Deciding When to Hire a Dental Associate in Your Dental Facility
Dentistry is among the top 10 most trusted and ethical professions in the United States. Reliable data in the U.S. and other parts of the world shows dentists are ranked high in professional order. This explains why dentists and other people who own dental facilities place very high conditions and qualifications when they are listing for dental associate positions. If you own a dental facility, you should make sure that you have a clear guideline before you advertise for dental associate positions. Besides ethical standards and qualifications, there are some other factors to consider before adding dental positions.
The capacity of Dental Facility
A considerable number of companies that hire dentists make the mistake of hiring before attaining optimal capacity. No industry standard indicates when a facility can create dental associate positions. However, dentists should make sure that they announce for dental associate careers when they believe that they need extra support from a professional. Sometimes you could consider the number of patients you are attending in a month, but it is more important to consider income as well. If you have a net income of at least $25,000, you can create a room for an associate knowing that the company will not struggle to pay him.
Number of Patients
This goes without saying. The number of patients in a dental facility plays a significant role in determining the number of staff members. You don’t contact dental placement services if you don’t have a sufficient number of patients. Some dentists advertise dental associate positions because they are recording huge cash flow. This is not the right approach as it could deny the facility cash for no reason. If a dental facility is recording at least 30 new patients and return patients as well, it is feasible to hire an associate.
Increased Referrals
Over the last few years, dental facilities have been relying heavily on referral programs for patients. If your dental facility is receiving less than 20% of customers through referral programs, it is clear that something is wrong. Adding an associate will only complicate the already prevalent internal complexities. Experts in the dental sector recommend that you open new dental associate positions in your facility if you are getting more than 40% of your patients through referrals. Considerable referrals mean that you are using few resources on marketing, and you can hire an extra associate.
Strong Operational Systems
Every business depends on its structures and systems to achieve its goals and objectives. The same applies to dental facilities. With good internal systems, associates can communicate with patients, present the necessary treatment, and complete treatment procedures. In such cases, you have strong systems that can accommodate additional associates. However, the current associate might be already failing to meet the needs of the patients. This is a clear indication that internal systems are weak. Bringing another associate will only complicate the current situation. You need to sort out your operational systems before you can create additional dental opportunities in your facility.
Case Acceptance Rates
The case acceptance rate is a phrase used to refer to the number of patients who are professionally diagnosed and complete medication. If a dental facility has a case acceptance rate of more than 80%, its diagnosis and treatment services are highly acceptable. It is a clear indication that a huge number of patients are completing their treatment program. However, with lower case acceptance rate, the profits generated by the facility are low. It is difficult to sustain an associate with low income, and the only solution is to prevent further recruitment of dental associates.
Hiring a dental associate is always an exciting and profitable undertaking for your dental practice. However, you cannot accommodate a dentist if you have not addressed Achilles hills in your facility. You need to work on your practice first so that it can grow enough to accommodate other experts. When the time is ripe for an associate dentist, you can contact dental hiring agencies for placement.