Matt Everatt predicts when dental technicians will cease to exist and whether the workforce’s steady decline is reversible.
Following the new CPD cycle and payment of the ARF, the General Dental Council (GDC) has released the latest figures on the number of registered dental care professionals. Every group has increased in numbers with the stark exception of the dental technician! We have declined yet again.
In 2008, there were 7,460 dental technicians in the UK, supporting a workforce of 36,281 dentists – a ratio of 4.86 dentists to every technician. Fast forward to 2024, and the numbers tell a much grimmer story: 4,935 technicians to 45,204 dentists, representing a shocking ratio of 9.16 dentists for every technician.
This steady decline in the dental technician workforce raises serious questions about the future of dental care in the UK, and if the trend continues, we can predict a point in which there will be no dental technicians left in the profession at all.
When will dental technicians disappear?
Year on year, the number of dental technicians has fallen. Since 2008, the UK has lost 2,525 technicians – a 34% reduction in just 16 years. Meanwhile, the number of dentists has increased by nearly 25%. This imbalance between the two professions is not only unsustainable but will also likely lead to catastrophic effects on the quality and availability of dental prosthetics and appliances.
If we look at the figures, the downward trend in dental technicians is linear and, unfortunately, predictable:
- 2008: 7,460 dental technicians
- 2024: 4,935 dental technicians.
The profession has lost an average of 157 dental technicians per year between 2008 and 2024. If this trend continues, the UK could see the number of dental technicians fall to zero in approximately 31 years from 2024, which would be around the year 2055.
Implications for dental care
The prospect of reaching a point where there are no dental technicians is deeply concerning. Dental technicians are the backbone of restorative and cosmetic dentistry, providing vital services such as fabricating dentures, crowns, bridges and orthodontic appliances.
Without enough skilled technicians, dentists will struggle to meet the needs of their patients, leading to longer waiting times, reduced quality of care and increased costs for patients.
While automation and technology have made strides in dental manufacturing, the intricate work of skilled dental technicians cannot be entirely replaced by machines. The individual customisation and precision that they provide remain unmatched by any current technology.
What is causing this decline?
Several factors have contributed to the decline in dental technicians:
- Low pay and high pressure: many dental technicians have left the profession due to low pay and increasing regulatory pressures from the GDC
- Lack of recognition: dental technicians are often undervalued compared to their dentist counterparts, leading to a lack of motivation among younger professionals to enter or stay in the profession
- Education and training: fewer students are enrolling in dental technology programs, leading to a shortage of new technicians entering the workforce
- Regulatory burdens: onerous and sometimes disproportionate regulations imposed by bodies like the GDC are discouraging new entrants and hastening the exit of seasoned professionals.
Can the decline be reversed?
Addressing this decline will require significant changes in policy, education, and professional recognition. Potential solutions include:
- Increased investment in education and training: more incentives are needed to encourage students to pursue careers as dental technicians. Scholarships, apprenticeships and better access to continuing education could help bolster the workforce
- Regulatory reform: the GDC needs to re-evaluate its approach to regulating dental technicians, adopting a more proportionate and supportive stance that encourages rather than penalises
- Professional recognition: dental technicians need greater acknowledgment for the vital role they play in patient care. Increased wages, better working conditions and public awareness of their contributions could help reverse the attrition.
The steady and predictable decline of dental technicians in the UK should sound alarm bells across the dental profession. The year 2055 is not far off.
Without intervention, we may see the end of dental technicians in the UK—a loss that the dental profession and patients alike cannot afford.
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