
Visit to check and see what browser you are currently using.The new DOT requires the latest version of Google Chrome and Adobe Acrobat Reader.Any passwords previously saved in your browser will not be ported to the new DOT. Ensure you have access to all your DOT usernames and passwords.Personal email addresses and phone numbers should only be entered in the event that your specific service office does not have an office email address and phone number.This is especially important for offices that To ensure that the entered email address and phone number is locally and immediately accessible to you now and in the future, consider using the contact information of your dental office.Please keep the following things in mind when updating your profile:.Failing to provide up-to-date and accessible contact information will require re-registration to use the new Toolkit: Ensure you have an up-to-date user profile in the Dental Office Toolkit.Step 1: Complete DOT user profile and set up user requirements:
#Delta dental toolkit login how to#
Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.To view a tutorial on how to register and/or log in, please click here. For NPR News, I'm Craig LeMoult in Boston. LEMOULT: But now, for many dental hygienists and assistants, staffing shortages could bring greater appreciation from their employers - and a boost in pay and benefits to go along with that. They felt that they just weren't appreciated, and there were some that were thinking maybe it was time for them to leave. They were having to clock out if a patient canceled their appointment. JOANN GURENLIAN: There was concern about lack of respect in their workplace setting. JoAnn Gurenlian of the American Dental Hygienist Association says, even before the pandemic, hygienists reported growing dissatisfaction.
LEMOULT: Crow says the pandemic pushed people out of the field for all kinds of reasons, including childcare challenges and personal health concerns in a job that requires close contact. And so there were a lot of hygienists in that boat. SARAH CROW: If there was a question in your mind, pre-pandemic, whether or not you were ready to retire or you were thinking about, you know, just not practicing clinically anymore, the pandemic made up your mind.

But hygienist Sarah Crow, who's the president of the Massachusetts Dental Hygienist Association, says many of her older colleagues aren't coming back. Morrissey was a co-author of a study last year that estimated 8% of dental hygienists left the workforce in 2020. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports the average dental hygienist salary was just under $78,000 last year, or more than $37 an hour. They're also offering more flexible working hours. MORRISSEY: More than 80% of dentists that are recruiting dental hygienists are raising salaries. And Morrissey says dentists are trying to sweeten the pot to attract candidates. Their monthly poll of private dental practices shows dental assistants are in high demand, too. LEMOULT: That's Rachel Morrissey, a senior research analyst at the American Dental Association. RACHEL MORRISSEY: We just hear over and over again, what can we do to get more dental hygienists? cities, the ADA's polling says only half of hygienist positions are reported as filled. Of those, 95% say it's been extremely or very difficult to hire someone. A poll last month by the American Dental Association shows nearly 40% of dentists are trying to recruit hygienists. LEMOULT: It's a competitive market right now. WANG: But the next day, she said she got another good offer. LEMOULT: A couple of months ago, Wang says she was thrilled to finally hire a new hygienist. WANG: It's emotional because my team that's here are facing challenges and struggles, and it's a day-to-day grind for them. Wang says they've been posting the position on job sites and asking colleagues, hygienist schools and vendors if they know anyone qualified who's looking for a job. LEMOULT: And that means less time for her and the other dentists in her practice to see other patients. WANG: So what's been happening is the doctors - myself included - have been doing the cleanings just to be able to take care of everybody. And Wang says she hasn't been able to fully staff back up since then.

But a full-time hygienist in this office moved away in January. LEMOULT: Usually, a dental hygienist does the cleanings here. LEMOULT: And then, after a rinse, it's time to polish. Tina Wang scrapes the plaque from a patient's teeth. TINA WANG: OK, just going to feel a little pressure here.ĬRAIG LEMOULT, BYLINE: Dr. Craig LeMoult of member station GBH reports. Meanwhile, many patients are just now returning to the dentist after a long pandemic break, and they're finding it tough to schedule an appointment. That is especially true for dentists trying to hire hygienists and other support staff. Across the country, employers are still struggling to fill certain jobs.
