2022 is not very kind to the labor market due to global influences like the pandemic or political events. Many people have avoided certain occupations for those reasons, which leads to a shortage of employees in many areas.
Some of the most affected jobs are in the healthcare system. Some graduates tend to avoid it due to the pandemic and because they are unsure how stable the job will be. There is also a shortage of people because more opportunities than graduates have appeared in the healthcare system. Such is the case with dental offices as well. However, an app for dental offices to help with staffing would ease finding new employees.
The Variety of Jobs
Dental offices have a staff shortage because they need various qualified employees. The most important people are the dentist, but a dental office must have a dental assistant and a hygienist. Receptionists are also required because someone must take care of all the clients and look after their needs.
Another area in which there is a need for a specialized workforce is the medical billing domain. Each office needs to have a person aware of how the insurance system works. Many customers have insurance, so communication between the dental office and the insurance company is required. Of course, if the office is more significant than usual, then a manager is needed. Managers are not easy to find; they must be people with experience and specific skill sets.
Increased Demand
The increased demand for such services is essential to the dental field’s labor crisis. People are more interested in dental care, and few offices are big enough to handle all the demands. Finding qualified employees is also making the whole process slower. Patients will take longer to get their appointments.
Surveys suggest that 1 in 3 dentists are looking for such persons. Assistants and hygienists are needed in almost every office. There is also a lack of dentists due to the demand and the fact that many dentists choose to retire. The number of retirements is more significant than in previous years. Retirements and the lack of employees have led to an 11% decrease in the ability of dentists to cover all their appointments.
Qualified Personnel
The demand is significant because there are not enough schools to prepare all the medical staff. There are states with only one certified university with dental medicine programs. The higher rate of retirement and fewer students make it hard to fill the job openings.
The few qualified personnel also wants higher salaries. Some can afford to pay more and attract the majority of the workforce. Thus there is a competition between more established dental offices and smaller ones.
Proper Recruitment Process
This might be an issue for the smaller offices which do not have the experience in the workforce market. If we do not want to get into a labor crisis, it is better to understand how the recruitment system works and what hiring trends attract people. Instead of trying to do everything alone, hiring professionals or using specific platforms to find the right people to fill the openings might be better.
