The dental industry is expected to continue evolving amid the ongoing hygienist shortage, which could lead to fragmentation with negative effects on patient care.
Monica Urda, DDS, founder and CEO of Smile Science Chicago, recently spoke with Becker’s about how the hygienist shortage will impact dentistry long term.
Note: Responses were lightly edited for clarity and length.
Question: What workforce trend(s) do you expect to continue or emerge this year? How will these trends affect the dental industry?
Monica Urda, DDS. Founder and CEO of Smile Science Chicago: Over the next 12 months, I anticipate that the ongoing shortage in dental hygiene will continue to shape our industry in meaningful ways. We are already seeing signs that hygiene may increasingly branch into its own distinct segment of the profession. Models such as Tend and other hygiene-focused platforms may continue to expand as they respond to workforce dynamics and patient demand.
There are potential advantages to this shift. For general practices, it may allow dentists to concentrate more fully on complex, high-impact procedures that significantly improve patient outcomes. Specialization can drive efficiency and elevate the level of care delivered in specific areas.
However, there are also important considerations. When hygiene operates separately from comprehensive general practice, the continuity of care can become fragmented. The clinician who is closely tracking long-term oral health trends, behavioral patterns and subtle changes over time may be removed from the integrated care model. While this may not create immediate short-term consequences, it could lead to a more disjointed dental healthcare system over time, ultimately impacting patients’ long-term health outcomes.
Additionally, friction between general dental offices and hygienists has grown in recent years. In some practices, hygiene departments have become financially challenging, particularly when restorative or comprehensive treatment is not effectively diagnosed, presented and scheduled. Without strong alignment, hygiene can shift from being a driver of practice health to a financial strain.
If these trends continue, dentistry could begin to resemble medicine more closely [in which] patients are first seen in one setting and only referred to the general dentist once conditions progress beyond early intervention. That model may reduce preventive integration and shift the system toward reactive rather than proactive care.
The opportunity ahead lies in strengthening collaboration, refining systems and protecting the integrated model that supports preventive care, long-term monitoring and comprehensive treatment planning. Practices that adapt thoughtfully will be well positioned to deliver exceptional patient care while navigating these evolving dynamics.