The American Dental Association recently shared data with the Kaiser Family Foundation that broke down professionally active dentists by specialty field. Of its findings:
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California has the most endodontists of any U.S. state, while Wyoming has the fewest.
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Similarly, California has more than 1,000 orthodontists, the most of any state, while Wyoming has the fewest at 11.
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Vermont has the fewest pedodontists in the nation, while Texas has the most.
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California has the most periodontists in the nation, while Vermont has the fewest.
How can you interpret this data, and what does it mean for your dental practice? Here are some key takeaways when assessing this state-by-state breakdown.
Look at the big picture
Finding qualified candidates to work at your practice is just the beginning of the dental hiring crisis. You can review salaries, but in some states, specialists simply aren’t available to even open practices in the first place. The pandemic has given employees an opportunity to assess their current work situation. In turn, employers should do the same. An excellent starting place is at the onboarding process and then they can follow through with a plan for growth.
Fill the gap
Studies find that specifically Boomers and Gen Xers are having higher rates of success finding positions due to familiarity with their roles and specialties. Oftentimes, this cohort opts for part-time work leading up to retirement or as a way to ease back into the workforce. This approach appeals to private practices. On the other hand, Millennials and Gen Zers search for full-time positions at dental service organizations (DSOs) and are willing to relocate for the right position.
Start a multi-specialist dental practice
Bringing on a specialist or multiple specialists is one of the most efficient and profitable ways to grow your general practice, especially after a dental practice transition. Do you tend to hand out referrals for a significant number of operations that require a specialist? By adding more services in-house, you can limit how much you outsource to others. But before you call every endodontist, orthodontist, pedodontist and periodontist in the phone book, you’ll first need to consider patient care and needs, office space, compatibility and approach.
Consider demographics
A list of nearby specialists will help determine if your practice will thrive in the current climate, in addition to the percentage breakdown of patient demographics by the most common factors: gender and age. For example, if your practice is geared toward children (i.e., pediatric dentistry or ortho), you’ll want to be located in a younger community. If you do a lot with implants and prosthodontics, you’ll want to be located in an older community. If you are planning on offering Medicaid and lots of insurance options, you can be located in a low- to middle-income area. Conversely, if you want to operate under a fee-for-service model and offer cosmetic services, a location in an affluent area would be advantageous.
Bottom line: If you’re looking for ways to grow your dental practice, it’s important to know where you stand among your peers. By considering the demographics of both your staff and patients, you’re setting your practice up for success based on its current location. Where do you see your dental practice in the near future?