This Makes Me Want to Smile

Every graduation represents new possibilities.

For those intent on improving the delivery of oral health care in the United States, this year – perhaps more than in any year past – brims with possibility. Why the optimism? Because of the demographics and nature of this year’s dental school graduates. ?

First, the demographics. According to the American Dental Association’s Health Policy Institute, which tracks dental school data, women now represent more than 50% of U.S. dental school graduates, and people who identify as coming from a community of color are approaching 50% of graduates. By 2045, the majority of Americans will trace their roots to countries that currently represent the minority of the nation’s population. (The available data shows that women also represent the larger share of graduates in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Spain, and the United Kingdom.) In short, dentistry has never been more diverse.

Today’s graduates are also entering the dental job market at a particularly exciting time, based on data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), which in April provided this promising update on prospects for the dental profession. ?“Overall employment of dentists is projected to grow?3 percent from 2019 to 2029,” the BLS wrote. But here’s what really caught my eye: “Demand for dentists’ services will increase as studies continue to link oral health to overall health. They will need to provide care and instruction aimed at promoting good oral hygiene, rather than just providing treatments such as fillings.” (This, by the way, is a universal truth, not just specific to the United States.) There’s more: “Job prospects for dentists are expected to be relatively good, especially for dentists who are willing to work in underserved areas," said the BLS.?

The numbers are clear – dentistry is more diverse, the association between oral health and overall health is more evident, and the opportunity to “do well by doing good” is immediately available.

But what do we mean by the nature of this year’s dental school graduates? Henry Schein recently reached out to this year’s graduates to ask what is most exciting about the future of the profession. The answers reflect a group of young health care professionals who are caring, curious, and dedicated to bridging the gap between oral health and overall health, as well as the access-to-care gap between the privileged and the underserved.

I’ve often said that Millennials (and Gen Zs) will one day be regarded as the greatest generations of the 21st Century. They are already well-known for taking a comprehensive approach to their overall health. Imagine the possibility of improving oral health care if we were to harness the energy and passion of the remarkable students graduating from today’s dental schools. It makes you want to smile.?