Exploring the factors, realities, and experiences of employment of a dental assistant (DA) in Canada are novel realms of research and knowledge building.
The research and evidence on experiences of dental assisting in Canada is extremely underdeveloped. In this report, we address the gap in knowledge on Canadian dental assisting by presenting findings from a Canada-wide survey of dental assistants. The novel research presented in this report illuminates experiences of dental assisting in Canada through an examination of three topic areas: demographics, educational context, and work context. This report does not make recommendations for improving retention and recruitment practices of dental assistants in Canada, but rather provides data and evidence that identifies opportunities for support. It is the objective of this report to unpack how the factors, realities, and experiences of DA employment in Canada have important implications for the current and future state of the workforce.