Among the most ethical and trusted professions in the United States, dentistry is considered to be in the top ten. For an industry that generates $111 billion annually, that’s good news for patients who approach their dental visits with trepidation.
If you run a robust dental practice, having a dental associate can be critical to supporting your growth. However, if the ads you place for dentist jobs in Florida deliver candidates who aren’t truly qualified, these hires can adversely affect your business. Here are some non-negotiable traits to look for in an excellent dental associate.
1. A Good Listener
If you work in any dentist jobs in Florida, you know communicating with various parties, each within their context, is essential. When you are considering applicants for any dental associate jobs ad, you need to pay attention to each of their listening skills.
Any failure to have a discerning ear as a dental associate can result in complications with a patient’s safety and health. Thus, when you are interviewing applicants for your dentist jobs in Florida, assess whether they can take directions from their supervisor. Proficiency in taking direction will help the dental associate learn from their supervisor and grow their skillset.
During the interviews you conduct for your open dental associate positions, include a test patient scenario. The objective behind this will be to assess whether a potential dental associate can effectively listen to patients. An associate who can pay attention to patients will help them feel appreciated and at ease. As a result, they will want to return for future visits and also spread the good word about your practice.
Patients can be quite demanding at times. You do not want to hire an associate through your dentist job listings who is intolerant in any way. A dental associate with exceptional listening skills will learn how not to get easily irritated by demanding patients even as they seek assistance.
Listening skills are a critical aspect of problem-solving team members. As such, you should probe any candidates responding to your dentist jobs in Florida ad to determine if they are good listeners. A dental associate who can discern the needs of your patients and staff is in a unique position to offer practical solutions to problems. That will both boost your team’s morale while helping patients as well.
2. Versatility
A dental associate typically handles several duties on any given workday. These responsibilities will include:
- Educating patients about preventative dental care and general oral hygiene
- Maintaining accurate treatment records
- Monitoring the progress of all patients
- Keeping up with new developments in the dental sector
- Examining patients that come in, obtain their medical history and develop an effective treatment plan
- Ensuring compliance with all dental board procedures and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requirements
In light of this, you can’t afford to offer dental positions to associates who are not versatile. An experienced dental associate will know how to jump in and help with daily operations with minimal hand-holding.
Compassion and Empathy
Being a dentist is all about helping patients through trying dental health situations. Consequently, your dental associate recruitment needs to screen for compassion and empathy in qualified applicants. A dental associate who possesses compassion will note that visiting the dentist is scary for many patients. Therefore, the associate will endeavor to try their best in assisting each patient find a way out of the pain and suffering they are in.
Hiring a dental associate who possesses empathy will enable them to develop an understanding of the patient’s pain. Since the associate can put themselves in the shoes of the patient they are assisting, they will strive to be kind and understanding. An empathetic and understanding associate will positively impact your firm’s patient experience. Patients will feel well cared for, and your firm’s reputation will grow.
Hire the Perfect Dental Associate
When you need to grow your dental practice, you’ll have to hire dental associates to assist with the workload. Take care to learn the marks of an exceptional associate and avoid landing a bad hire through your dentist jobs in Florida ads.
