There have been several major shifts in the dental workforce over the last few years that DSOs and dental practice owners should know, according to Barry Lyon, DDS.
Dr. Lyon, dental director for Main Street Children’s Dentistry and Orthodontics and Dental Care Alliance, recently spoke with Becker’s to discuss how the dental workforce is evolving.
Editor’s note: This Q&A is part of a weekly series featuring Dr. Lyon focused on topics in the dental industry and DSO field. The views expressed are those of Dr. Lyon and do not necessarily reflect those of Main Street Children’s Dentistry and Orthodontics or Dental Care Alliance.
This response was lightly edited for clarity and length.
Dr. Barry Lyon:
In what was once an almost exclusively male dominated profession with minimal diversity, the faces of dentistry are changing.
According to the American Dental Association, the dental workforce is growing younger, with more female dentists, and becoming more ethnically diverse. The percentage of female dentists has more than doubled since 2001, increasing from 16% to nearly 39%, while half of dentists ages 35 and under are female as of 2024. Marko Vujicic, PhD, the ADA’s chief economist and vice president of the organization’s Health Policy Institute, stated there’s been a move from solo practices to DSOs as young dentists are delaying opening their own offices. While the profession is becoming younger, older dentists are deferring retirement due to a “fiscal squeeze” that is driving income down because practice expenses are outpacing revenue.
These demographic changes are not only about numbers but also about ideals and goals. Younger dentists have unique expectations regarding career flexibility and professional culture, with work-life balance being a significant focus. No longer are the traditional assumptions about the profession being a lifelong, full-time career based on solo practice ownership.
DSO recruiting teams need to be aware of the direction dentistry is evolving. They need to understand who is entering the profession while adapting by providing career pathways that parallel the ambitions of young dentists.
