A Green MP for Prince Edward Island is calling on more local students to choose dentistry as a career to address a growing shortage of dentists.
“Unfortunately, there is a shortage of frontline health-care workers in general, and dentists are no exception,” said Matt MacFarlane, MP for Borden-Kincora.
MacFarlane noted that Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia is the only university in Canada’s Maritime provinces that offers a dentistry program, and no Island students were admitted to the program this year.
Canada is facing a shortage of dentists across the country. According to the Canadian Occupational Forecasting System, Canada is expected to have a shortfall of 500 dentists by 2028.
Between 2022 and 2031, vacancies for dentists are expected to reach 13,500, driven by industry expansion and retirements. However, the number of job seekers, including graduates and immigrants, is expected to reach 10,500, resulting in a huge gap in the dental workforce.
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