Let’s be honest. Right now is a weird time to be in the dental field. Or it’s just a weird time in general for everybody, everywhere.
However, working in the dental field brings its own unique challenges. Let’s take a look at the last few months.
March 2020: All the dental offices shut down and we didn’t know where our next paychecks were going to come from.
April 2020: The CARES act came out so we breathe a sigh of relief.
End of May / Early June: Dental offices started to reopen and were flooded with patients.
June to Present: Dental offices are desperate to hire for permanent and temporary positions, however, many Dental Professionals don’t have the means to return to work full time.
Reasons why dental professionals don’t have the means to return to work include:
- Daycares and schools closed, meaning parents have to stay home to look after their children.
- Caring for elderly parents
- They themselves fall into that older age bracket where they need to be careful not to contract COVID-19.
- They are a recent graduate and receiving their licences was delayed.
Today, we are seeing the initial rush of patients is starting to slow and dental practices are much more comfortable running with a leaner crew. Dental assistants and hygienists are slowly coming back into the workforce, but many are finding that there aren’t as many job postings as there were a few months ago.
Offices need additional hands when someone is sick or has to stay home with their kids, but doesn’t have the need to hire someone permanently. And dental professionals need flexibility for those same reasons.
The perfect solution for dental practices and dental assistants and hygienists is temping.
We want to make sure that Dental Hygienists and Assistants had all the info and tools they need to find temporary work and get paid!
#1 How to find Temp Shifts
DirectDental is making improvements everyday to help dental professionals and dental offices find and staff temp shifts. Here are ways to find temp work.
- Sign up with DirectDental– Make sure to mark “Temp” as your availability and include the days you can work on your temp calendar. Make sure all your contact information is correct and your settings allow us to contact you via email and phone.
These links will show you how to set up your profile and update your availability.
Complete Profile
Apply to Jobs
Add Temp Availability
Accept Temp Work
We also allow you to search and apply for temp work. This video shows you how to do it from your phone.
- Use Social Media to find temp shifts – There are many groups on Facebook dedicated to helping dental professionals find temp work. We also have a facebook page that shows you jobs as they are being posted on the site in REAL TIME! You can find links to those below.
DirectDental Real Time Jobs Page
San Diego Dental Jobs Group
Orange County Dental Jobs Group
LA County Dental Jobs Group
- Stay in contact and network – Another great way to find dental temp jobs is to keep in contact with the offices you meet through DirectDental. They can rehire you at any time, so feel free to reach out to them and ask them if they need any coverage. Also reach out to previous employers and coworkers to see if they need any assistance.
#2 The Nuts and Bolts of Temping
When you accept a temp shift, I HIGHLY recommend calling the office to confirm the hours, attire and parking. Also make sure pay is agreed upon before your shift.
We have this amazing post which is extremely helpful in regards to temping success.
How to Dental Temp like a Pro!
On the flip side (and to keep you in the know) this is what we send your dental practices when they are looking to hire dental temps.
How To Have Success With A Dental Temp
#3 Have Fun
Being a dental temp is so fun. There is no commitment. If you want a day off, you can take it off, no need to ask permission. And it is a great way to make money but still have time to look after your family.
The need for dental temps is only going to grow. And now you have all the tools in your arsenal to make you a huge success!
Please note: We are a California based company so these suggestions are tailors towards California Labour Laws. If you are from another state, recommend looking into the labour laws in your area.
