5 Essential Traits to Look for When Hiring Dental Professionals

Dental assistants must be able to build patient relationships. They should be reassuring and easygoing when speaking to patients to help them feel at ease during their appointments. Finding great dental professionals can be challenging, but you can boost your chances of attracting them by using innovative methods.

Strong Attention to Detail

Strong attention to detail is vital in hiring dental professionals. Dentists often work in a small space with many moving parts, so they must be conscientious to avoid making mistakes when performing procedures or handling patient records. Dental assistants must also be attentive to detail when preparing rooms for patients or completing paperwork. Their work will suffer if they’re not careful to notice an error in a form or a missing piece of information that could affect the outcome of a treatment plan. One way to ensure that a potential dental team member has the proper attention to detail skills is to ask them for an example of how they used their attention to detail skills on past projects. This can help you assess whether they have the right skills for your clinic, and it will also allow you to compare their answers against those of other candidates. You can also use a working interview, where you ask the candidate to spend a day with your practice so that you can assess their abilities in a real-world environment.

Excellent Communication Skills

Dental professionals must be able to effectively communicate with patients, coworkers, and other office staff members. They should have strong written and verbal communication skills, listening skills, and the ability to explain complicated medical information in layperson’s terms. Having great empathy for your patients is also essential for dentists. Whether it’s fear of a procedure, anxiety about the cost, or a general dislike for going to the dentist, your dental team should be able to understand and comfort their patients during treatment and beyond. The dental industry is constantly changing, so your dental employees should be able to adapt and learn new techniques and technology. They should be able to work with different people in various environments, such as working from home or in private practice. Aside from your regular job postings, one way to find the best candidates for dental jobs is by asking your existing dental team for referrals. Many dental service organizations (DSOs) report that half of their associate hires come from referrals. You can also conduct a “working interview,” where you have the candidate spend a day in your practice before making a hiring decision.

Excellent Interpersonal Skills

When working in the dental industry, you always work close to patients. This includes dental hygienists, dentists, and front office staff. Being comfortable with being close to other people daily is essential for success in this profession. Being able to build a good rapport with your patients is essential. You need to be able to comfort them during their visit and keep an upbeat demeanor throughout the appointment. Being optimistic will help them relax and feel confident about the treatment in their mouth. A positive attitude will also make them easier to work with as they manage their business responsibilities, such as scheduling appointments and managing their financials. This is especially true for dentists who own their private practice. They will have to be able to handle multiple tasks and solve problems quickly to maintain the profitability of their practice. Connecting with other professionals in the industry through networking events is also essential for their career progression.

Excellent Teamwork Skills

A dental practice is only successful if the team collaborates to deliver quality patient experiences. As a result, every dental team member must have excellent teamwork skills. They should be able to work well with others and respectfully take direction. This means being open to listening, taking constructive feedback from others, and sharing enthusiasm for big and small accomplishments. For dental professionals, great workplace culture is a crucial factor to consider when choosing a job. They want to be a part of a team that supports them in their career goals and values their contributions to the team. In addition to being a place where they are recognized and respected, a dental office needs to provide perks that support the work-life balance of their employees, such as production bonuses, flexible scheduling, and regular professional development opportunities. Searching for employees can be time-consuming and challenging, but finding the right people for your clinic is worth the effort.

Excellent Customer Service Skills

Patient satisfaction is integral to the dental experience, and customers expect high-quality customer service from all employees. Customer service skills include empathy, communication, and problem-solving abilities that help create a positive patient experience. A dental professional’s chairside manner makes patients feel comfortable during a stressful visit. This includes a bright and easygoing personality and the ability to communicate effectively. In addition, customer service skills also include resourcefulness in finding ways to solve problems quickly and efficiently. Finally, dental employees must consistently demonstrate respect for their coworkers and the patients they serve. This is essential because it sets the tone for how the rest of the office functions. For example, a front-office receptionist should be high in Influence (I) and lower in Dominance (D). This will allow them to connect with patients and make them feel at ease. A dentist should be high in Influence and Supportive (S) traits because they need to interact with patients and build trust daily. They must also be high in Compliance (C) to ensure accuracy and logic in their decisions.

Samantha

Samantha hails from Virginia and is a proud wife to a retired Deputy Sheriff and mother to two amazing little boys named Jack & William. A veteran product reviewer; Samantha has been reviewing products for 8 years and offers high quality product reviews with original photography.