Speakers: Thalia Diedrick & Cass Miller

Program Track: Professional Development

Course Description: The dental workforce is experiencing significant change, with staffing shortages, burnout, compensation pressures, and evolving expectations around flexibility shaping how dental hygienists work today. The 2026 State of Work survey captures this moment through responses from 7,874 dental professionals nationwide, including nearly 4,000 registered dental hygienists, making it one of the largest workforce data sets focused on dental hygiene. This presentation will examine key findings from the 2026 survey related to compensation, workload, scheduling flexibility, burnout, and career decision-making among dental hygienists. The session will highlight what the data reveals about current working conditions and professional priorities within the field. Attendees will also explore how workforce data can be applied to support informed career planning and professional advocacy within dental practices and the broader dental community..

Learning Objectives:

• Identify key trends and insights from the 2026 State of Work survey impacting dental hygienists.
• Describe current workforce challenges related to compensation, workload, flexibility, and burnout.
• Analyze how workforce data reflects broader changes in career expectations within dental hygiene.
• Apply State of Work data to support informed conversations around career decisions and workplace needs.
• Use industry data as a tool for professional advocacy within offices and the dental community.

CE Credit Hours: 1.0

Original Date of Session: April 22, 2026

The American Dental Hygienists' Association is designated as an approved provider by the American Academy of Dental Hygiene, Inc. #AADHADH (Jan. 1, 2026–Dec. 31, 2026). Approval does not imply acceptance by a state or provincial Board of Dentistry. Licensee should maintain this document in the event of an audit.

The American Dental Hygienists’ Association is an approved provider of dental continuing education as recognized by the Dental Board of California, Provider #5238.