In 2020, 6,609 people graduated from dental school.
In fact, students enrolling in dental school are at an all-time high. Schools have not seen this kind of enrollment since the early 1980s.
Given this spike, dental office employers need to perfect their hiring process. That’s why we’re providing five tips for hiring at a dental office.
As a dentist, you have no shortage of patients who need dental care.
Hiring another dentist is advantageous in many ways. First, you lighten your own workload. Right now, you may feel the strain of needing to schedule as many appointments as possible.
In the long run, this is unhealthy for your work-life balance and your mental health will suffer. You deserve to have periods of rest and family time during your week.
Secondly, patients will have more options for booking appointments if there’s one more dentist to see. People looking for a new dentist will be more likely to contact a dental office with more hours, too.
What about hiring technicians, dental hygienists, and dental assistants?
Think about the dental office culture you want to establish. Start by making a list of attributes that you want clients to associate with your dental office.
A few to get you started are dependable, friendly, and efficient. These are the types of descriptors you should put in your job description. When you interview candidates, see if they possess the attributes you desire.
Reviews can make or break your dental office. During the hiring process, think from the perspective of a patient. What kind of review would they leave for this person?
You won’t settle for anything but the best employees.
Just because a candidate looks good on paper, though, it doesn’t mean they’re a good fit.
To test their competence, ask questions about how they tackled difficult dental cases. What is their problem-solving strategy? Have them walk you step-by-step through their solution.
Ask questions about handling stress or navigating difficult conversations with patients. How do they manage their time? How well do they interact with patients?
It can be hard to gauge these characteristics without seeing them in action. Invite them to join the team for day and see for yourself.
You have everything you need for hiring at a dental office. All that’s left is attracting candidates.
It may be tempting to ask your close circle of professionals for a referral. However, you don’t want to ignore dozens of other candidates outside your network, either.
Here at Dental Career Contact, create a compelling job posting and have applicants sent straight to your inbox. Our chatbot will even direct candidates to you so your job posting won’t go unnoticed.
Starting the hiring process at your dental office can be daunting. The last thing you want is to come up with a dry pool of applicants.
Luckily, Dental Career Contact is here to help. Click here to create an account.
