Dental hygiene programs rebound in popularity
Dental hygiene program enrollment and graduation rates have increased in recent years, signifying a recovery to prepandemic levels, according to two reports from Becker’s Dental + DSO Review.
Data from the ADA Health Policy Institute indicate that enrollment in dental hygiene programs dropped slightly in 2020-21 after years of steady growth — as the COVID-19 pandemic caused a number of programs to pause admissions and many students to take a leave of absence from their studies. Enrollment has since rebounded and surpassed prepandemic levels.
The number of graduates from dental hygiene programs has followed a similar trend, with a dip in 2020 followed by a rebound that surpassed prepandemic levels. These trends suggest that more dental hygienists will be entering the workforce and may possibly address staffing shortages reported by many dentists since the COVID-19 pandemic.
The data referenced by Becker’s Dental + DSO Review can be found on the Health Policy Institute’s Dental Education page.
Read more: Becker’s Dental + DSO Review, Becker’s Dental + DSO Review
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