GITNUXREPORT 2025

Hr In The Dental Industry Statistics

Dental industry faces staffing shortages despite increased wages, training, and retention efforts.

Jannik Linder

Co-Founder of Gitnux, specialized in content and tech since 2016.

First published: April 29, 2025

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Statistic 1

The average benefits package for dental hygienists includes health insurance, retirement plans, and paid time off

Statistic 2

26% of dental practices have adopted flexible benefits plans to accommodate diverse workforce needs

Statistic 3

The dental industry’s average salary for a dental hygienist is $77,000 per year

Statistic 4

55% of dental practices plan to increase wages to attract staff in 2024

Statistic 5

24% of dental practices offer salary benchmarking tools as part of HR strategy

Statistic 6

60% of dental practices offer continuing education benefits to their employees

Statistic 7

80% of dental practices invest in staff training and professional development annually

Statistic 8

The average period for staff training and onboarding is 3 weeks

Statistic 9

63% of dental practices use online platforms for employee training and development

Statistic 10

64% of dental practices participate in industry associations' HR-related webinars and training

Statistic 11

51% of dental practices leverage internal talent development programs to fill staffing needs

Statistic 12

33% of dental practices increased their use of digital HR platforms in 2023

Statistic 13

55% of dental practices have adopted telehealth solutions for patient communication, which influences HR policies

Statistic 14

Approximately 65% of dental practices report challenges in recruiting and retaining qualified staff

Statistic 15

The average turnover rate for dental hygienists is around 25%

Statistic 16

78% of dental practices experience difficulties in hiring dental assistants

Statistic 17

22% of dental staff report high levels of burnout

Statistic 18

38% of dental practices utilize temporary or locum staff to cover staffing gaps

Statistic 19

The average vacancy duration for dental assistants is approximately 3.5 months

Statistic 20

70% of dental practices actively participate in employee referral programs

Statistic 21

45% of dental practices report difficulty in onboarding new staff

Statistic 22

The median age of dental professionals is 45 years old

Statistic 23

40% of dental practices offer flexible working hours to retain staff

Statistic 24

28% of dental staff are planning to leave their jobs within the next year

Statistic 25

62% of dental clinics report an increase in the need for HR management systems

Statistic 26

48% of dental practices reported implementing new recruitment strategies in 2023

Statistic 27

The average cost to replace a hygienist is estimated to be $25,000, including recruitment and onboarding expenses

Statistic 28

43% of dental practices use data analytics to improve HR decision-making

Statistic 29

The average tenure of dental staff members is around 4 years

Statistic 30

68% of dental practices provide some form of mental health support or employee assistance programs

Statistic 31

25% of dental practices are planning to hire additional staff in the next 12 months

Statistic 32

52% of dental practices report difficulty in maintaining a consistent pipeline of qualified candidates

Statistic 33

19% of dental practices have adopted AI-based HR tools for staffing and scheduling

Statistic 34

57% of dental practices experienced improved staff retention after implementing new HR policies

Statistic 35

65% of dental practices provide employee recognition programs to boost morale

Statistic 36

33% of dental practices have faced legal challenges related to employment disputes in past five years

Statistic 37

49% of dental practices report an increase in employment-related disputes over the past three years

Statistic 38

37% of dental practices utilize employee engagement surveys annually to improve staff morale

Statistic 39

70% of dental practices have formal HR policies documented and regularly reviewed

Statistic 40

46% of dental practices expressed concern over workforce shortages and its impact on patient care

Statistic 41

55% of dental practices use social media for recruitment and employer branding

Statistic 42

41% of dental practices have policies to support diversity and inclusion in hiring

Statistic 43

36% of dental practices experience difficulties in succession planning for key roles

Statistic 44

22% of dental practice owners are planning retirement within the next 5 years

Statistic 45

58% of dental practices report the use of employee performance metrics to guide HR decisions

Statistic 46

The average annual expenditure on HR management per dental practice is $15,000

Statistic 47

49% of dental practices report that COVID-19 has permanently changed their HR policies and practices

Statistic 48

45% of dental practices have experienced challenges with compliance to employment laws

Statistic 49

29% of dental practices are actively recruiting specialized roles such as oral surgeons or orthodontists

Statistic 50

47% of dental practices use employee satisfaction scores to inform HR improvements

Statistic 51

39% of dental offices report difficulty in keeping up with evolving employment regulations and compliance

Statistic 52

23% of dental practices have implemented wellness programs aimed at reducing stress and improving mental health

Statistic 53

53% of dental practices are actively planning HR policy updates for the upcoming year

Statistic 54

30% of dental practices face challenges in multi-state hiring due to varying employment laws

Statistic 55

19% of dental practices report increased use of gig workers or freelance professionals to manage staffing fluctuations

Statistic 56

54% of dental practices report feeling confident in their HR strategies to retain top talent

Statistic 57

37% of dental practices have faced legal issues related to employment contracts or workplace disputes

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Key Highlights

Approximately 65% of dental practices report challenges in recruiting and retaining qualified staff
The average turnover rate for dental hygienists is around 25%
78% of dental practices experience difficulties in hiring dental assistants
The dental industry’s average salary for a dental hygienist is $77,000 per year
55% of dental practices plan to increase wages to attract staff in 2024
60% of dental practices offer continuing education benefits to their employees
22% of dental staff report high levels of burnout
38% of dental practices utilize temporary or locum staff to cover staffing gaps
The average vacancy duration for dental assistants is approximately 3.5 months
70% of dental practices actively participate in employee referral programs
45% of dental practices report difficulty in onboarding new staff
33% of dental practices increased their use of digital HR platforms in 2023
The median age of dental professionals is 45 years old

Navigating the complexities of HR in the dental industry has become more challenging than ever, with nearly 65% of practices struggling to recruit and retain qualified staff amidst rising costs, burnout, and evolving regulations.

Benefits

The average benefits package for dental hygienists includes health insurance, retirement plans, and paid time off

Benefits Interpretation

While a smile might be priceless, dental hygienists still relish a benefits package that offers health coverage, retirement security, and paid time off—proof that even in the dental industry, good benefits are the real crown jewels.

Benefits, Wages

26% of dental practices have adopted flexible benefits plans to accommodate diverse workforce needs

Benefits, Wages Interpretation

With over a quarter of dental practices embracing flexible benefits, it's clear that the industry is drilling into the importance of tailoring benefits to keep their workforce both satisfied and cavity-free in productivity.

Compensation, Benefits, and Wages

The dental industry’s average salary for a dental hygienist is $77,000 per year
55% of dental practices plan to increase wages to attract staff in 2024
24% of dental practices offer salary benchmarking tools as part of HR strategy

Compensation, Benefits, and Wages Interpretation

With dental practices eyeing a wage uplift in 2024 and nearly a quarter leveraging salary benchmarking tools, it's clear the industry is flossing out a brighter, more competitive future for hygienists—one where good pay isn't just a cavity in the budget.

Professional Development and Training

60% of dental practices offer continuing education benefits to their employees
80% of dental practices invest in staff training and professional development annually
The average period for staff training and onboarding is 3 weeks
63% of dental practices use online platforms for employee training and development
64% of dental practices participate in industry associations' HR-related webinars and training
51% of dental practices leverage internal talent development programs to fill staffing needs

Professional Development and Training Interpretation

While the majority of dental practices prioritize employee growth through online platforms and industry webinars, the fact that many still rely on internal talent development suggests that even in a high-tech era, nurturing in-house potential remains a cornerstone of sustaining a healthy, skilled dental workforce.

Technology Adoption and Digital Transformation

33% of dental practices increased their use of digital HR platforms in 2023
55% of dental practices have adopted telehealth solutions for patient communication, which influences HR policies

Technology Adoption and Digital Transformation Interpretation

With over a third of dental practices ramping up their digital HR tools and more than half embracing telehealth solutions, the industry is clearly brushing up on its tech skills to ensure smoother employee management and patient communication in 2023.

Workforce Management and Staffing Stability

Approximately 65% of dental practices report challenges in recruiting and retaining qualified staff
The average turnover rate for dental hygienists is around 25%
78% of dental practices experience difficulties in hiring dental assistants
22% of dental staff report high levels of burnout
38% of dental practices utilize temporary or locum staff to cover staffing gaps
The average vacancy duration for dental assistants is approximately 3.5 months
70% of dental practices actively participate in employee referral programs
45% of dental practices report difficulty in onboarding new staff
The median age of dental professionals is 45 years old
40% of dental practices offer flexible working hours to retain staff
28% of dental staff are planning to leave their jobs within the next year
62% of dental clinics report an increase in the need for HR management systems
48% of dental practices reported implementing new recruitment strategies in 2023
The average cost to replace a hygienist is estimated to be $25,000, including recruitment and onboarding expenses
43% of dental practices use data analytics to improve HR decision-making
The average tenure of dental staff members is around 4 years
68% of dental practices provide some form of mental health support or employee assistance programs
25% of dental practices are planning to hire additional staff in the next 12 months
52% of dental practices report difficulty in maintaining a consistent pipeline of qualified candidates
19% of dental practices have adopted AI-based HR tools for staffing and scheduling
57% of dental practices experienced improved staff retention after implementing new HR policies
65% of dental practices provide employee recognition programs to boost morale
33% of dental practices have faced legal challenges related to employment disputes in past five years
49% of dental practices report an increase in employment-related disputes over the past three years
37% of dental practices utilize employee engagement surveys annually to improve staff morale
70% of dental practices have formal HR policies documented and regularly reviewed
46% of dental practices expressed concern over workforce shortages and its impact on patient care
55% of dental practices use social media for recruitment and employer branding
41% of dental practices have policies to support diversity and inclusion in hiring
36% of dental practices experience difficulties in succession planning for key roles
22% of dental practice owners are planning retirement within the next 5 years
58% of dental practices report the use of employee performance metrics to guide HR decisions
The average annual expenditure on HR management per dental practice is $15,000
49% of dental practices report that COVID-19 has permanently changed their HR policies and practices
45% of dental practices have experienced challenges with compliance to employment laws
29% of dental practices are actively recruiting specialized roles such as oral surgeons or orthodontists
47% of dental practices use employee satisfaction scores to inform HR improvements
39% of dental offices report difficulty in keeping up with evolving employment regulations and compliance
23% of dental practices have implemented wellness programs aimed at reducing stress and improving mental health
53% of dental practices are actively planning HR policy updates for the upcoming year
30% of dental practices face challenges in multi-state hiring due to varying employment laws
19% of dental practices report increased use of gig workers or freelance professionals to manage staffing fluctuations
54% of dental practices report feeling confident in their HR strategies to retain top talent
37% of dental practices have faced legal issues related to employment contracts or workplace disputes

Workforce Management and Staffing Stability Interpretation

With nearly two-thirds of dental practices grappling with staffing challenges—amid rising turnover, burnout, and legal complexities—it's clear that even in a field focused on bright smiles, the industry's HR blueprint now demands more than just polishing to stay truly dentally healthy.