Employees are the backbone of any successful dental practice. You can spend thousands of dollars on marketing and promotional material, but unless you have skilled, qualified employees, all of your hard work is for nothing. Dental practices rely on repeat customers to succeed, and ultimately it’s the staff’s responsibility to encourage customers to come back. Keep reading to learn 5 of the most common hiring mistakes in dental practices.

Mistake #1 – Waiting For The “Perfect” Applicant

One of the single most common hiring mistakes in dental practices is waiting around for the “perfect” applicant. You’ll slowly build up a list of applications and resumes as you wait for the dream candidate to come along. Unfortunately, however, there’s no such thing as a “perfect” applicant, and waiting for one will only lead to other possible applicants finding jobs elsewhere.

Mistake #2 – Hiring Employees With No Dental Experience

You should always check for previous dental experience when hiring employees for a dental practice. Even if the applicant is polite and charismatic, they should still have some form of experience in the industry; otherwise, you’ll be forced to spend additional time and energy to train them. Whether the position is for a dental assistance or office worker, make sure the applicant has at least some form of previous experience in the industry.

Mistake #3 – Not Conveying The Job Properly

Unless you want to find yourself back in the same position a couple months down the road, make sure you fully explain the job position and everything it requires to the applicants. Let them know exactly what they’ll be doing and what’s expected of them. Any applicants who aren’t willing to satisfy this criteria will likely pass on the job, making it easier on you.

Mistake #4 – Jumping The Gun

Waiting around for the perfect job candidate to come along will only harm your search for dental practice employees. On the other hand, however, hiring a candidate too early can also lead to trouble. Give your practice time to draw some potential candidate to see who is the most qualified.

Mistake #5 – Skipping The Interview

Interviews are an integral part of the job application process for dental practices. Don’t hire a candidate based solely on his or her resume. If you believe they are a qualified for the job, ask them to come in for an interview on a later date. This will allow you to ask them additional questions and get to know them in a more personal manner.