Staffing issues in dental have become as common as a toothache, but they don't have to be.
Nine out of 10 dentists who are looking to hire reported it has been "extremely" or "very" challenging to recruit dental hygienists and assistants in the past year, according to a November 2021 American Dental Association poll.
The California Dental Association released a Feb. 2 article with potential solutions to help alleviate the problem.
Below are 10 tips from the CDA to overcome staffing shortages:
- Provide additional employment benefits such as starting bonuses or extra vacation days to make offers stand out.
- Expand recruitment methods by developing relationships with schools and using social media.
- Provide growth opportunities for current employees.
- Celebrate the small wins to make sure employees feel valued.
- Prioritize diversity and inclusion to foster a welcoming environment.
- Offer referral bonuses to encourage current employees.
- Consider flexible scheduling.
- Communicate the expectations of the role clearly.
- Utilize performance evaluations.
- Evaluate the open position's compensation.