The owner of Cornerstone Dental in Martinsburg, West Virginia can attest that the Mountain State could use additional oral healthcare providers in nearly all corners of the state.
“It has been a rough time since the pandemic as providers leave the field,” Dr. Joshua Wright said.
According to the Rural Health Information Hub, 52 of West Virginia’s 55 counties show a dental healthcare professional shortage for the entire county in 2022. In two other counties, part of the county reports a provider shortage. And, just one county in the state reported no shortages of oral healthcare providers.
In 2016, Wright took over a retiring dentist’s practice. Fast forward six years, more than half of the state’s dentists are closer to retirement than the beginning or even middle of their careers.
“Burden of Oral Disease in West Virginia,” an oral health report from the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources Oral Health Program, detailed the state’s dental workforce and capacity:
“In 2021, there were 868 actively practicing dentists in West Virginia, which translates to 49 dentists per 100,000 population – substantially lower than the national average of 61 dentists per 100,000 population. According to a survey conducted by the American Dental Association, 51% are aged 50 years or older.”
Wright and his team, along with representatives from 26 other dental practices, participated in the West Virginia University School of Dentistry Job and Career Fair held Oct. 21.
“We have a back log of patients we are trying to fulfill their needs. So, we’re looking for others to join our team,” Wright, a 2014 WVU Doctor of Dental Surgery graduate, said.
Each year, as spring graduation approaches, the student affairs, community health and outreach department is inundated with requests for applicants - both dentists and dental hygienists.
“We share all of the employment possibilities with our students, but after a year as the associate dean for student affairs, it was clear we needed to do more than forward a message on to our soon-to-be graduates,” Dr. Valerie Perrine said. “We really wanted to highlight these job opportunities and afford practice owners and their teams a chance to engage and tell their stories.”
Perrine, like Wright, is a product of the state’s only dental school. Both she and Wright believe local practices can find qualified candidates to meet the demands of their case-load.
“There are such good skills to be obtained by going to the program at WVU both clinically and didactically,” Wright said. “I think the graduates here are well prepared to provide care in the general community.”
The difficulty is keeping those young, highly qualified providers where the needs are the greatest.
“We have to find ways to encourage the graduates to stay in the state and go to rural areas whether that’s through loan assistance or other benefits,” Wright said. “It’s a hard question to answer but an important one to start working on at the very least. Without it, our community is going to continue to suffer.”
After completing his DDS degree, Wright stayed at the WVU School of Dentistry another year to complete a general practice residency. His hope is that private practice providers and students find the true benefits of working together care for West Virginians.
“We can offer a mentorship to help them grow and expand their abilities as well and continue on with their education if they want to specialize in further areas,” Wright said.
According to Perrine, recent graduates are finding opportunities with growing benefits in West Virginia. Provider salaries are slowly increasing, tuition reimbursement is sometimes available sign-on bonuses are becoming more common with job offers.
“We are also fortunate to be in a place with a relatively low cost of living,” Perrine said. “Beyond that, West Virginians have a strong reputation for warmly welcoming newcomers and displaying friendly hospitality. Geographically, our state offers majestic beauty to be discovered in our mountains, on our rivers and throughout countless hiking, biking and ski trails. It’s a place where you can enjoy the scenery of four distinct seasons while providing care to good people.”
Meanwhile, the “Burden of Oral Disease in West Virginia” report in March 2022 concluded that “ongoing assessment of the dental workforce is necessary to assure adequate access to care for West Virginians, as well as improving oral health status.”