The giant cavity in America's dental care industry
Source: Business Insider ·
Dental offices are struggling to hire and retain hygienists. Burnout, injuries, and lack of health insurance are contributing to a major shortage.
From the source
Getty Images; Alyssa Powell/BIWhen Elysse Morris decided to become a dental hygienist, it seemed like a natural fit. She was a fairly "sciencey" student in high school and generally liked going to the dentist. Plus, she'd always been a talker.Eleven years into her career, Morris, now 34, knows she could probably be making more money. Her home state of Virginia has a severe shortage of dental hygienists, and temporary workers can command high hourly rates by hopping between practices. But Morris has spent four years at the same privately owned office because she's happy there. Her boss gives her decent equipment, benefits, a bonus, and — most importantly — respect. The dentist treats her like a clinician rather than a pair of hands."We're not workers to her," Morris says.Her setup is what those in the business call a "unicorn" office, and the short supply of these quality workplaces is helping cause a short supply of dental hygienists across the country.I'm not kidding when I say I…
BestAIBroker analysis
- Finance-aware sentiment: slightly negative (-0.30 on a -1 to +1 scale).
- Event classification: OTHER.
- Market importance score: 29/100, weighting entity relevance, source credibility, multi-outlet coverage and recency.