Job Hopping Makes Dental Jobs look Unstable

The average stay in a dental practice for a majority of workers is about two years.  Most dentists want long-term employees because it brings stability to the practice and the patients don’t like a change in staff.   This two year turnaround has been a constant in dental practices for decades and it was common to see applicants with a history of working in several practices doing fundamentally the same job as the last place of employment.  Sometimes the search for the “bigger better deal” is just more of the same.

Job jumping until recently was viewed negatively by most employers because it was the opposite of loyalty.  Things have evolved differently in today’s economy making the term “job hopper” a positive for many instead of a career killer.   If you have moved from job to job because of career growth and for better pay and benefits it may be bad for the employer you left behind but certainly not for the job seeker who is being loyal to themselves.

The salary freeze and reversal during the recession is old news as practices have rebounded.  If the salaries haven’t reset then look to lose the talented people because they will move on to greener pastures.

Talented people want challenge and embrace change because that is where the world is headed especially when you consider the very rapid changes that have taken place in the world of technology and healthcare.

Doing things a certain way because “we have always done it this way” is not logical to the worker who sees a better way using technology and better systems.  One of the main reasons dental practices lose good people is that they are forced to work in antiquated systems and not allowed to participate in bringing positive change.  Many workers want job satisfaction not just a job and people working in dentistry often see their work as a real career path.  In order to keep a loyal and dedicated staff it is important to be involved in their career goals also.  To prevent job hopping of the best you have keep the lines of communication open by asking for their opinion, have regular meetings to exchange positive ideas, offer ongoing training to improve their skills or build on their career.  Treat your team like they were VIPs instead of someone filling a job vacancy and you will achieve the loyalty you desire in employees.