How to Create and Promote a Dental Office Culture That Attracts New Hires

Dental recruitment is a tedious process, especially given today’s shortage of dental talent. It’s not enough to find skilled candidates who meet your qualifications – you must also create a dental office culture that people are eager to be a part of and reluctant to leave. 

Establishing and promoting a positive company culture is key to attracting new hires and retaining your current staff. Learn the best tips for building, maintaining, and promoting a dental office culture that will help you hire faster and decrease turnover. 

How to Build & Maintain a Positive Work Culture

Building a positive company culture and fostering strong team cohesion can increase staff retention in dental offices. Here are some tips for creating an attractive dental office culture that engages staff.

Improve Workplace Communication & Collaboration

Clear communication is crucial for healthcare organizations to function effectively, especially in this digital age. This is not only limited to interactions within your team but also extends to how you communicate with your patients and vendors.

Consider investing in training, such as a dental staff development program, to improve your staff’s communication skills. Additionally, watch how you talk and respond to your team, especially when giving feedback, listening to their ideas, or addressing concerns to promote psychological safety. 

Set Clear & Realistic Goals

Keep your team engaged by setting realistic goals, expectations, and purposes for each task. Instead of simply giving instructions, explain how an employee’s role benefits patients and your organization. Employees are more motivated when they feel included and find purpose in their work. 

Establishing clear expectations can also enhance accountability in your workplace and ensure everyone can depend on each other. When people know what’s expected of them, they are more likely to take ownership of their tasks and actions. 

Many healthcare organizations now use digital software to manage tasks. Employees can schedule their daily responsibilities according to their preferences while ensuring all necessary steps are completed. Plus, coworkers can check on each other’s workflows to offer help after completing their own tasks. 

Promote Mental & Physical Wellness

Maintaining a sense of work-life balance among healthcare staff can be challenging, especially with the heavy workload and lack of resources and support. Fortunately, a healthy work environment can give employees the breathing room and motivation they need to complete their jobs without burning out. 

To cultivate a healthy workplace, implement wellness initiatives that boost your employees’ well-being. Review your insurance and employee benefits and invest in wellness programs. These give employees the resources and skills to effectively manage their physical and mental health at work and home.

Some steps you can take to promote mental and physical health in your dental office may include:

• Offering free healthy snacks
• Scheduling regular breaks
• Organizing group yoga and walks
• Playing soft background music
• Investing in better tools and technology

As you implement new practices, consider conducting employee engagement surveys. Surveys can reveal other ways to improve your staff’s productivity and happiness at work, further boosting retention.

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How to Promote Your Dental Office Culture

Almost every job seeker now uses online platforms to find work opportunities. Promoting your dental office culture in digital spaces can increase the number of applicants you attract to your open positions. This makes it easier for you to find top-notch candidates who meet your qualifications and genuinely want to work at your dental office. 

Job seekers employ various strategies to gauge an organization’s work culture and values, including:

• Conducting a Google search to learn more about a company
• Reading past employees’ reviews
• Checking the company’s social media pages
• Visiting the company’s website
• Asking colleagues about the company’s reputation

Consider adding patient and employee testimonials to your website’s homepage and posting employee spotlights on your Facebook or LinkedIn page to recognize the contributions of your current staff. These will give visitors a taste of your workplace environment and hopefully inspire them to learn more. 

You can also highlight your dental office culture in your job postings. For example, add a short paragraph in your job description describing your office culture, environment, and values. Candidates can get an idea of what it’s like to work in your dental office and what they can expect from the position day-to-day. 

Avoid using overused cliches, such as “We’re a family.” Instead, describe what makes your dental office unique, such as your traditions, growth opportunities, and diversity and inclusion initiatives. Include links to your website and social media pages as well so candidates can explore your business further. 

Other branding strategies include:

• Asking employees to write Glassdoor reviews
• Taking part in conferences, charities, and local events
• Celebrating employee anniversaries
• Posting short-form videos and photos on social media

Enhance Your Dental Office Culture With the Right Resources

Maintaining a positive dental office culture and promoting that culture in your recruiting efforts are critical to hiring dental staff. A great workplace culture can keep your current staff happy and engaged and boost your reputation among job seekers.

Revamp your dental office culture by taking advantage of available resources to enhance your employee engagement strategies. Check out our Resource Center for employers to explore more branding and teambuilding ideas.