Is there statistical proof of a decline in dental hygienists in Canada? The answer isn’t as simple as social media headlines suggest.

In this episode of Tooth or Dare, Joe Siegfried and I unpack the current climate of dental hygiene in Canada and challenge the idea that fewer hygienists are entering the profession.

Graduation numbers and class sizes haven’t declined. What has changed is retention and migration.

🇨🇦 Canada has approximately 33,600 registered dental hygienists, yet distribution varies widely ▪️ Rural and remote communities continue to struggle with retention ▪️ About 9% of hygienists plan to leave the profession within 2 years, and 18% within 3–5 years ▪️ Temping is at an all-time high, reflecting burnout, flexibility needs, and shifting work preferences

As the profession evolves, traditional 9–5 practice models are being challenged. The workforce exists, but it’s moving differently than it used to. Joe brings important nuance to a topic that’s often oversimplified.

We also explore a deeper shift happening across dentistry: how clinicians define value.

Value in dental hygiene isn’t always about money or production. And practice isn’t limited to the box you work in.

Joe and I discuss how value shows up through discussion, treatment planning, culture, ideas, flexibility, autonomy, respect, growth, and alignment, not just a few extra dollars of production. When the definition of value shifts, so does how, where, and why people choose to practice.

This episode continues from our previous conversation about Joe’s personal journey and expands into the broader challenges facing dental hygienists today.

▪️ The dental hygienist “shortage” debate and uneven workforce distribution ▪️ Pay models, cost-of-living pressures, and compensation realities ▪️ Temping, scheduling flexibility, and changing career expectations ▪️ Union conversations and lessons from other professions ▪️ Education pathways, incentives, and workforce planning ▪️ Why protecting patient care must always come first

Connect with Joe:

Instagram → @joesiegfried_rdh

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If you made it all the way down here, hit a like and share a comment.

Until next time, Peace out peeps! ✌️

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🎤Podcast @ToothorDare.Podcast https://www.instagram.com/ToothorDare.Podcast

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🔗🌲Cool links in my Linktree https://linktr.ee/TOOTHLIFE.IRENE

What happens when you choose authenticity, even when it feels risky?

In this episode of Tooth or Dare, Joe Siegfried opens up about his life beyond the dental chair. From growing up in rural Ontario and pursuing acting, to becoming a father, coming out during dental hygiene school, and building a supportive blended family, Joe shares the personal experiences that shaped who he is today.

This conversation explores identity, acceptance, and the courage it takes to live authentically, especially within a professional setting. Joe reflects on how personal transformation doesn’t happen in isolation and how support systems, inclusion, and self-honesty can redefine both happiness and success in dentistry.

In this episode, we talk about: ▪️ Growing up in rural Ontario and early creative ambitions ▪️ Pursuing acting before dentistry ▪️ Coming out while in dental hygiene school ▪️ Fatherhood, co-parenting, and blended family life ▪️ Support systems, inclusion, and LGBTQ+ representation in dentistry ▪️ How living authentically can reshape both personal and professional paths

Connect with Joe: Instagram → @joesiegfried_rdh

_____________________________________________________

If you made it all the way down here, hit a like and share a comment.

Until next time, Peace out peeps! ✌️

_______________________________________

📦 Amazon Store with my FAV things:

https://www.amazon.ca/shop/toothlife.irene?listId=YLX0271390I3

Follow on Social Media:

_______________________________________

💁🏼‍♀️Personal Instagram @Toothlife.Irene https://www.instagram.com/toothlife.irene

Personal Instagram: @victoriaarmaly_ https://www.instagram.com/victoriaarmaly_

🙋🏼‍♀️Facebook Irene Iancu https://www.facebook.com/irene.iancu

💃🏼TikTok @Toothlife.Irene https://www.tiktok.com/@toothlife.irene

🛒Online Store and Instagram @Toothlife https://www.instagram.com/toothlife

🥼Office Instagram @ToothlifeStudio https://www.instagram.com/ToothlifeStudio

______________________________________

🎤Podcast @ToothorDare.Podcast https://www.instagram.com/ToothorDare.Podcast

_______________________________________

🔗🌲Cool links in my Linktree https://linktr.ee/TOOTHLIFE.IRENE

This episode is dedicated to all dental professionals who have ever discovered expired materials hiding at the back of a drawer, couldn’t find what they needed mid-procedure, or found themselves buying supplies from the dollar store with no real system, strategy, or purpose.

My office had just celebrated its 4th birthday when I discovered a bag of materials that were already two years expired. That was my wake-up call.

I knew it was time to make a change...so we overhauled Toothlife Studio using Zirc’s proven Color Method, and I haven’t looked back. If you’re looking to improve efficiency, reduce waste, and bring clarity to your clinical systems, you won’t want to miss this episode.

Here’s what we discuss that has literally changed for the better:

🔵 Mismatched bins and organizers replaced with colour-coded cassettes, trays, and tubs by procedure 🔵 Instruments and materials grouped and easily identified by assigned procedure colour 🔵 Increased team efficiency with quicker setup and room turnover 🔵 Reduced waste and lower supply expenses 🔵 Smoother onboarding for temps and new hires

Want a sample tub in the colour of your choice?

👉 GET YOUR TRIAL TUB HERE ⏩ https://tr.ee/Zirc-Tub-Trial-Kit ⏪

✌🏻 This episode is sponsored by Zirc Dental Products.

Follow @toothlife.irene and check the top 3 pinned posts to access the download and leave your questions in the comments. We’ll be answering them in upcoming episodes!

If you made it all the way down here—hit like and leave a comment. Until next time, peace out peeps! ✌️

https://www.amazon.ca/shop/toothlife.irene?listId=YLX0271390I3

💁🏼‍♀️ Instagram: @toothlife.irene https://www.instagram.com/toothlife.irene

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