Job prospects Dental Laboratory Assistant near Charlottetown (PE)

Over the past few years (2021-2023), there was a labour shortage for Dental technologists, technicians and laboratory assistants near Charlottetown (PE). There were more job openings than workers available to fill them in this occupation.

Source Labour Market Information | Recent Trends Assessment Methodology

The employment outlook will be good for Dental assistants and dental laboratory assistants (NOC 33100) in Prince Edward Island for the 2023-2025 period.

The following factors contributed to this outlook:

• Employment growth will lead to several new positions.
• Not many positions will become available due to retirements.
• There are a moderate number of unemployed workers with recent experience in this occupation.

As the federal government rolls out the Canadian Dental Care Plan (to be fully implemented by 2025), its effectiveness may be hampered by a shortage of dental staff. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, dentist offices in the province (and across the country) have had to contend with staffing shortages and appointment backlogs. As a result, the prospect for employment in this occupation is favourable over the forecast period. 

Employment growth in this field is dependent on the demand for dental services. Over the past decade, a growing and ageing provincial population and increasing public awareness of the importance of oral hygiene has increased the demand for dental services, supporting job prospects in this occupation.

Here are some key facts about Dental assistants and dental laboratory assistants in Prince Edward Island:

• Approximately 250 people work in this occupation.
• Dental assistants and dental laboratory assistants mainly work in the following sectors:
  • Ambulatory health care services (NAICS 621): more than 95%
• The distribution of full-time and part-time workers in this occupation is:
  • Full-time workers: 90% compared to 84% for all occupations
  • Part-time workers: 10% compared to 16% for all occupations
• 31% of dental assistants and dental laboratory assistants work all year, while 69% work only part of the year, compared to 59% and 41% respectively among all occupations. Those who worked only part of the year did so for an average of 38 weeks compared to 41 weeks for all occupations.
• The gender distribution of people in this occupation is:
  • Men: 9% compared to 51% for all occupations
  • Women: 91% compared to 49% for all occupations
• The educational attainment of workers in this occupation is:
  • no high school diploma: n/a
  • high school diploma or equivalent: 11% compared to 28% for all occupations
  • apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma: 11% compared to 11% for all occupations
  • college certificate or diploma or university certificate below bachelor's: 75% compared to 25% for all occupations
  • bachelor's degree: n/a
  • university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: n/a

Source Labour Market Information | Prospects Methodology