The Demand for Dental Hygienists in Canada

If you want to become a dental hygienist in Canada, the job outlook for this occupation is highly positive. A 2023 employment survey by the Canadian Dental Hygienist Association shows that the workforce continues to grow due to the increasing number of graduates from dental-related education programs in the country.

The industry’s unemployment rate is 1%, which is way lower than the national unemployment rate of 5.2% estimated in 2023. Since 2015, there has been an upward trend in the number of dental hygienists with a formal contract in their workplace. For instance, 59% of dental therapists have an employment contract compared to only 40% who had such agreements in 2015.

The proportion of dental hygienists who reported owning an independent practice for one to five years is 41%, and 26% reported having been in business for over a decade. Here’s a detailed analysis of the Canadian employment prospects for dental hygienists.

Why Dental Hygienists Are in High Demand in Canada

The CDHA’s 2023 employment survey showed a potential for considerable turnover in the dental hygiene profession in the next half-decade. Approximately 9% of the employment survey respondents intended to leave the profession within two years, while 18% planned to leave within 3-5 years. Only 49% said they would stay in their profession for over a decade.

Formal retirement was the most frequently cited reason for leaving the dental therapy profession. 64% of the survey respondents said they would only leave the profession at retirement, while 21% intended to change their career.

Whatever the reason for leaving the profession, Canadians will always need a dental expert to help care for their teeth. Thus, the great thing about becoming a dental therapist in Canada is that your services will always be in demand. As more Canadians retain their teeth longer and discover the link between oral health and overall well-being, you can expect more people to schedule a dental visit.

Job Prospects and Employment Outlook

The employment outlook for dental therapists or dental hygienists will be good throughout 2024 to 2033 as a risk of labour shortage looms at a national level. According to another employment survey by the Canadian Occupation Projection System, the analysis of key labour market indicators, such as employment growth, job vacancies, and unemployment rate, suggests that the demand for dental hygienists exceeded the supply of these services for 2021-2023.

Estimated Employment Growth

Based on COPS projections, there will be approximately 15,900 job openings for dental hygienists from 2024 to 2033. This exceeds the estimated number of dental hygienists seeking jobs.

Most job opportunities will result from the growing demand for oral health care and the replacement of workers due to retirements, a change in careers, and in-service deaths. That means a labour shortage and more job opportunities for dental hygienists, dental assistants, and other health professionals in the dental hygiene field.

How the Aging Population Drives the Need for Dental Hygienists

Dental hygienists are professionals with expertise in oral health support and disease prevention. They are key in offering the aging population baseline and ongoing oral health assessments. These experts also develop custom oral care plans for seniors and make appropriate referrals when necessary.

In addition, dental hygienists play a key role in promoting oral health in a long-term or residential care setting. They achieve this by offering dental education and support services to seniors.

According to the Canadian Dental Association, there’s a strong link between oral health and overall body health. Poor oral health can worsen existing medical issues such as stroke, diabetes, bronchial asthma, heart disease, and more. Dental hygienists are usually the essential care providers who often play a pivotal role in providing preventive and therapeutic oral care to elderly Canadians.

Considering that elderly individuals comprise about 18.5% of the country’s population, there’s a high demand for dental hygiene services among seniors.

Becoming a Dental Hygienist

To become a dental hygienist in Canada, you must complete a diploma or a bachelor’s program in dental hygiene. You can acquire this certification from an accredited private post-secondary institution, college, or university. Secondary school students intending to become dental hygienists should take chemistry, mathematics, and biology courses before applying.

Licensure requirements vary depending on your province and the organization you intend to work for. Some of the requirements for licensing include:

• Degree or diploma in dental hygiene from a CDHA-approved learning institution
• Valid registration in your territory or province
• Acceptable score on your National Dental Hygiene Certification Exam from the NDHC board

Once you complete these steps, you may consider yourself a licensed dental hygienist and practice privately or start applying for jobs. If you wish to advance your career, you can get a master’s degree in dental care. Such a degree offers different opportunities, such as teaching dentistry students or working in a relevant research institution.

All dental hygienists must undertake education courses to keep their licenses valid. Such courses can help you stay abreast of all new information related to oral healthcare. Pursuing different certification programs to widen your skill set is also possible. For instance, you can gain a teeth-whitening certification.

Duties and Responsibilities

In Canada, dental hygienists collaborate with dentists to deliver comprehensive dental care. These dental experts have the following responsibilities.

Preventive Oral Health Procedures

Dental hygienists are highly skilled experts who perform different preventive procedures to ensure better oral health for patients. These procedures include professional teeth cleaning, root planning, applying preventive agents such as sealants, and more. They can also perform oral prophylaxis to remove stains and plaque from teeth, preventing dental issues such as gum disease and cavities.

Oral Health Assessments

In Canada, dental hygienists are trained and licensed to perform thorough oral health assessments. This includes reviewing patients’ medical histories, performing intraoral and extraoral examinations, and taking dental radiographs. Indeed, they play a key role in diagnosing oral health issues such as abnormalities, gum disease, or concerns.

Oral Health Therapeutic Interventions

Another role of dental hygienists is to administer local anesthesia and offer pain management during various dental procedures. This facilitates comfortable dental care experiences for seniors and other patients. Dental hygienists are skilled in providing non-surgical periodontal therapy, which may include deep dental cleaning (below the gum line) to treat periodontitis and gingivitis.

The Role Dental Hygienists Play in Oral Health Care

According to the American Dental Association, dental hygienists can work in clinical practice settings, including:

• Hospitals
• Private dental practices
• Prison facilities
• Community clinics
• Dental clinics in universities
• Schools
• Nursing homes

They can also work in the public health field. For instance, non-profit or government agencies-funded community health programs may require dental hygienists to provide essential care to rural community clinics.

Dental therapists or dental hygienists can also work as researchers for non-profit organizations, corporations, colleges, universities, and government agencies. Another role for dental hygienists, especially those with bachelor’s and master’s degrees, is that they can work as educators. Examples of dental hygiene educators include classroom instructors, corporate educators, clinical instructors, and program directors.

Many dental hygienists in administrative roles usually communicate objectives, apply organizational skills, assess and modify oral health programs, identify and manage resources, and more. Their roles vary depending on the administrative positions they hold. Keep in mind that such positions may require graduate or doctoral degrees.

Dental Hygiene Shortages in Canada

The aging and growing populations underscore the dire need to increase the number of dental hygienists across the country. A 2023 survey by CDA showed that approximately 500,000 dental appointments were canceled across Canada in just two months.

A recent report from the British Columbia College of Oral Health Professionals indicates a province-wide dental therapist shortage hit rural communities. Considering that at least one or two dental therapists or hygienists are required for each dentist, a shortage of these experts means communities in various provinces across the country.

Why More Health Professionals are Choosing Dental Hygiene

Recent data shows that dental hygiene ranks as the 6th largest health profession in the country, with over 31,000 registered dental therapists and hygienists. Why do most health professionals choose this career?

Dental Hygiene is a Rewarding Career

According to the CDHA’s 2023 survey, the mean agreement score of job satisfaction was 8.7/10 for feeling valued by patients, 8.3/10 for feeling appreciated by colleagues or peers, and 7.6/10 for feeling appreciated by an employer.

In addition, 92% of the respondents agreed that they had decision-making authority over documenting their patients’ assessments, 91% had decision-making authority over dental hygiene diagnosis, and 91% had such authority over implementing dental hygiene services.

Salary and Benefits

Here’s how much a dental hygienist earns in Canada.

CDHA’s 2023 survey showed that 87% of dental hygienists who are employed get at least an employment benefit. The top benefits include dental health care for themselves and their families, uniforms, paid sick days, and professional development. There is also paid maternity or parental leave as well as disability leave.

Provinces in Canada Need More Dental Hygienists

There’s a shortage of dental hygienists and other dental experts at a national level. However, the following areas have an exceptionally high demand for these professionals.

Conclusion

There’s a growing public awareness of oral hygiene and its role in overall well-being. Similarly, the Canadian government’s recognition of dental therapists and hygienists as eligible essential care providers in oral health at a national-level dental care plan makes this career an exciting opportunity for many Canadians. Therefore, the job opportunities and employment outlook for dental hygienists are positive in Canada.