The Tipping Point
During the onset of the pandemic, more than 2 years ago now, healthcare in Canada took one of the hardest hits. It was next to impossible to secure doctor’s appointments, and when you did, it was for months ahead of time. The dental world was no exception to this, especially considering COVID-19 travels via aerosols, which dental offices would be at the most risk of being exposed to. With closures across Canada, a lot of dental professionals have decided to rethink their positions within dental practices.
When Did It Change?
In a pre-pandemic world, there was an oversaturation of dental professionals in Canada and job postings were far and few apart. Most hiring happened internally or through word of mouth, and you would not see half as many job postings as you do now. It should come as no surprise that what has really changed the face of dentistry in Canada, is the pandemic. Most dental professionals got to experience time away from their practices during the nationwide, and provincial shutdowns, and perhaps found alternative ways of not only making money, but also finding fulfillment.
What is the Main Concern?
When you speak to dental professionals, their reasonings for cutting back days or leaving their practices altogether, will vary but majority have the same underlying concern. With the way the virus travels, dental professionals are putting themselves at extreme risk by choosing to provide oral healthcare to patients. Those with families, especially young kids or elderly parents, worry about what they can transmit to their own family members. Beyond the health concerns, the fee guides that dictate the pricing allowed for treatments, is not increasing fast enough to keep up with salary demands, which in turn means dental professionals are not being paid what they feel is fair.
Are Their Concerns Justified?
Although it is completely justifiable to be scared during this pandemic, and the potential risk to those around you, there is a fundamental element of healthcare that has been lost. Those who become healthcare professionals, make a promise and commitment to the general public to provide healthcare to those who need it. Prior to the pandemic, there has always been an increased risk to dental professionals in getting communicable diseases, such as HIV. However, by choosing to move away from their positions during a time where Canada is facing a shortage of dental professionals, it can seem selfish. However, we always need to keep in mind that those dental professionals are also human – they may have felt a sense of unfulfillment prior to the onset of the pandemic, and this may have been the driving force in their decision to leave the industry.
