President’s Message

The President’s Message Resilience

We all remember our first patient encounter during dental school. Mine was certainly unforgettable. It was overall positive: a periodic exam, adult prophylaxis, and, of course, fluoride varnish. However, the anxiety brought on by the D1110 code was immeasurable in those early days. Particularly when the periodontal resident would verify my probing depths. “Three? Two. Three?” they would politely ask as my stomach twisted in knots. While I can confidently say the accuracy and precision of my measurements has improved over the years, the adult prophy has returned as a source of significant grief for a very different reason.

Across the country, more and more dentists are finding themselves picking up scalers on a daily basis. In fact, I’m writing this after wrapping up a full day of dentist-assisted hygiene visits in my office. While the lack of staffing at the hygienist position is anything but breaking news, there is a clear trend forming of a shrinking demographic of dental auxiliary team members in most areas of our state. According to the 2020 Washington Dental Workforce Survey administered by the WA Department of Health, there are 444 open dental hygienist positions in King County (926 statewide). Our colleagues across the country are facing a similar crisis with a May poll from the ADA Health Policy Institute indicating “more than 80% of hiring dentists find hygienist, assistant recruitment extremely or very challenging.” If you’re reading this, it’s likely you are dealing with these challenges. The low applicant volumes, astronomical pay rates, and rising overhead costs are forcing many to reevaluate the practice model. We’re working diligently with local and state leaders to find creative solutions to address these issues.

In an effort to tackle the urgent need for hygienists, SKCDS has developed an online job board. These listings will be advertised in neighboring states to recruit fresh talent to our area. There has also been a significant push from the WSDA to evaluate and alleviate any burdens of hygienist licensure within our state. We are hopeful that this two-pronged approach will deliver quality team members. We are currently assessing the feasibility of more long-term solutions such as: increasing the capacity of existing training programs, raising awareness of the opportunities within the field, and creating new programs to help supply the urgent need.

While hygiene has likely caused most practice owners some anxiety, if not significant turmoil as of late, I want to challenge us all as dentists to continue to show our toughness. Resilience, a term used often throughout this pandemic, is our strong suit. Our ingenuity and level of dedication to the oral health of our community is awe-inspiring. Leadership expert, John Maxwell, once said, “The pessimist complains about the wind. The optimist expects it to change. The leader adjusts the sails.” SKCDS is determined to support and guide you through to fair winds and calmer seas.

I welcome any suggestions to tackle the workforce shortages, and I’m proud to serve as your Society’s President. Sincerely,

Dr. Adam Kennedy

Dr. Adam KennedyDr. Adam Kennedy