; dental practice
Type: Report
Coverage: California
Abstract:
This report uses data derived from a survey of 13,600 general dentists throughout California and constructs a picture of private dental practice in California; including staffing levels, wage and benefits, patient populations, and experiences in utilizing Allied Dental Health Professionals (ADHP). As it relates specifically to the question of a workforce shortage of ADHP, dentists reported on the length of time to hire these personnel, their perceptions of shortage, and the impact of a shortage on their practice.
In this report, a shortage is examined by identifying delays in hiring dental hygienists and dental assistants, used to define a workforce shortage. The report also details various aspects of experienced shortages by examining geographic distributions where shortages may be more problematic and where efforts to alleviate shortage may be focused.