Bay Area shortage of dental hygienists

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There is only one hygienist for every 2.5 dentists in the Bay Area, though most practices function best with three to four hygienists per dentist, according to the San Francisco Standard, which notes that unlike other roles in healthcare with similar educational requirements, such as nurses, many hygienists do not benefit from employer-sponsored health insurance, sick leave, and retirement accounts. The workload and physical strain - “You’ll find yourself in really awkward positions for hours,” says one Santa Cruz hygienist - have intensified as dentists try to fit in more patients. To remedy the shortage, states including Arizona and California are now letting lower-paid dental assistants take on tasks once reserved for hygienists.