Summertime is one of the best times to find temp work in the dental field. If you have a permanent job but your doctor is closing the office to go on vacation and you want to work OR if you have made temping your career, you will find that this summer offers a lot of temp jobs to keep you busy and your pockets full of cash.
This post aims to give you all the ways to find success in temping as a dental assistant, hygienist, front office personnel or as a dentist for dental practices this summer.
#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 Have the right mindset
While temping as a dental assistant or hygienist during the summer time offers many benefits you may come across some challenges.
There will be difficult 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.
Plus if you hate an office, you NEVER have to go back there again. So work through it and part ways with a smile.
#3 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!
#4 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
#5 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 during the summer months can become intense. So don’t feel guilty telling an office “no” if you don’t want to work the shift. It is your summer and we want you to have a blast.
#6 Get paid
When an office finds a temp on DirectDental, they agree to pay the temp in accordance to their states labor laws. For example:
California requires that dental practices add all dental temps onto their payroll. Whenever you go in for a shift, give the office manager all the required documents and info they need to get your check processed in a timely fashion.
Here is what they require:
- A w4 – This lets the office know how much to withhold in taxes.
- An i9 – This allows the office to show proof that you are legally able to work in the United States.
- Your i9 identifications. This can be your passport OR your driver’s license AND Social Security Card.
- 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.
Again, this is an example of California’s labor laws. Before you start temping, research your states labor laws to better understand how dental temps should be paid. Then when you communicate with the office, make sure you and them are in agreement on when and how you will be paid.
Use a time card. A time card will help 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!
#7 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!
I hope these 7 tips are useful and help you have an amazing summer!
Smiles,
Holli Perez
DirectDental
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