Dental Staffing Shortages: What’s Really Causing Them (and How to Fix It)

It’s no secret that dental practices are facing staffing shortages like never before.

But there’s a surprising amount of disagreement about just how severe the problem really is.

After working with thousands of offices across North America, here’s the reality:

The issue isn’t just the shortage itself; it’s how practices are responding to it.

In this article, we’ll discuss what’s really driving the staffing challenge, why common solutions often make it worse, and what practices can do to consistently attract and retain great team members.

Table of Contents

1. The Staffing Shortage Is Real… But Misunderstood
2. Why Most Practices Make It Worse
3. The Truth: The Talent Is Still Out There
4. What It Takes to Win
5. The Real Opportunity
6. When You Get It Right, Everything Changes
7. How Design Ergonomics Can Help

You Don’t Have to Outrun the Bear

There’s an old joke about two guys in the woods who spot a bear in the distance. One starts putting on running shoes. The other says, “What are you doing? You can’t outrun a bear.”
The first replies, “I don’t have to outrun the bear... I just have to outrun you.”

It’s not a great joke. But it’s a powerful idea that perfectly describes what’s happening in dentistry today.

The Staffing Shortage Is Real… But Misunderstood

Yes, there is a staffing shortage in dental practices. But it’s not as large as many believe.

The overall supply of dental professionals is not shrinking. In fact, the ADA projects that the number of practicing dentists in the U.S. continues to grow and is projected to increase through 2040 ( ADA Health Policy Institute)

So why does it feel so severe?

Because the impact is amplified:

• When one team member leaves, it creates a ripple effect across multiple practices
  • A staffing gap doesn’t just hurt you while the position is empty; it creates a backlog that lingers long after you hire a replacement. Simply filling the role stops things from getting worse, but it doesn’t catch you up. Without additional capacity, delays continue to build, and patients may start to leave, creating that ripple effect.
    
• Practices in high-demand and rural areas feel the strain more intensely because there is more competition for a smaller pool.

In other words, the problem isn’t just the shortage itself; it’s how it spreads and compounds.

Why Most Practices Make It Worse

When faced with staffing challenges, many practices default to:

• Raising fees
• Dropping insurance plans
• Reducing patient volume

On the surface, this works. Fewer patients mean less demand for staff.

But there’s a hidden cost:

• The practice begins to shrink
• Growth opportunities disappear
• Top performers leave for better environments

What looks like a solution is often the start of a slow decline. By the time practices realize it, it’s often too late, and they’re left selling what was once their livelihood for less than it’s worth, trading independence for years of obligation to a larger organization.

The Truth: The Talent Is Still Out There

Here’s the good news:

Most people in dentistry still want to work in dentistry.

They’re just getting to choose where they want to work!

That means the real question isn’t:
“How bad is the shortage?”
It’s:
“Why would someone choose your practice over another?”

What It Takes to Win

To attract and retain great team members, you need to compete on two fronts:

1. Compensation

Pay matters. Wages have risen, and practices need to keep up with:

• Higher salaries
• Better benefits
• Or both

You can offset this in a few ways:

First, as mentioned above:

• Raising fees
• Dropping low-paying insurance

Second, by increasing productivity.

Most practices choose the first two. The best practices focus on the latter.

2. The Workplace Experience (“Hygiene Factors”)

This is where most practices fall short.

Team members are looking for:

• A positive, low-stress environment
• Efficient systems that reduce frustration
• A sense of purpose and growth
• A workplace they’re proud of

If those aren’t present, no amount of pay will keep great people long-term.

The Real Opportunity

For practices willing to step up, this moment is an opportunity.

Why?

Because for every practice losing a key team member, there are others in that very same office quietly thinking about leaving too.

They’re not just looking for a job. They’re looking for something better.

If you want to solve staffing challenges without shrinking your practice, the answer is simple:

Become the best place to work!

That means:

• Designing systems that eliminate wasted time
• Creating a calm, efficient clinical environment
• Improving the patient's total experience
• Supporting your team’s success and well-being

And most importantly:

Increase production per hour

High-performing practices consistently produce 2–4x the national average, not by working harder, but by working more effectively. Toyota makes more money than Stellantis simply because it makes better-quality cars. The same principles apply to your practice.

When you do that:

• Revenue increases without adding hours
• You can afford competitive compensation
• The workload feels easier, not heavier
• Patients are seen faster and more comfortably
• Your team actually enjoys coming to work

Everyone wins.

Do you know how you compare to the average dental office? And would you like to know your full potential?

Take this quiz to see how your dental practice compares to national averages and discover simple ways to improve your productivity.

And for more important metrics to track and improve productivity, read our article: What KPIs Should Dentists Track to Run a More Efficient Practice? 

When You Get It Right, Everything Changes

Staffing shortages don’t cripple great practices. They expose average ones.

You don’t need to fix the labor market - You can't!
Do that for your team, and they’ll create the same experience for your patients.

So the real question is:

Are you trying to outrun the bear… or just outrun the other guy down the street?

How Design Ergonomics Can Help

At Design Ergonomics, we help practices do more than just “cope” with staffing challenges; we help you eliminate the root causes behind them.

By redesigning your clinical workflows, optimizing your space, and improving production per hour, we help you:

• Reduce stress on your team
• Increase efficiency without adding hours
• Create a workplace people actually want to be part of

The result? A practice that attracts and retains top talent because it’s built to support them.

Want to see what that could look like in your practice?

Download the free chapters of "Your Blueprint for Maximizing Dental Office Productivity" to learn how to

• Enhance team motivation and training
• Optimize scheduling
• Increase clinical efficiency
• Streamline inventory and supply

Or schedule a meeting with one of our Practice Advisors to explore how you can build a more productive, team-centered environment.