How to Dental Temp like a Pro!

by | Jul 31, 2019 | Dental Assistant, Dental Hygienists, Dental Job, Dental Professionals, New Job, Temporary Hire | 0 comments

  Dental Professionals are starting to have successful careers as full-time dental temps.

And understandably so!

Being a dental temp is giving dental assistants and hygienists the flexibility and freedom to work on demand, enjoy their lifestyle and earn extra cash!

We don’t have time on this post to get into all the benefits of temping, but you can find those here: The Joys of Temping.

If you are looking to make the leap into full-time temporary employee OR are just looking to temp on your days off, this post is here to tell you how to temp like a pro!

1. Have the right mindset.

While temping as a dental assistant or hygienist gives you the freedom to live your lifestyle and achieve your goals outside of work, it isn’t always easy.

There will be challenging doctors, you will get lost trying to find an office and sometimes you will have to work a shift you don’t feel like working.  But, you have to stay positive and professional through it all.

Before becoming a dental temp, make sure you can check your ego at the door and take your can-do attitude with you to every shift you accept.

 

2. Stay organized

Most people that choose to have a stable job benefit from knowing where they are going every single day.  When temping, you can accidentally accept two shifts in one day, mix up practice names or lose all the contact info and not have a way to contact the office.

To succeed in temping, you must stay organized!  Make sure to use your phones calendar app OR create a DirectDental.com account.  When offices request you through DirectDental.com your calendar is automatically updated with the office’s name, address, contact info, the hours of the accepted shift and the agreed-upon rate of pay!

 

3. Get paid

California requires that dental practices add all dental temps onto their payroll.  Whenever you go in for a shift, make sure the office manager is given all the required documents and info they need to get your check processed in a timely fashion.

Here is what they require:

  1. A w4 – This lets the office know how much to withhold in taxes.
  2. An i9 – This allows the office to show proof that you are legally able to work in the United States.
  3. Your i9 identifications.  This can be your passport OR your driver’s license AND Social Security Card.
  4. Your licenses – If a practice is ever audited, they need to show proof that you had all the certifications to do the job they paid you to do.  Here is a breakdown of what you need for all positions.

Dental Assistant: California Radiation (x-ray), 8-hour infections control, California Practice Act, CPR

Registered Dental Assistant: RDA license, CPR

Registered Dental Hygienist: RDH license, CPR

Dentists and Specialists: Dental Licence,  Declaration page of malpractice, CPR and optionally your DEA and                 Rx pads.

5. A time card. – Optional, these are not required, but help you ensure you will get your paycheck and it will be accurate.  At      the end of the day, give them a piece of paper that includes your full name, position worked, rate of pay, mailing address, the date you worked and the hours that you worked.

Sign it and have the doctor or office manager sign.  Make a copy or snap a photo on your phone and leave the original. Now there shouldn’t be any questions about when and for how long you worked.

MOST of the time, when a check is inaccurate or late, it is because the office didn’t have clear documentation of how many hours you worked or they didn’t have your mailing address and were trying to hunt you down for the info. This free timesheet alleviates all of that!  Score!

 

4. Keep your schedule up to date on DirectDental or with your dental staffing agency.

If offices and the agency don’t know when you are available, they won’t know to schedule you for work.  Very quickly you can log into DirectDental.com and update your availability, and a quick text to your agency is all it takes to keep your schedule full and money in your pocket!

 

And there you have it!  These 4 little tips will ensure dental temping success!  Enjoy!