Mimosa Launches “Pair Care Dental” Service to Address Dental Hygienist Shortage

Japan: Mimosa Co., Ltd. is set to introduce its “Pair Care Dental” service on July 3, 2023, aimed at resolving the issue of dental hygienist shortages in Japan. By providing comprehensive consulting services, the company endeavors to create a conducive work environment that supports employee retention, even as their practices grow and evolve.

Securing and Retaining Dental Hygienists 

The Pair Care Dental service aims to tackle the problem of personnel scarcity faced by dental clinics, particularly in securing dental hygienists. The process begins with a three-step approach encompassing a current situation analysis, issue definition, and solution formulation. 

During the situation analysis, Mimosa conducts employee interviews to identify existing challenges while also highlighting the unique strengths within the clinics. By further bolstering these strengths, clinics can distinguish themselves from their competitors. Moreover, the insights derived from this analysis can be applied not only to employee retention initiatives but also to overall dental clinic management in the future.

Upon clear identification of issues and formulation of solutions, dental clinics have the flexibility to choose from a range of options provided by Mimosa’s services. Pair Care Dental offers specialized training and tailored support services catering to specific roles, including skills improvement training, mental health care, external mentors and career coaching. These services have been developed based on feedback from working mothers, who expressed their preferences and needs.

Reasoning Behind Pair Care Dental

The Japan Dental Hygienists’ Association’s “Work Situation Survey Report for Dental Hygienists” unveiled that an overwhelming 99% of dental hygienists are women, resulting in a predominantly female occupation. According to data from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, the fiscal year 2020 recorded 298,644 registered dental hygienists, but only 47.8% of them were actively employed. 

The unique working conditions, such as weekend and extended working hours, have reportedly posed challenges for female employees as their life stages transition. Despite being a highly specialized profession, dental hygienists encounter difficulties in sustaining their careers. Notably, the survey by the Japan Dental Hygienists’ Association revealed that “childbirth/childcare” accounted for 11.7% and “marriage” for 9.9% of reasons cited for workplace changes among respondents. 

In response to these realities, Mimosa firmly believes that targeted support is crucial to ensure the continuity of careers for highly specialized dental hygienists and employees. Mimosa’s vision of “empowering women to work in any way they choose, free from biases” underpins their commitment to effect positive change through the Pair Care Dental service. With this initiative, they strive to bridge the gap in dental hygienist shortages and foster an inclusive work environment.

Click here for more information on Pair Care Dental by Mimosa.