Next Generation of Allied Dental Practitioners: An Analysis of the ADEA 2024 Survey of Graduating Allied Dental Students

Abstract

Purpose/objectives

This study examines the journey of accredited US allied dental programs' graduating students of 2024. It covers the factors that influenced their decision to pursue an allied dental career, key elements of their program experiences, their postgraduation plans, and the investments they made to embark on an allied oral health professional journey. This is the first national study conducted by the American Dental Education Association (ADEA) to gather direct feedback from US graduating allied dental students.

Methods

This study analyzes the findings of the 2024 ADEA Survey of Graduating Allied Dental Students. Twenty-one percent of the estimated 12,920 graduating allied dental students in 2024 responded to the ADEA survey. This translated to a 20% response rate for dental assisting, 21% for dental hygiene, and 24% for dental laboratory technology graduating students.

Results

Allied dental graduates—students from accredited programs in the disciplines of dental hygiene, dental assisting, and dental laboratory technology—were predominantly composed of females, with less than 5% identifying as male at birth. More than four out of ten allied dental graduates cited personal dental experience as the most influential factor in their career choice, whereas factors related to a family member, friend, or relative accounted for almost three out of ten decisions. Respondents reported a high level of readiness to enter the profession. Three-quarters of allied dental students across all disciplines entered their allied dental program without any prior education debt, and more than half graduated without any education debt. A total of 84% planned to work immediately upon graduation; among this segment of graduating students, 81% planned to work for a dentist in private practice.

Conclusions

This study presents foundational data on US graduating allied dental students. The inaugural ADEA study found that allied dental students felt well-prepared to enter the workforce immediately upon graduation. The lack of educational debt upon graduation among the majority of the students, coupled with moderate levels for those who did have education debt, indicates a financially accessible pathway into allied dental careers. Working in a private practice was the overwhelmingly preferred career path among those intending to work immediately after graduation.