Finding the right dental assistant for your practice is a time-consuming task. Between reviewing applications, conducting interviews, and completing background checks, it can take away from the many other responsibilities of dentists and practice managers.
Recruitment firms offer a solution to this issue. However, there are some drawbacks to working for a temp agency.
Streamlined Hiring Processes
When dental hygienists, dentists, and assistants need to be hired at their practices, they can’t just post their job openings on a general hiring website and hope that suitable candidates will apply. Instead, they must be proactive and search for specialized places that can help them find the right people for the job.
Staffing agencies can be a good choice for this because they specialize in finding temporary workers and have the tools to streamline the process of screening applicants, scheduling interviews, and developing clear and concise job descriptions and interview protocols relevant to each position. This helps ensure that the right people are being interviewed and have a positive experience that will lead them to accept an offer.
Whenever a dental practice is short-staffed because of sick days, vacation time, or unexpected vacancies, it’s critical that they can bring in temporary staff to fill the gaps. In addition, a dental assistant staffing agency can do this quickly and affordably so that your practice never has to suffer from being understaffed.
Temporary workers are often happier than regular employees because they can choose which shifts they want to work and get more variety in their schedules. This benefit can make it easier for them to stay loyal to their staffing agency. This can result in a lower turnover rate and better overall team morale for your dental practice.
More Time to Focus on Patients
A dental assistant is a crucial part of a practice’s team. They help keep patient records current and ensure that patient’s oral health is handled correctly. Additionally, an excellent dental assistant knows how to efficiently set instruments for different procedures for the dentist they are working with. These soft skills help to keep the dentists and hygienists running smoothly throughout the day.
Patient satisfaction can suffer when a dental assistant is absent due to sickness, vacation time, or other personal reasons. The wait times for appointments can lengthen, and the practice can experience a loss of revenue. However, when working with a temp agency, you can access a pool of qualified dental assistants who can step in when needed.
One of the significant downsides to hiring through a dental staffing agency is that their fees can be expensive. The agencies will charge a markup on the wages of the temps they hire, which can discourage workers hoping for a long-term position in an excellent dental office.
Some offer a high-tech alternative to traditional temp agencies with our advanced job-matching platform. Another website allows dental professionals to create a profile and list their availability, allowing dentists to find the right person for the job. Additionally, our platform can be used on a mobile device, making it easy for dental assistants to find jobs that match their schedules and work preferences.
Reduced Expenses
Staffing agencies often charge a markup on the hourly rate of dental professionals they contract, which can be a big hit to their income. While it’s a necessary part of the business model, many temp agencies do not offer safeguards to protect temps from excessive or unjustified markup fees. This can lead to a sense of being exploited and can impact worker morale.
Using on-demand staffing platforms that connect dental assistants, dental hygienists, and other support workers with jobs is a more ethical way to fill temporary vacancies. These apps allow workers to set rates, review job postings, and accept or decline work offers. And if the employer cancels a job booking at the last minute, staffers are typically compensated for lost earnings.
Undoubtedly, a dental practice’s profitability and productivity are directly related to its ability to staff all its available positions fully. However, finding the right employees to take on staffing responsibilities can be time-consuming and difficult. This can lead to wasted resources and a lack of patient care.
Dental temp agencies can be an excellent option for dental offices hiring new staff members for seasonal, peak times, or longer-term vacancies. But it’s essential to choose a reputable agency that will ensure the health and safety of its workers.
More Flexibility
While some practices turn to dental staffing agencies to find qualified assistants, hygienists, and dentists, there are better options than a temp agency. Using specialized staffing software can help. This high-tech solution takes the arduous task of finding and managing job matches to an entirely new level.
Successful hiring of staff members has always been a gamble. Despite careful screening and interviewing, finding the right person to fit your practice is sometimes impossible. Even if you’ve been lucky enough to hire the perfect applicant, it can take a few months before you know how well they perform in the real world of your office.
For these reasons, many practices choose to use temp services to fill unforeseen gaps in coverage. However, these staffers are expensive and bring their issues with them. For example, temp agency workers typically have to work for a certain amount of time each month. This can be hard on their schedules, and they may feel pressure to accept jobs that don’t match their availability.
To avoid the high costs and hassle of working with a temp agency, consider finding dental assistants and hygienists on your own by reaching out to local community colleges and training schools. An excellent way to contact students and recent graduates is to attend career fairs or present at school campuses. You can also create a posting in online forums to find staffers looking for short-term work.
