Staffing shortages top expected challenges this year

The biggest challenges dentists expect to face this year center on staffing shortages, low insurance reimbursement and increasing overhead costs.

About 3 in 5 dentists are worried about recruiting and retaining staff, especially dental hygienists, according to polling by the ADA Health Policy Institute at the end of 2024. More than half noted low reimbursement rates, denied coverage and delayed payments, Medicaid and Medicare frustrations, and other related issues as major challenges. For nearly half of respondents, experiencing increasing overhead costs while inflation and low reimbursement rates persist is one of the top challenges they expect to face this year.

When it comes to their plans for the year, less than half of responding dentists plan to add staff to their practices, about 2 in 5 plan to drop out of some insurance networks, and fewer dentists plan to make major equipment purchases or invest in new software than in the past.

Source: American Dental Association. Economic Outlook and Emerging Issues in Dentistry. Q4 2024 main report. Health Policy Institute. Available from: ADA.org/resources/research/health-policy-institute/economic-outlook-and-emerging-issues.