How to Hire the Right Dentist

When it comes to choosing a dentist, finding the right one can make all the difference in maintaining good oral health for patients and the work of the medical team as a whole. That's why it's important to be clear about your clinic or practice's needs to ensure you've found the right one. Follow these steps to facilitate the hiring process and ensure the success of your medical team. 

What’s a dentist’s job?

The work of a dentist involves a variety of responsibilities focused on the oral health care of patients. These responsibilities include:

• Dental examinations
• Diagnosis of dental and oral problems
• Treatment of dental diseases and injuries
• Performance of preventive and corrective procedures such as cleanings, fillings, extractions, and root canals. 

In addition, dentists also educate patients on the importance of maintaining good oral hygiene and provide them with guidelines on how to care for their teeth and gums properly.

How to hire the right dentist + tips

When hiring a dentist, it is essential to remember the ideal candidate's profile. Here are two of the key aspects you need to consider when defining the perfect dentist:     

Define the ideal dentist

• Qualifications: Look for a dentist who has completed training at a recognized institution and is properly licensed to practice dentistry. Verify that the candidate has the necessary certifications and accreditations to perform dental procedures safely and effectively.
• Experience: Clinical experience is crucial when evaluating a potential dentist. Look for someone with experience in a wide range of dental procedures, from cleanings and fillings to more complex procedures such as oral surgery or orthodontic treatment. An experienced dentist will demonstrate skill and talent in their work, which will give patients peace of mind.

Define your recruiting goals

Before you begin the recruiting process, it is important to define your goals and hiring needs clearly. Here are some things to consider when thinking about your goals: 

• Full-time or part-time: Decide whether you are looking to hire a full-time or part-time dentist. This will depend on your dental practice's workload, staffing requirements, and budget. 
• In-house or staffing agency: Determine if you prefer to hire a dentist directly or if you are considering using the services of an agency. Each option has its advantages and considerations, so evaluating which one best suits your specific needs and circumstances is important. While hiring someone directly may be more economical, with an agency, you can make that process faster without getting too involved. Besides, they will be able to choose your candidate among more people due to the large pool of professionals they handle. 

Write a job description

Writing a clear search with your needs, benefits, requirements, and how to apply is key to finding a candidate for the position. Hiring is a win-win, so the clearer you write are looking for and what you offer, the narrower the search will be. Here's an example of what you should include: 

• Responsibilities: Here, you will need to include their duties. For example, they may perform dental procedures or keep patients' medical records up to date. 
• Requirements: Write a list of what you expect from your candidate. For example: What degree do they need to have, how many years of experience, and what soft skills do they need for the position? 
• Benefits: What will you offer to the candidate? For example: a collaborative environment, flex Fridays, and more vacation days, among others. 
• How and where to apply: Here, you will have to put where the interested parties should send their CV and if they should add something else, for example, a cover letter. 

Define the interview process and start interviewing candidates

To ensure effective selection, follow these steps in the interview process to hire a dentist: review their resumes to understand their training and experience, conduct a brief telephone interview to assess their interest and availability, invite shortlisted candidates for an in-person interview to explore their clinical experience and technical skills further, consider a hands-on clinical skill's assessment, and request job references to verify their previous performance.

This will help you carefully evaluate each candidate at the end of the process to select the most suitable for the dentist position.     

Carefully select and onboard your new hire

Once you have chosen your candidate, it is important that you guarantee a gradual and careful incorporation to prevent them from being overwhelmed. After telling them their schedule, salary, and tasks, you can introduce them to the team, give them a tour of the place, and even provide them with a person to consult when they are unfamiliar with any of the work procedures. 

Why hire a dentist?

Hiring a dentist on your team will add value to your practice or clinic. Many people turn to dental professionals for consultations on a daily basis. In addition, dental problems can often increase the risk of more serious diseases such as heart disease. It is essential that your patients keep their dental checkups up to date.