Hiring the right staff member can make or break your dental practice. Having the right team in place keeps patients happy, operations smooth, and your office running like a well-oiled machine.
Many dental offices fall into common hiring pitfalls, costing them time, money, and a few headaches. To help your office out, we’re giving you the top five mistakes to avoid when hiring dental staff, so you can build the team your practice needs.
Mistake #1: Waiting Until the Last Minute to Hire
We get it, things get busy and suddenly you needed a dental assistant to start yesterday. However, rushing the hiring process can often lead to picking the wrong candidate to just fill a spot. A bad hire can cost your dental practice thousands in lost productivity and turnover.
GoTu Tip: Plan ahead! If you know your team will need extra hands during busy seasons or for planned leaves, start looking early. And if you ever need quick, reliable coverage, GoTu can connect you with qualified dental professionals quickly.
Mistake #2: Focusing Only on Experience, Not Personality
A candidate’s resume may be full of years of experience and fancy certifications, but that doesn’t mean that they’re the right cultural fit for your office. Remember, skills can be taught, but attitude can’t.
An employee who clashes with your existing staff or struggles with patient communication can disrupt your patient harmony. Your next staff member needs to have both technical skills and a positive, friendly attitude.
GoTu Tip: During interviews is a great time to ask questions that can gauge their personality, some examples include:
- Tell me about a time you handled a difficult patient.
- How do you work under pressure?
- What’s your approach to teamwork in a fast-paced environment?
Mistake #3: Overlooking Temporary or Flexible Staffing Options
Hiring a full-time employee isn’t always the best or only option. Many dental offices hesitate to use temporary dental professionals, worried that they won’t be as reliable or experienced. But the reality is that on-demand professionals provide you flexibility while maintaining high-quality patient care.
GoTu Tip: Instead of scrambling to fill shifts or overworking your current team, consider using GoTu to get vetted, experienced dental professionals without the long-term commitment.
Mistake #4: Not Checking Licenses or Certifications
This may seem like common sense, but you’d be surprised how many offices forget to verify a candidate’s credentials before hiring them. The last thing you want is a compliance issue because a team member isn’t properly licensed.
GoTu Tip: Always double-check state licensing requirements for dental assistants, hygienists, and other professionals before hiring. Using a platform that pre-verifies candidates, like GoTu, can save you the hassle.
Mistake #5: Ignoring Retention Strategies
Hiring is just the beginning, keeping great team members is where the real challenges lie. Many dental offices don’t invest enough in workplace culture, competitive pay, and professional growth opportunities, leading to high turnover rates.
GoTu Tip: Checking market rates regularly, promoting work-life balance, and giving career growth opportunities go a long way in keeping your team happy!
Avoiding these common hiring mistakes will save you time, stress, and money while helping you build a rockstar dental team. Whether you need a full-time hire or just extra coverage for a few shifts, GoTu makes hiring dental professionals easier than ever.
