Characteristics of the Current Dental Assistant and Expanded Function Dental Auxiliary Workforces in Washington State

Abstract

Dental assistants (DAs) and expanded function dental auxiliaries (EFDAs; DAs with additional training allowing them to perform expanded functions) are two key occupations supporting the oral health workforce in Washington. We surveyed registered DAs and EFDAs in Washington to learn more about the supply, distribution, and characteristics of these occupations in the state. The survey received responses from 1,240 DAs and 113 EFDAs.

Key findings from respondents suggest DAs in Washington State include:

• DAs are primarily female, White, and in their mid-thirties, on average.
• Two-thirds attended private or public community college or technical school DA programs.
• DAs work 33 hours/week on average, and the majority indicated they were working as many hours as they would like.
• Most DAs received some benefits at work, with paid time off most common, followed by medical benefits and retirement.
• Two-thirds of respondents agreed that they would recommend a career as a DA.
• About a third agreed they were appropriately compensated for the work they do and less than half that they were satisfied with promotion opportunities.
• Among respondents, 42% indicated intent to begin education to advance to another dental occupation within five years.
• Workforce recruitment and retention may be enhanced by the availability of employer-provided benefits, opportunities for promotion, and satisfactory wages.
• Efforts to increase the diversity of the DA workforce entering the occupation through the multiple DA education and training pathways utilized by survey respondents could help the DA workforce better represent the demographics of the state population, and potentially increase supply size and address high demand.

Responses from EFDAs in Washington State suggest:

• EFDAs are primarily female, White, and in their mid-forties, on average.
• EFDAs work 29 hours/week on average, and the majority indicated they were working as many hours as they would like.
• Almost all EFDAs received paid time off, 87% received retirement benefits, and about three quarters received medical benefits.
• About half agreed they were appropriately compensated for the work they do, while higher percentages agreed they have opportunities for promotion, opportunities to learn and grow, and generally enjoy their work.
• Very few EFDAs reported they intended to seek employment in or training for another occupation in the next five years.
• Because EFDAs are not currently represented by a unique federal Standard Occupation Code, they cannot be identified separately from DAs in public datasets used to understand trends in the health workforce. Improved administrative data collection and monitoring of this occupation is needed.

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