While over a third of dental practices have seen no change to their staffing, there are many dentists that are struggling to hire new team members during the COVID-19 pandemic. Over ½ of dentists have begun offering higher wages to attract new staff, while many dentists have yet to take any action. If you find yourself in this position, feeling a little lost on what actions to take, remember you have options!
While it is ideal to hire an experienced staff member that will need little training, hiring a newer graduate with less experience can also be a viable option. However, do not expect to treat them the same as an experienced employee. Take the time to mold and mentor this new hire, ideally implementing a thorough training program at your office to ensure they become familiar with your office software and processes. Continue to monitor and review their performance until you feel confident in their work. Showing staff that you are willing to give them a chance and invest in them will create a loyal team.
Many practices have also opted for hiring more temporary employees as this offers flexibility depending on patient volumes, which tend to fluctuate due to the ongoing pandemic. Dental temps are also valuable when permanent staff members are sick or required to isolate after any COVID-19 exposures. Consider your options during these trying times and remember you are not alone.
As seen in the print issue of Oral Health February 2022
*In October and November 2021, Bramm Research, a third-party independent research house, conducted an online survey of active, practicing non-hospital affiliated dentists and dental specialists on behalf of Oral Health. Using Oral Health’s subscription list, a total of 264 completed surveys were tabulated. With a total sample of 264, the margin of error is plus or minus 6.0 percentage points at the 95 percent confidence level. If, for example, 50% of the sample indicated that agreed with a statement, then we can be reasonably sure (19 times out of 20) of an accuracy within +/- 6.0%. This means that a total census would reveal an answer of not less than 44.0% and not more than 56.0%.
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