MHC Insight‘s latest report, ‘HealthSights: Dentistry, includes an analysis of Michigan’s Dentistry workforce in the third quarter (July-September) of 2021.
Data from the third quarter of 2021, including July, August, and September, showed an increase in employer demand levels for Dentistry occupations in the State of Michigan. There were 330 more postings (10.9 percent) during Q3 2021 than in Q2 2021, and 148 more postings (4.6 percent) than during Q3 2020. Indeed, in August of 2020, a few months into the COVID-19 pandemic, there were was a spike in the amount of demand for dental assistants and hygienists that abated by about December of 2020, only to start to rise again over the last nine months. This increase in demand is compounded by the decline in completions since 2010 (see completions graphic), resulting in a talent shortage of dental hygienists and assistants across the State of Michigan.
Online job postings can represent the ceiling of demand for dentistry jobs in the State of Michigan, but only if employers are actively advertising online. This results in certain jobs being overrepresented by job postings in relation to the actual number of positions available, while other jobs are underrepresented.
During 2020, there were 18,717 individuals working in Dentistry occupations in the State of Michigan. 84 percent of the workforce was female, while 16 percent were male. Most of those working in Michigan were white (86 percent), while African American or Black workers accounted for five percent of the workforce, and Asian workers represented three percent. Those identifying as having a Hispanic or Latino ethnicity accounted for four percent. The majority of the workforce (71 percent) was between the ages of 25 and 54, but almost a fifth (17 percent) is between 55-64, and may be approaching retirement.
Generally, completions for Dentistry occupations have trended down since 2011, consequently leading to the increase in demand for workers.
This information has been sourced by EMSI and analyzed by Michelle Wein, Director of Data & Research at Michigan Health Council, as part of the HealthSights series. The HealthSights series seeks to explore historical, current, and future trends in Michigan’s health care workforce, while providing context to employers, educators, workforce development professionals, and policymakers that assist with health care talent development in the State of Michigan.
If you have any questions or would like to request custom data, please visit mhc.org/mhc-insight.