The Canadian Dental Hygienists Association (CDHA) is pushing back against claims of a widespread shortage of dental hygienists, urging governments and employers to invest in improved work environments, retention strategies and evidence-based workforce planning.
“Dental hygienists are not leaving the profession — they’re leaving unhealthy workplaces,” said Ondina Love, chief executive officer of the CDHA. “Burnout, inadequate compensation and benefits, workplace injuries, and lack of respect are the real issues. But we also want to highlight that many clinics are setting a positive example. These practices prove that it’s possible to create environments where dental hygienists thrive.”
The CDHA’s statement comes amid broader discussions about staffing in the dental sector. In April, Ontario dental hygienists launched a counter-petition in response to an earlier petition by dentists, who pointed to workforce shortages and called for foreign-trained dentists to be permitted to provide preventive care in the province.
Retention is the issue
The industry group told a morning press conference in Ottawa that retention is the issue that urgently needs to be addressed as Canada’s federal dental plan expands and increases demand.
“We must correct the narrative. Claims of widespread dental hygienist shortages are often exaggerated and unsupported. Let me be clear, such assertions are unverifiable and false,” said Love.
Love said her association’s data shows 25 per cent of dental hygienists will likely leave the profession within five years, but that the number of new graduates exceeds that. She said the issue is about retention and not a shortage.
Citing findings from its 2023 Healthy and Respectful Workplace survey, the association said in its Tuesday statement that nearly 40 per cent of hygienists considered leaving their jobs, and 14 per cent had already left their positions. Still, the CDHA said national data points to a stable dental hygiene workforce, and characterized current claims of a severe shortage as misleading.
Highlights from the CDHA’s 2023 workplace survey:
- 6 in 10 respondents reported experiencing and/or witnessing mistreatment at work
- Nearly 40% considered leaving their jobs
- 14% left their positions
- 7% took a leave of absence
- 87% reported experiencing one or more medical issues
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Calls for data-driven planning model
According to the CDHA, staffing challenges are often driven by regional imbalances and poor working conditions rather than a national shortage.
“To ensure a strong oral health workforce, we need a national planning model built on accurate data developed in collaboration with the Canadian Dental Association and the Canadian Dental Assistants Association,” Love said. “We know that many dental practices are getting it right — offering fair compensation and benefits, respectful environments, and opportunities for growth — but many are not.”
The CDHA said improving working conditions is essential to retaining professionals and ensuring high-quality oral health care delivery under programs such as the Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP). As of May 23, more than two million Canadian residents had accessed dental care through the CDCP, while more than four million had been approved and were on track to receive treatment.
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CDA says there is shortage
In a federal election policy platform released in March, the Canadian Dental Association (CDA) said an “ongoing shortage” was already limiting care and estimated that the country will need more than 1,500 additional dental hygienists to meet an expected influx of patients newly covered by the CDCP.
On Tuesday, the dentists’ group pointed to Statistics Canada data that found 50 per cent of dental offices reported difficulty recruiting hygienists in 2023.
“A growing population and increased demand for dental services have created significant operational challenges for dental practices,” the CDA said.
Donna Wells, the hygienist association’s manager of professional practice, said dental hygiene programs have increased their cohort sizes and the current number of graduates offsets the number of people leaving the profession.
“We want to ensure that dental hygienists who are already in the profession stay in the profession. And I think that needs to be addressed,” Wells said.
She said the number of dental hygienists vary by region, with far less in some rural and remote areas, but pushes back on those who say there is an overall shortage.
(With files from the Canadian Press)