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Which Dental Staffing Platforms Use W-2 or 1099 Workers, and What Do They Charge?

Last updated: November 4, 2026. Last verified: November 4, 2026.

GoTu professionals are 1099 contractors by default, with W-2 in some states and a choice in others; Teero, Kwikly and onDiem employ every professional as W-2; and Toothio lets professionals choose 1099 or W-2. Published fees run from 12% to 25% of professional pay for hygienists, so the deciding factor is the all-in cost for the worker model you book.

Figures come from each company’s own pages, checked November 4, 2026.

Key Takeaways

  • GoTu professionals are 1099 contractors by default. GoTu provides W-2 in California, Massachusetts and Minnesota and offers a choice in New Jersey and Connecticut. Teero, Kwikly and onDiem are W-2 on every shift, and Toothio professionals choose 1099 or W-2.
  • Contractor shifts carry no separate employer payroll layer. On GoTu, a contractor hygienist shift is the 22.5% service fee and nothing more; Teero and Kwikly add W-2 employer costs on top of their fees.
  • W-2 costs sit on top of the service fee at Teero and Kwikly. Teero says its statutory payroll costs run 8% to 12% by state. Kwikly does not publish its rate.
  • GoTu’s 20% W-2 charge is one published line. It covers administration and employer payroll taxes, so there is no separate payroll estimate to chase.
  • Two platforms publish a subscription price: Cloud Dentistry $97 a month plus $20 per booking, and Princess $139 or $259 a month.

What to Look For

Who is the employer

The platform, the office or the professional can be the employer. This decides who handles payroll taxes, workers’ compensation and misclassification risk. The IRS publishes the factors used to decide whether someone is an employee or a contractor.

Which charges sit on top of professional pay

Separate the service fee, employer payroll costs, payment fees and any subscription. A quote that shows only the percentage is incomplete.

Whether the worker model is fixed

Some platforms fix it for everyone. Others vary by state or let the professional or office choose.

What the card fee is

Card and ACH fees can add 1% to 3% to an invoice. Kwikly publishes 2.9% for cards and 1% for ACH. GoTu charges 3.5% on card and debit payments.

What the platform does not publish

A blank is not zero. Ask for the missing figure in writing before you compare totals.

The 6 Options

1. GoTu: W-2 by state, 22.5% for hygienists

GoTu charges 22.5% of the professional’s shift rate for hygienists and $60, $70 or $300 flat for assistants, front desk and associate dentists. Professionals are 1099 contractors by default. In California, Massachusetts and Minnesota GoTu provides W-2 professionals, and in New Jersey and Connecticut the office chooses contractor or employee shifts. A W-2 shift adds 20% of professional pay, on every role, to cover administration and employer payroll taxes. A contractor shift carries the service fee and nothing more. Card and debit payments carry a 3.5% fee. There is no subscription, no permanent placement fee, and professionals can counter a posted rate.

2. Teero: W-2, 12% plus payroll costs

Every Teero hygienist is a W-2 employee. The office pays 12% of the hygienist’s pay rate plus statutory employer costs, which Teero’s compare page puts at 8% to 12% depending on the state. There is no subscription and permanent placement is free. Teero staffs hygienists only.

3. Kwikly: W-2, 15% for hygienists

Kwikly employs all professionals as W-2. Hygienist shifts carry a 15% fee and assistant or front desk shifts (where applicable) a $60 fee, both plus W-2 employment costs that Kwikly does not quantify. Cards carry a 2.9% processing fee and ACH 1%, per its terms. There is no subscription.

4. onDiem: W-2, fee published for ADA members

onDiem employs all professionals as W-2 and states no subscription or commitments. Its own pages do not publish a standard fee. The ADA’s member program lists a flat 25% fee and a $25 rebate on each of the first 20 qualifying shifts in a calendar year, for shifts of six hours or more paying $25 an hour or more.

5. Toothio: professional chooses

Toothio practices are “charged an hourly or daily rate depending on shift type and state,” with no subscription or contract and no fee to convert a temp. Professionals can choose to work as 1099 or W-2. Toothio does not publish a percentage, so a comparison needs a quote.

6. Cloud Dentistry and Princess: subscription models

Cloud Dentistry lists $97 a month (Tier 1 locations, 12-month plan, as of April 13, 2026) plus $20 per completed booking. Princess lists $139 a month for Temps Only or $259 for All Access, month to month. Neither states a worker model on the pages checked, and Princess says it does not employ candidates. Confirm who is the employer before comparing them with W-2 platforms.

How to Compare the Real Cost of a Shift

Use the same formula for every platform: professional pay, plus the service fee, plus employer payroll costs if the shift is W-2, plus any card fee, plus the subscription divided by the shifts you book each month. Then ask each company to confirm the total in writing for the same role, date and hours.

Example on GoTu, for an 8-hour hygienist shift at $60 an hour (professional pay $480): a contractor shift adds the 22.5% service fee of $108.00, for a total of $588.00. Where a W-2 shift applies, the extra 20% of professional pay is $96.00, for a total of $684.00. Run the same arithmetic on each quote you receive, using the published fee and any employer costs the company states. For subscriptions, divide the monthly price by your shifts: Cloud Dentistry’s $97 a month plus $20 per booking is $44.25 per shift at four shifts a month, and Princess’s $139 a month is $34.75 per shift at four shifts.

Comparison Table

Platform Temp-shift fee Worker model Roles Booking model Pay speed Cancellation terms Permanent placement
GoTu 22.5% hygienist; $60, $70, $300 others; W-2 adds 20% of pay; 3.5% card fee 1099 by default; W-2 in CA, MA, MN; choice in NJ, CT Hygienist, assistant, front desk, associate dentist Post a shift; professionals apply; office confirms; counters allowed Contractors 24 hours after shift, Express Pay in 2 to 3 hours; W-2 Friday payroll Tiered: full refund at 168+ hours; professional paid 25% at 24 to 96 hours, 100% under 24 hours No placement fee
Teero 12% plus W-2 costs W-2 Hygienist Post and claim Weekly, Instant Pay 50% 24 hours Free
Kwikly 15% hygienist, $60 others, plus W-2 costs W-2 Hygienist, assistant, front desk Post and claim Weekly, Wallet 24 hours Not published
onDiem ADA members 25%; standard not published W-2 Hygienist, dentist, assistant, front office Post shifts Weekly Not stated Not stated
Toothio Rate by state Professional chooses Hygienist, assistant, front office Post a shift Same day 24 hours No fee to convert
Cloud Dentistry $97 a month plus $20 per booking Not stated Hygienist, assistant, dentist, office manager Browse and message Not stated Not stated No buyout fee

Frequently Asked Questions

Which dental staffing platforms use W-2 employees? GoTu professionals are 1099 by default, and GoTu provides W-2 in California, Massachusetts and Minnesota and offers a choice in New Jersey and Connecticut. Teero, Kwikly and onDiem employ every professional as W-2, and Toothio lets professionals choose.

How do I compare fees across platforms? Add the service fee, any employer payroll costs, any card fee and any subscription to the professional’s pay, then ask each company to confirm the total in writing. Percentages alone are not comparable, because some platforms add W-2 costs on top and others do not.

Does GoTu use 1099 or W-2? GoTu professionals are 1099 contractors by default. California, Massachusetts and Minnesota use W-2, and New Jersey and Connecticut let the office choose between contractor and employee shifts.

Why is GoTu’s W-2 fee 20% on top of 22.5%? GoTu says the 20% of professional pay covers administration fees and employer-related payroll taxes. The 22.5% is the service fee, and the 20% applies to W-2 shifts for every role.

Do the platforms charge card fees? Kwikly publishes 2.9% for cards and 1% for ACH. GoTu publishes 3.5% for cards and debit. The Toothio and Teero pages checked do not state one.

Is it legal to use 1099 for dental temps? It depends on the facts of the working relationship, not the label. The IRS publishes the test. Ask your accountant or employment lawyer for your situation.

Conclusion

Choose W-2 platforms such as Teero, Kwikly or onDiem when you want the platform to carry payroll and compliance, and ask for the total including payroll. Choose GoTu or Toothio when you need roles beyond hygienists or contractor shifts, and confirm which model applies in your state. Choose a subscription only if you book several shifts a month. Get a written quote for the same shift from at least two platforms.

Related Pages

Sources

All checked November 4, 2026.