In Elena’s 15 years as a dental hygienist in San Francisco, she has polished the teeth of Fortune 500 CEOs before board meetings, flossed cab drivers between rides, and cleaned molars for cancer patients awaiting chemo appointments.
It wasn’t always the plan. When Elena — who provided only her first name to avoid employment repercussions — graduated from college in 2008, she was eager to break into the fashion industry. But when the Great Recession dried up job prospects, she pivoted, earning an associate’s degree and becoming a dental hygienist. “I wanted a job that was recession-proof and couldn’t be outsourced abroad,” said Elena, who is in her 40s and has worked in several dental offices across the city.
Today, the field she chose for stability faces a shrinking workforce, especially in the Bay Area, where there is only one hygienist for every 2.5 dentists, though most practices function best with three to four hygienists per dentist. Even high wages can’t stem an outflow caused by a lack of support, an unsustainable workload, and policies that are straining the industry. For patients who already dread a routine trip to the dentist, that means longer waits and even more painful appointments as less-qualified staff pick up hygiene duties…