1. Offer Competitive Compensation Packages

Before setting specific salaries, develop a compensation philosophy that frames your decisions. Think about market rates and then decide whether you will position salaries above, at, or below those rates. Determine how you will balance pay equity across all demographics. Adjust performance incentives in a way they make sense for your practice. Also, choose between having salary transparency or keeping things private.

This documented philosophy gives clarity to both potential recruits and current team members about what they can expect financially.

To make your compensation truly competitive, do your homework. For example, check online resources to see what the market rates are, analyze what your competitors offer, and factor in local labor supply/demand, inflation, and location differences.

Learn more: Dental Hygienist Salary: How Much Do Hygienists Make?

Remember that "competitive" means different things in different markets and for different quality levels of staff.

Beyond base salary, consider sign-on bonuses paid in installments over 1-3 years to encourage commitment, performance-based bonuses tied to clear productivity metrics, and relocation assistance for candidates moving from other areas.

Avoid punitive clauses or impossible benchmarks that might backfire. Create win-win incentives where both your team and practice benefit from improved outcomes.

2. Use Employee Referral Programs

Employee referral programs might be your most powerful recruitment tool. When you tap into your existing staff's networks, you're accessing a pre-vetted talent pool that typically yields higher-quality candidates who stick around longer.

To boost participation, offer compelling incentives. The average referral bonus hovers around $2,500, but also consider alternatives like extra paid time off, vacation bonuses, gift cards, prizes and raffles, team lunches, and public recognition.

Keep in mind that employees might refer candidates primarily to help friends and colleagues, with financial rewards as a secondary motivation.

3. Use Online Job Boards and Social Media Platforms

The right online job boards and social media channels can dramatically expand your candidate pool.

Indeed’s job board offers a straightforward three-step process that makes hiring simpler: post an appealing job that highlights what makes your practice special, filter candidate resumes using their tools, and schedule interviews directly through the platform.

For industry-specific recruitment, consider:

• Teero’s dental staffing platform to connect with pre-vetted dental hygienists for temporary or permanent positions.

• DentalPost for targeting local or national candidates.

• The American Dental Hygienists Association (ADHA) Career Center when hiring hygienists.

When recruiting over social media, remember that candidates often scroll through your feed before applying, trying to get a sense of your office culture. That means every post is part of your recruitment strategy, whether you're actively hiring or not.

Start by showcasing the human side of your practice. Share real moments: team lunches, birthday shoutouts, community events, staff spotlights, or even quick clips that show what a typical day looks like. These give candidates a glimpse into what it’s like to be part of your team.

When you publish a hiring post, keep it short and specific. Mention the role, a few standout benefits, and exactly how to apply (link, email, or DM).

Tailor your message to each platform. Instagram is great for visual storytelling and behind-the-scenes content. Facebook helps you reach local talent who already follow your practice or know someone who does. LinkedIn works well for sharing openings and networking with professionals in the dental industry. Avoid copying and pasting the same message everywhere — tweak it so it feels native to the platform.

4. Collaborate with Dental Schools and Professional Organizations

Building relationships with dental schools creates a direct pipeline to fresh talent.

Also, when you partner with dental institutions, you connect with students trained in the latest techniques and technologies. Many schools integrate practical experience into their curriculum, with students spending significant time in community health settings during their fourth year. This creates perfect opportunities for externships or mentoring that could lead to full-time positions after graduation.

Job fairs at dental schools offer another excellent recruitment channel. Having a personal presence at these events helps you stand out and make memorable connections with candidates.

Professional organizations provide valuable networking opportunities too. By attending dental conferences, workshops, and continuing education events, you connect with both established professionals and new graduates.

5. Develop a Strong Employer Brand

Your practice's employer brand is simply your reputation as a place to work. It's what current and potential employees think about your culture, values, and workplace experience.

Start by clearly defining your practice's core values. These values should be developed with input from your entire team, authentic to what your practice truly believes, and actionable in everyday operations. These core values form the foundation of your employer brand and reflect what genuinely matters to your practice. When employees connect with these values, they stick around longer.

Besides core values, professional growth potential is also important as it keeps people around. Growth includes promotions, skills development and continuing education, expanded responsibilities in current roles, cross-training in different practice areas, and clear advancement paths.

Make sure your employer brand clearly communicates these opportunities.

6. Implement Flexible Work Schedules

The traditional 9-to-5 workday is fading as businesses recognize the value of flexibility. Teero, for example, offers hygienists the benefits of flexible work with the security of W-2 employment.

The perks are clear: employees get work-life balance, there is less commuting during rush hours which reduces stress, and there are fewer unplanned absences as personal responsibilities fit within flexible schedules.

Implementing block scheduling can also help optimize your team's productivity and support a flexible schedule.

7. Invest in Professional Development and Continuing Education

Professional growth goes beyond promotions. It includes various development forms that make employees feel valued through upskilling, cross-departmental collaboration, workshops and training, mentorship programs, and financial support for certifications and continuing education.

Investing in your team's education shows you value their growth, which significantly boosts job satisfaction and retention.

For many dental professionals, continuing education is required, as states mandate specific continuing education hours to maintain licenses. By supporting these requirements through paid courses or in-house training, you help staff meet their professional obligations.

Remember that personalizing professional development yields the best results. Start by understanding each team member's strengths and motivators, then customize your learning initiatives.

8. Work With a Recruitment Agency

When facing staffing challenges, specialized recruitment agencies can streamline your hiring process. Working with dental-focused agencies offers several benefits:

• Access to a broader talent pool: These agencies maintain networks of pre-screened professionals ready for placement, helping you fill vacancies faster than through traditional methods.

• Reduced hiring time and costs: They handle time-consuming aspects like job postings, initial interviews, and credential verification, saving you valuable resources.

• Flexible dental staffing: Whether you need temporary coverage for unexpected absences or permanent staff, specialized agencies can adapt to your changing needs.

• Regulatory compliance expertise: Dental staffing agencies stay current with employment laws, helping protect your practice from potential legal issues.

The right agency will help fill positions quickly and also handle administrative aspects like contracts and payroll to reduce your management burden.

Implementing paperless onboarding methods can further streamline the hiring process.

9. Improve the Work Environment and Employee Satisfaction

Happy teams attract more great people. 

When your staff feels supported, respected, and proud of where they work, they naturally become ambassadors for your practice. Word gets out. Reviews improve. Referrals flow in. And when candidates research your office online (which they will), they’ll see signs of a healthy, positive culture and want to be part of it.

You can start by strengthening the team dynamic. Organize meaningful activities that go beyond surface-level icebreakers: lunch-and-learns, wellness challenges, or even celebrating team wins at the end of a busy week.

Make recognition part of your day-to-day, not just a once-a-month thing. A quick shoutout at a morning huddle, a handwritten thank-you note, or giving someone first pick on the schedule can go a long way.

Finally, prioritize open communication. Set up regular check-ins, use quick anonymous pulse surveys, or simply create space for your team to speak openly during meetings.

10. Use Technology for Smarter and Faster Hiring

Just like dental technology has transformed how you diagnose and treat patients, recruitment technology can take a lot of stress out of hiring. Especially when good candidates are hard to find.

AI-powered tools aren’t just for big hospitals. Many are surprisingly accessible and can help small and mid-sized dental practices streamline their hiring process. For example, platforms like Workable can automatically scan resumes, flag the best-fit candidates, and help you write job descriptions that actually attract the right people.

Some tools can even identify passive candidates (professionals who aren’t actively job hunting but might be open to the right opportunity) by analyzing activity across platforms like LinkedIn or Indeed.

If you’re using job boards or running ads, tools with built-in analytics can show you what’s working. You’ll see how many people viewed your listing, where they came from, and which channels bring in the most qualified applicants.

Want to take it a step further? Tools like LinkedIn Talent Insights can help you spot trends, like where local hygienists are working, what kind of roles they’re interested in, or how in-demand a specific skill is. That’s powerful info when you’re deciding what to offer or how to pitch the position.

And it doesn’t have to be all-in from day one. Start small: try using automated follow-ups, or use a scheduling tool like Calendly to cut down on phone tag during interviews. Every little efficiency helps you move faster and make a better impression on candidates.

Strengthen Your Dental Hiring Strategy with Teero

Building a reliable dental team takes more than just posting a job ad. From offering competitive pay to creating a great workplace culture, every effort counts. But even with the right approach, finding qualified candidates can still be a challenge.

Teero simplifies dental staffing by connecting you with pre-vetted dental hygienists, whether you need temporary coverage or permanent team members. No more endless searching or last-minute scrambles.