What Role Do Employees Play in Dental Patient Retention?
Owning and managing a dental practice is one of the most exhausting and demanding jobs today. While much goes into opening up a dental practice, certified dental technicians and dental hygienists must be hired immediately to fulfill the practices every day needs. A professional, certified dentist cannot run a practice alone and requires an array of certified employees in the dental office, including a dental receptionist. These people can make or break the business and choosing the best of the best is crucial to running a successful dental office. There is more to selecting the right candidates than just posting RDH jobs on dental job boards and waiting patiently.
Why Employees Matter
From the dental office manager to the dental lab technician, every employee in a dental office plays a pertinent role to the consumer. RDH jobs should be fulfilled by caring, knowledgeable, and compassionate people. Those that are trained heavily in the dental field are required and those that have great customer service are preferred. When a customer comes into the dental practice, they are greeted by a dental receptionist. From there, patients are taken to the dental technician and finally they meet with the main dentist for their exam. These RDH jobs are more than just people within a dental office. They are the reason that customers come back time after time. If consumers receive bad service, they will take their needs elsewhere, in search of a great experience. Great employees equal happy customers, which in turn equals dental patient retention.
Finding Quality Employees
In general, RDH jobs and those positions within the dental industry make a livable salary. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual salary for dentists in 2017 was $158,120. The median annual wage for dental hygienists was $74,070 in 2017. In addition, RDH jobs within the dental industry are growing rapidly. Overall employment of dentists is projected to grow 19% from 2016 to 2026, much faster than the average for all occupations. Demand for all receptionists, including those in dental offices, is strong, and is expected to grow at a rate of 10% from 2014 to 2024. That all being said, choosing the right candidates for the RDH jobs can be achieved through the correct dental job boards and screening. Dentistry is considered one of the 10 most trusted and ethical professions in the United States. As a dentist office manager, one must thoroughly screen the candidates and then monitor during the training process. A candidate may look great one paper, so take the time to really learn about the candidate so the correct person is welcomed into the dental practice.