October 2026 | Mya | Employers | Dental Recruiting
You have an open position at your dental practice. You’ve posted the job. You’ve reviewed resumes. Maybe you’ve interviewed a few candidates. And yet, weeks or even months later, the position is still open.
Sound familiar?
If you’re struggling to find the right dentist or dental professional for your practice, you are certainly not alone. The dental hiring market is competitive, and simply posting a position and waiting for qualified candidates to apply often isn’t enough.
The good news is that there are steps you can take to improve your chances of finding — and keeping — the right person.
1. Take a Look at Your Hiring Process
One of the biggest mistakes practices make is making the hiring process more complicated than it needs to be.
Think about what happens after a qualified candidate expresses interest. How many interviews are required? How long does it take to make a decision? Does the candidate have to wait for multiple people to approve the hire?
The longer the process takes, the greater the chance that a good candidate will accept another opportunity.
When you find someone who has the skills you need, fits your practice culture and appears to be a strong long-term match, be prepared to move forward. Be prepared to have an agreement in place for them to review.
A good candidate may not be available for long.
2. Don't Wait Too Long to Make a Decision
Great dental professionals have choices.
A dentist who is actively considering a new opportunity may be talking with several practices at the same time. If your practice takes two or three weeks to make a decision, another practice may have already made an offer.
Speed matters.
That doesn't mean you should hire someone simply because you are desperate to fill the position. It means that once you identify a candidate who meets your requirements and appears to be a good fit, you should have a process in place that allows you to act quickly.
The goal isn't to hire quickly. The goal is to avoid unnecessary delays.
3. Make Your Opportunity Stand Out
Compensation is important, but it isn't the only thing candidates consider.
Today's dental professionals are also looking at:
- The quality of the practice
- The location
- The patient base
- How many patients are they going to treat to keep them busy
- Technology and equipment
- Mentorship and professional development
- Schedule and work-life balance
- Benefits and incentives
- Opportunities for growth, partnership or ownership
- The practice culture
- The people they will be working with
- The long-term potential of the position
If your practice is independently owned, don't assume that puts you at a disadvantage compared with a larger dental organization.
In fact, independence can be one of your greatest advantages. Most dentists want to work for private practices. DSO's like Aspen and Heartland is not where they want to go.
A candidate may value the opportunity to have more autonomy, work closely with an owner, build relationships with patients and become an important part of a growing practice.
Don't just tell candidates what the position pays. Tell them why they would want to work with you.
4. Be Open to the Candidate Who Isn't "Perfect"
Sometimes practices have an unrealistic picture of their ideal candidate.
They want someone with a certain number of years of experience, a particular skill set, specific personality traits and the exact clinical background they're looking for.
But the perfect candidate rarely exists.
Instead, look for someone who has the foundation, attitude and potential to succeed in your practice.
A dentist who doesn't currently perform a particular procedure may be willing to learn. A newer dentist may have tremendous clinical potential and be eager for mentorship. An experienced dentist may bring skills and experience you hadn't initially considered.
Don't overlook a great candidate simply because he or she doesn't check every single box.
5. Show Candidates Where They Can Go
Good professionals want to know there is a future for them.
If you're hiring a dentist, for example, what could that dentist's role look like in two or three years?
Could they take on additional procedures? Become a clinical leader? Help mentor newer doctors? Become a partner? Help the practice expand?
Even if you don't have every answer today, candidates want to know that you're thinking about the future.
People don't just accept jobs. They choose opportunities.
Show them what their future could look like with your practice.
6. Don't Ignore Your Existing Practice Culture
If you're constantly losing employees, you may have a hiring problem — but you may also have a retention problem.
Before bringing another person into your practice, take an honest look at your existing team.
Are your employees happy?
Do they feel valued?
Do they communicate well?
Do they feel supported?
Does your team work together?
A strong practice culture can become one of your best recruiting tools. When employees genuinely enjoy where they work, they talk about it. They recommend people. They help create an environment that attracts other good professionals.
On the other hand, high turnover can make recruiting considerably more difficult.
7. Stop Assuming There Aren't Any Good Candidates
One of the most common things I hear from practices is:
"There just aren't any good dentists out there."
I don't believe that's true.
The challenge is often finding the right dentist for the right practice at the right time.
A qualified dentist may not be actively looking on a job board. They may already be employed. They may be considering a move but haven't started applying. They may be open to the right opportunity if someone introduces it to them.
That's where recruiting becomes different from simply posting a job.
You aren't waiting for the right candidate to find you.
You are finding the right candidate.
8. Know What You Really Need Before You Start Recruiting
Before beginning a search, take some time to clearly define what you're looking for.
What type of dentist do you need?
What procedures should they be comfortable performing?
Is this full-time, part-time or flexible?
What type of patient population will they see?
What does the schedule look like?
What kind of personality will work well with your team?
What are you offering?
And perhaps most importantly:
What would make someone successful in your practice long-term?
The clearer you are about these things, the easier it becomes to identify the right candidate.
Sometimes You Need More Than a Job Posting
There is nothing wrong with posting your open position. But if you've been posting the same position for weeks or months without finding the right person, it may be time to change your strategy.
At The People Link, I don't believe in simply sending practices a stack of resumes and hoping one works out. We interview each candidate. Only looking to send a matching lead.
I believe in matchmaking.
I've spent more than 30 years connecting professionals with organizations where they can succeed. Today, my focus is dental recruiting.
I take the time to understand what a practice really needs, vet candidates before introducing them, and look at more than just a resume. Skills matter, but so do personality, location, practice environment and long-term fit.
Because filling a position is only part of the goal.
The real goal is finding the right person — and having that person stay.
If your dental practice has an open position that you have been struggling to fill, let's talk.
You don't have to keep posting the same job and hoping the right person eventually appears.
Let's find them.
Ready to Talk?
If you're looking to hire a dentist and would like to discuss your search, contact Mya at The People Link for a confidential conversation about your hiring needs.
The right candidate is out there. Let's find the right match for your practice.
