Comparable ADA surveys keep hygienist recruiting difficulty above 80% and wages continue rising faster than collections.
PRACTICE ECONOMICS · PERSISTENT RISK
Clinical labor pressure
Dental hygienist recruiting remains exceptionally difficult, while dental-assistant hiring difficulty has eased from its 2022 peak. The accurate reading is persistently high—not newly accelerating.
→ stableNext 24 monthsAudited Aug 28, 2026
ANALYST CONFIDENCE76%
Prior 76% → 0 points
DATED EVIDENCE CHECKPOINTS
The signal is stable.
What 76% means: Analyst confidence that clinical staffing remains a material practice constraint over the next 24 months.
82%2022
80%2023
74%2024
76%Apr 26
76%Aug 26
Audit note: The original accelerating label overstated the evidence. ADA reports 91% difficulty recruiting hygienists, but assistant hiring difficulty fell from nearly 87% in 2022 to just over 70% in late 2024. The signal is now stable at a high level.
THE THESIS
Why this matters to orthodontists
Practices unable to improve clinical throughput may continue to see labor absorb a large share of collections, especially where hygienist supply is constrained.
Applicant supply and vacancy duration improve for several quarters alongside moderating wage growth.