METHODS

TOP ABSTRACT METHODS RESULTS DISCUSSION CONCLUSION REFERENCES

 
As of July 2002, 259 dental assisting, 265 dental hygiene and 24 dental laboratory technology programs received a survey because they were accredited by the CDA. The ADA Survey Center mailed the questionnaire in August 2002—with a deadline of Oct. 11, 2002—to program administrators of accredited dental assisting, dental hygiene and dental laboratory technology programs. We also mailed several follow-up letters to nonrespondents, urging them to respond. Because this survey must be completed for accreditation purposes, we achieved a 100 percent response rate by January 2003.

	RESULTS

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Dental assistants. The duties of a dental assistant are among the most comprehensive and varied in the dental office. The dental assistant performs many tasks requiring both interpersonal and technical skills. As of the 2002–2003 academic year, a total of 259 dental assisting programs had been accredited by the CDA. These programs were located in 48 states and Puerto Rico. Most (88.0 percent) of the institutions offering dental assisting education in 2002–2003 were classified as public institutions, while 10.0 percent were private and 1.9 percent were other types.¹

For 29 dental assisting programs that opened since July 1998, settings included 11 community or junior colleges, 11 technical colleges or institutes, four vocational schools, two universities or four-year colleges and one "other" setting. Of these 29 programs, 17 (59 percent) offer certificates and 12 (41 percent) offer diplomas on completion of the entry-level dental assisting program.²

In 2002–2003, dental assistants received accredited education through academic programs at 132 community/junior colleges, 71 technical colleges/institutes, 31 vocational schools, 10 universities/four-year colleges, four dental schools and 11 other kinds of settings.¹ Graduates of these programs usually receive certificates or diplomas. Although the majority of academic dental assisting programs take nine to 11 months to complete, some schools offer accelerated training, part-time educational programs or training via distance education.³

The number of applications to dental assisting programs increased from 11,105 in 1998–1999 to 11,954 in 2002–2003. The number of students accepted into dental assisting programs increased slightly, from 8,043 in 1998–1999 to 8,260 in 2002–2003 (Figure 1). First-year enrollment increased from 6,162 in 1998–1999 to 7,304 in 2002–2003 (an 18.5 percent increase). The number of graduates increased from 4,720 in 1998 to 4,822 in 2002 (a 2.2 percent increase). The majority (89.8 percent) of 2002 graduates of dental assisting programs were U.S. citizens. About 62.9 percent of the 2002 graduates were 23 years or younger, with 84.7 percent younger than 30 years.¹

View larger version (29K): [in this window] [in a new window]   Figure 1. Number of applications to and number of students accepted into dental assisting programs: 1998–1999 to 2002–2003 (Source: American Dental Association, Survey Center, 2002/03 Survey of Allied Dental Education1).

Graduation. A high school diploma/general educational development (GED) certificate was the minimum requirement for admission to almost all (96.9 percent) dental assisting programs in 2002–2003. On graduation, most students (4,454 [92 percent] of 4,822) received a diploma or certificate, 261 (5 percent) were awarded a certificate and an associate degree, 97 (2 percent) received an associate degree and 10 (less than 1 percent) received an unclassified award in 2002.¹ In 2002, about 266,000 dental assisting jobs existed in the United States,⁴ and about 12.5 percent of dental assistants were certified by the Dental Assisting National Board (DANB).⁵

Certification. Dental assistants can become certified by passing an examination that evaluates their knowledge. Most dental assistants who choose to become nationally certified take the DANB Certified Dental Assistant examination. Dental assistants are eligible to take the examination if they have completed a dental assisting program accredited by the CDA. Students who have been trained on the job or have graduated from nonaccredited programs are eligible to take the national certification examination after they have completed two years of full-time work as dental assistants. Some states also recognize passage of components of the Certified Dental Assistant examination, such as the Radiation Health and Safety examination or the Infection Control examination, for licensing and regulatory purposes. State regulations vary, and some states offer registration or licensure in addition to this national certification program.³

Employment. Many employment opportunities are available for dental assistants. The types of practice settings include solo or group private general practices or specialty dental practices; public health dentistry, including schools and clinics that focus on the prevention of dental problems within entire communities; hospital dental clinics, assisting dentists in the treatment of bedridden patients; and dental school clinics, assisting dental students as they learn to perform dental procedures. Other career settings for dental assistants include insurance companies, processing dental insurance claims; vocational schools, technical institutes, community colleges, dental schools and universities, teaching others to be dental assistants (which may require associate or baccalaureate degrees); and dental product companies, where they work as sales representatives.³

The ADA conducts a Survey of Dental Practice annually to gather information from active private practitioners regarding their practices. Dentists reported that within the private practice setting in 2001, 30.8 percent of all independent (owner) dentists employed one full- or part-time chairside assistant.⁶ Slightly more dentists (31.8 percent) employed two full- or part-time chairside assistants, and 31.3 percent employed three or more chairside assistants. The mean number of assistants was 1.8 per dentist among independent dentists employing full- or part-time dental assistants. In 2001, the average dental assistant had 11.4 years of experience, 6.6 years (on average) with his or her current dental office.⁶

In a 12-month period, 41.6 percent of dentists hired a dental assistant; of these dentists, 78.4 percent were hiring for an existing position, according to the ADA’s 1999 Workforce Needs Assessment Survey. On average, it took 5.3 weeks to fill the position. About two-thirds (64.9 percent) of dentists perceived an inadequate supply of dental assistants. Of those dentists, between 42 and 52 percent cited at least one of the following reasons for an inadequate supply: insufficient number of training programs, low quality of students or training, not enough graduates from schools, lack of career path opportunities or short career lengths for the dental assisting profession. A minority of dentists (34.5 percent)⁷ and a majority of dental assistants (81 percent)⁵ believed that low pay was a cause of the perceived shortage of dental assistants.

Salaries. The salary of a dental assistant depends primarily on the responsibilities associated with the specific position and the location of employment. Mean full-time weekly salaries were about $520. The reported mean hourly wage for full- or part-time assistants was $14.70 in 2001. This represents a mean increase of 4.7 percent per year from the 1996 mean wage of $11.70. Experience plays a factor in pay rates. Dental assistants with less than five years of experience averaged $12.40, while dental assistants with 15 or more years of experience averaged $16.50.⁶

Benefits. In 1999, paid vacation and dental care were the benefits practitioners most often offered to their full-time chairside assistants, followed by reimbursement for continuing education courses. More than one-half of the dentists surveyed offered paid sick leave, bonuses, medical benefits and a pension plan. Fewer than one-half of the practitioners offered other benefits, such as profit-sharing, reimbursement for professional organizational dues, incentive programs, reimbursement for certification renewal fees, various insurance benefits or a child-care allowance (Figure 2). Full-time chairside assistants received benefits with a mean value of $4,100, while part-time dental assistants received benefits with a mean value of $2,000.⁷

View larger version (35K): [in this window] [in a new window]   Figure 2. Benefits received by chairside assistants from private practitioners who employed full- or part-time assistants, 1999 (Source: American Dental Association, Survey Center, 1999 Workforce Needs Assessment Survey7).

Of 30 dental hygiene programs that opened since July 1998, 22 (73 percent) were in community or junior colleges, four (13 percent) were in technical colleges or institutes, three (10 percent) were in universities or four-year colleges and one (3 percent) was in a vocational school. All of these new programs offer associate degrees on completion of the entry-level dental hygiene program.²

In recent years, the number of applications to dental hygiene programs has fluctuated. The survey noted a slight increase from 27,530 applications in 1998–1999 to 27,853 in 2002–2003. The number of applicants accepted into dental hygiene programs increased from 7,470 in 1998–1999 to 8,244 in 2002–2003 (Figure 3). First-year enrollment increased 10.5 percent, from 6,087 in 1998–1999 to 6,729 in 2002–2003. In 1998, 5,281 students graduated from dental hygiene programs; the number increased to 5,693 (7.8 percent) in 2002. Almost all (95.3 percent) of the 2002 graduates of dental hygiene programs were U.S. citizens. About 37.9 percent of the 2002 graduates were 23 years or younger and 71.5 percent were younger than 30 years.¹

View larger version (31K): [in this window] [in a new window]   Figure 3. Number of applications to and number of students accepted into dental hygiene programs: 1998–1999 to 2002–2003 (Source: American Dental Association, Survey Center, 2002/03 Survey of Allied Dental Education1).

Costs. Mean costs for tuition and fees (which include textbooks, laboratory fees, supplies, instruments, uniforms, clinical fees and other fixed costs) are reported in the most recent Survey of Allied Dental Education.¹ Two-year costs for tuition and fees were highest for out-of-state students, averaging $18,925 in 2002–2003. In-district students paid a mean of $11,104 for tuition and fees, and out-of-district students paid $12,140.¹

Criteria for admission. In 2002–2003, the student’s overall college grade point average (GPA) was a criterion for admission to 76.1 percent of dental hygiene programs that granted associate degrees or certificates (93.3 percent of programs that granted baccalaureate degrees used overall college GPA as a criterion for admission).

The student’s college science GPA was a criterion for admission to 72.2 percent of dental hygiene programs that granted associate degrees or certificates (86.7 percent of programs that granted baccalaureate degrees used college science GPA as a criterion for admission). Overall, high school GPA was a less popular criterion; it was used for admission to 31.2 percent of dental hygiene programs that granted associate degrees or certificates (10.0 percent of programs that granted baccalaureate degrees used overall high school GPA as a criterion for admission). Experience in a dental office also was a factor for admission to 42.7 percent of hygiene programs that granted associate degrees or certificates (and 50.0 percent of programs that granted baccalaureate degrees).¹

Entrance into dental hygiene programs. Minimum educational requirements for entrance into dental hygiene programs varied from a high school diploma/GED to as much as two years of college. Among dental hygiene programs granting associate degrees or certificates in 2002, 45.9 percent required a high school diploma/GED, 19.7 percent required less than one year of college coursework, 32.8 percent required one year of college and 1.8 percent required two years of college. Among dental hygiene programs granting baccalaureate degrees, 10.7 percent required a high school diploma/GED, 25.0 percent required one year of college and 64.3 percent required two years of college.¹

On graduation, most dental hygiene students (4,456 [78 percent] of 5,693) were awarded an associate degree in 2002. Nine hundred fifty were awarded a baccalaureate degree, and 145 received a combined certificate/associate degree. One hundred seventeen graduates received a certificate or diploma, and 25 received an undefined award.¹ In 2002, approximately 148,000 dental hygienist jobs existed in the United States.⁹

Licensure. Dental hygienists are licensed by each state to provide dental hygiene care and patient education. Almost all states require that dental hygienists be graduates of Commission-accredited dental hygiene educational programs to be eligible for state licensure. In addition, almost all states require candidates for licensure to achieve a passing score on the National Board Dental Hygiene Examination (a comprehensive written examination) in addition to passing the state-authorized licensure examination. The state or regional examination tests candidates’ clinical dental hygiene skills, as well as their knowledge of dental hygiene and related subjects.⁸

Employment. Numerous employment opportunities are available in the field of dental hygiene, because many dentists employ one or more dental hygienists. Hygienists are in demand in general dental practices, as well as in specialty practices such as periodontics or pediatric dentistry. Hygienists also may be employed to provide dental hygiene services for patients in hospitals, nursing homes and public health clinics. Depending on the level of education and experience achieved, dental hygienists also can apply their skills and knowledge to other career activities, such as teaching hygiene students in dental schools and in dental hygiene educational programs. Research, office management and business administration are other career options. In addition, employment opportunities may be available with companies that market dental-related materials and equipment.⁸

According to the ADA’s Survey of Dental Practice series,⁶ 23.0 percent of all independent (owner) dentists in private practice settings employed one full- or part-time dental hygienist in 2001. A slightly larger percentage of dentists (25.0 percent) employed two full- or part-time dental hygienists and 20.7 percent employed three or more dental hygienists. Among independent dentists employing full- or part-time dental hygienists, the mean number of hygienists was 1.7 per dentist. In 2001, the average dental hygienist had 14.9 years of experience, 7.3 years on average with his or her current dental office.⁶

In a 12-month period ending in 1999, 26.8 percent of dentists had hired a dental hygienist; of these dentists, 68.4 percent were hiring for an existing position. Dentists reported that it took a mean of 9.1 weeks to fill the position, and 65.8 percent of dentists perceived an inadequate supply of dental hygienists. Of these dentists, 72.1 percent believed that there were not enough graduates from schools. Between 43 and 58 percent cited the following reasons for an inadequate supply of dental hygienists: insufficient number of training programs, career burnout or short career lengths for the dental hygienist profession.⁷

Salaries. The salary of a dental hygienist depends primarily on the responsibilities associated with the specific position, the location of employment and the type of practice or other setting in which the hygienist works. For those employed in private dental practices, the mean weekly full-time salary was about $928 in 2001. Smaller practices with only one dentist paid slightly less ($896). The reported mean hourly wage for full- or part-time hygienists in 2001 was $28.90. This represents a mean increase of 3.1 percent per year from the 1996 mean of $24.80. Part-time hourly rates in 2001 were higher at $30.20. The mean hourly wage for a full-time dental hygienist was $27.20, with experience playing a role in the pay rate (Figure 4). ⁶

View larger version (36K): [in this window] [in a new window]   Figure 4. Mean dental hygienists’ hourly wage in the primary private practice of independent dentists by years of experience, 2001 (weighted) (Source: American Dental Association, Survey Center, 2002 Survey of Dental Practice6). (In this survey, specialists were oversampled to ensure sufficient representation in some parts of the reported results. Results were weighted where necessary to reflect the actual proportions of specialists’ responses to general practitioners’ responses in the United States.)

View larger version (36K): [in this window] [in a new window]   Figure 5. Benefits received by dental hygienists from private practitioners who employed full- or part-time dental hygienists, 1999 (Source: American Dental Association, Survey Center, 1999 Workforce Needs Assessment Survey7).

The number of applications to dental laboratory technology programs decreased from 1,100 in 1998–1999 to 772 in 2002–2003. Similarly, the number of applicants accepted into these programs decreased from 856 in 1998–1999 to 659 in 2002–2003 (Figure 6). First-year enrollment increased 6.2 percent from 487 in 1998–1999 to 517 in 2002–2003. The number of graduates decreased 39.0 percent, from 490 in 1998 to 299 in 2002. Most 2002 graduates of dental laboratory technology programs (65.6 percent) were U.S. citizens. About 58 percent of the 2002 graduates were younger than 30 years.¹ About 47,000 dental laboratory technician jobs existed in the United States in 2002.¹¹

View larger version (29K): [in this window] [in a new window]   Figure 6. Number of applications to and number of students accepted into dental laboratory technology programs: 1998–1999 to 2002–2003 (Source: American Dental Association, Survey Center, 2002/03 Survey of Allied Dental Education1).

Certification. Dental laboratory technicians are certified by passing an examination that evaluates their technical skills and knowledge. The examination is administered by the National Board for Certification in Dental Laboratory Technology. A dental technician who passes the certification examination becomes a certified dental technician (CDT). CDTs specialize in one or more of five areas: complete dentures, removable partial dentures, crowns and bridges, ceramics and orthodontics.¹²

Employment. Most dental laboratory technicians work in commercial dental laboratories. The average laboratory employs five to 10 technicians, who may provide a full range of dental prosthetic services or specialize in producing one particular type of prosthesis (for example, removable partial dentures, crowns and bridges). In addition, opportunities are available in private dental offices, dental schools, hospitals and companies that manufacture dental prosthetic materials.¹² In 2002, the median hourly wage for dental laboratory technicians was $13.70.¹¹

In 2001, 6.6 percent of all independent (owner) dentists in private practice settings employed at least one full- or part-time dental laboratory technician. Among independent dentists employing full- or part-time dental laboratory technicians, the mean number of technicians was 1.0 per dentist.⁶

	DISCUSSION

TOP ABSTRACT METHODS RESULTS DISCUSSION CONCLUSION REFERENCES

 
The Survey of Allied Dental Education is conducted annually to support the accreditation of allied dental education programs, and it addresses the concerns of the public and the profession regarding allied dental manpower levels. The Survey Center monitors national trend information about the number of students entering and completing accredited programs in these disciplines as it collects data regarding enrollment, graduation, tuition and other program features.

	CONCLUSION

TOP ABSTRACT METHODS RESULTS DISCUSSION CONCLUSION REFERENCES

 
During the last five years, applications to dental assisting and dental hygiene educational programs have increased. First-year enrollment in dental assisting programs increased 18.5 percent, and the number of graduates increased 2.2 percent during this period. First-year enrollment in dental hygiene programs increased 10.5 percent, and the number of graduates increased 7.8 percent during the last five years. Applications to dental laboratory technology educational programs decreased during the last five years, with first-year enrollment up slightly and the number of graduates down 39.0 percent during this period.