Innovative Solutions for Dental Practices Facing Hygienist Shortages

Are you struggling to find a dental hygienist for your practice? Or perhaps you’ve found one, but their rate is beyond your budget? Here are a few strategic shifts to consider in your dental practice to navigate these challenges.

Drop an Insurance Plan

One effective approach is to drop an insurance plan to balance the supply and demand within your practice. It’s crucial to stay true to your core values and professional beliefs, especially during staffing shortages. This strategy will help keep your hygiene recall schedule on track without compromising on appointment times or extending intervals between visits.

Accelerated Hygiene

If your team is exceptionally coordinated, consider implementing Accelerated Hygiene as a temporary measure. This approach involves having a dental assistant change over rooms and perform screenings, allowing your hygienist to stay on track. However, be mindful of potential challenges such as burnout, increased disposable use, higher chances of miscommunication, and a potential decline in customer experience and treatment acceptance. 

To successfully implement Accelerated Hygiene, you must:

1.  Team Meeting: Conduct a comprehensive team meeting to outline the system, ensuring everyone understands the workflow and their responsibilities.
2.  Use Radios: Equip your team with radios to maintain seamless communication, which is critical for staying on schedule.
3. Provider’s Expectations: Clearly communicate the importance of the hygiene visit and the need to deliver exceptional service to every patient.

Dental Assistant Hygiene

Consider “Dental Assistant Hygiene” as an alternative to traditional and accelerated hygiene. If your state regulations allow, promote a knowledgeable dental assistant to perform routine prophylaxis (prophy) for adults and children with good oral health.

Here’s a breakdown of how this can work in your practice:

– First 20 Minutes: Greet the patient, review medical history, take blood pressure, review the last visit, take dental x-rays and digital photos, and discuss findings.

– Next 20 Minutes: The dentist joins to probe with the assistant, perform the dental exam, diagnose care, and scale the patient’s teeth.

– Final 20 Minutes: The assistant completes the prophy, provides oral hygiene instructions, reviews prescribed care, and schedules the next visit.

This 20-20-20 plan not only optimizes the workflow but also elevates your dental assistants, giving them more responsibilities and enhancing their skill set. It also ensures that patients receive high-quality care without the need to overburden your hygienists.

Benefits of Dental Assistant Hygiene

– Competitive Compensation: This model can be financially viable, with each visit potentially generating $250-$300.

– Enhanced Skills: Assistants gain valuable experience in restorative processes and hygiene care.

– Improved Versatility: Promoting assistants to perform hygiene tasks creates more flexibility and collaboration within your team.

– Total Staff Costs: Focusing on overall staff costs rather than specific department expenses can help maintain a balanced and competitive practice.

By shifting perspectives and exploring creative solutions, dental practices can stay staffed, competitive, and well-prepared for everyday challenges that continue to arise. It’s time to move the needle and embrace new strategies to ensure your dental practice thrives even in the face of staffing shortages. For virtual or onsite support options email us at info@bryantconsultants.com