How California Baptist University Is Tackling the Dental Hygiene Shortage

California’s dental hygiene shortage has reached a tipping point, straining dental practices, limiting access to care, and intensifying competition for qualified clinicians. According to Kelly Donovan, RDH, EdD, founding program director and associate professor of dental hygiene at California Baptist University (CBU) in Riverside, the causes are layered and deeply interconnected.

“Understanding the dental hygiene shortage in California requires looking at several connected factors,” she said. “The shortage stems from post-pandemic shifts in the workforce, economic pressures, and competition for healthcare talent.”

Donovan brings a unique perspective to the issue, shaped by decades of experience across clinical practice, industry, research, and education. Although she originally planned to pursue nursing, her path changed early.

“As a teenager, I moved across the street from my dentist, and his wife, a dental hygienist, became a role model,” she explained. “She shared the rewarding, diverse profession of dental hygiene, highlighting the many career paths available.” Donovan graduated from Cypress College in 1994, entered clinical practice, and later transitioned into sales, research, and education. “Each has been valuable, but I found my true calling in dental hygiene education,” she said. “Teaching our future colleagues provides an incredible sense of purpose.”

Today, Donovan is leading the development of a new Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene program scheduled to launch in 2028. The program is a direct response to California’s workforce crisis, particularly in the Inland Empire, one of the state’s fastest growing and most underserved regions. “The most effective solutions directly address the core issue of supply by increasing the number of accredited programs to graduate more clinicians,” Donovan noted.

She emphasized that retention is just as important as recruitment. “These challenges are compounded by the profession’s physical demands and a need for more consistently supportive workplace cultures,” she said, adding that “Elevating the professional role and autonomy of the dental hygienist is a fundamental part of the solution.” Without those changes, she warned, workforce shortages will persist.

CBU’s program is designed to address both access and longevity. “By establishing a new educational pathway, the program will increase the local workforce,” Donovan said. Beyond clinical training, the curriculum focuses on leadership development, faculty preparation, and advocacy. “Our goal is not only to train skilled clinicians, but to develop future leaders, educators, and advocates,” she explained.

Based on evidence-based practice and Christian values, the program will incorporate hands-on training in a community clinic, advanced technology, and targeted outreach to underserved populations. “This program represents CBU’s commitment to improving oral health access across the region while developing the next generation of dental hygiene professionals and educators,” Donovan said.

As California searches for sustainable solutions, Donovan believes education and expanding scope of practice must be central to the strategy. “Investments in expanding educational programs and supporting faculty development are essential,” she said. “Furthermore, advocating for the full utilization of dental hygienists’ advanced training, especially in contrast to policies in states that seek to assign traditional hygiene duties to personnel with more limited training, will be key to enhancing career satisfaction, optimal patient care, and building a sustainable future for the workforce.”