Andrea Webster | RDH, BSDH, MOL

With over a decade of experience as a dental hygienist, Andrea has dedicated her career to improving the dental profession through leadership and team dynamics. Graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene from West Virginia University at 23, she quickly recognized leadership's significant role in fostering a thriving and supportive workplace for dental professionals.

Early in her career, Andrea became increasingly interested in how leadership styles impact team success and retention within the dental field. Having worked under inspiring and challenging leaders, she developed a passion for understanding what makes work environments sustainable and motivating. This drive led her to pursue a Master’s degree in Organizational Leadership, where she focused her research on the relationship between effective leadership and the ongoing dental workforce shortage.

In 2023, Andrea completed her Master’s in Organizational Leadership and conducted groundbreaking research into how leadership can help alleviate workforce challenges and create environments where dental professionals can thrive. She is now committed to empowering dental hygienists and other healthcare professionals by equipping them with the tools to lead confidently and make lasting, positive impacts on their teams.

Dental Leadership and the Dental Workforce Shortage

The dental healthcare workforce faces critical challenges, with burnout, turnover, and toxic work environments driving dental auxiliaries out of the profession. This research examines how leadership styles influence worker wellbeing, job satisfaction, and retention in dental organizations. Through a systematic review of dental leadership, burnout, and workforce dynamics, the study highlights the positive impact of leadership approaches such as collective, servant, and transformational leadership on fostering healthier work environments. In contrast, transactional and laissez-faire leadership styles contribute to lower worker satisfaction and increased reports of turnover intentions.

The research also emphasizes the importance of improved leadership training, particularly for dental students, and calls for further qualitative and quantitative studies to explore leadership's role in mitigating workforce shortages. These findings offer evidence-based insights for developing leadership strategies that prioritize worker well-being and help build a sustainable dental healthcare workforce.

Educational Objectives:

  1. Identify three leadership styles that enhance worker wellbeing and retention in dental organizations.

  2. Evaluate the impact of leadership styles on burnout and turnover rates using data from dental organizations.

  3. Recommend strategies for integrating leadership training into dental school curricula to address workforce shortages.