How Do Temporary and Permanent Dental Contracts Compare?

It’s official: North America has embraced a dental flexible working culture. Whereas back in the day, it was only the norm to graduate and secure a full-time permanent position, in 2023, dental contracts come in many different forms thanks to flexible working opportunities. 

There is no denying that at TempStars, we are passionate about making temping work, as we don’t think dental hiring is just one direction-based anymore. Instead, practices can manage both permanent and temporary needs succinctly, with employees also able to take back some of the control.

What Are the Differences Between Flexible and Permanent Dental Contracts?

While many people enjoy the stability of permanent work, for some temping is better. From busy parents to part-time students, a whole host of professionals prefer temporary contracts. TempStars has filled more than 500,000 hours to date! This means we know lots about temping, but we are also experts in permanent placements.

The main differences between these forms of dental contracts are the following:

Skills

Dental hygienists and assistants will get to use the same professional skills no matter their contract type. However, dental temps may find that they can develop quicker than their permanent peers. This results from the wide variety of settings they will work in which requires constant adaptation. 

Hiring managers always look at these transferable skills favorably.

Work/Life Balance

Maintaining a healthy work-life balance as a dental professional can be hard. The roles of dental hygienists and assistants require many long days to meet the demands of patients. We know that dental temping could be the key to a better work-life balance. You just need to ask yourself if your schedule is working for you.

Experience

Experience can be gained in both positions. This is because as with any role, the more you put in, the more you stand to gain. Temping is a solution for gaining exposure to more scenarios and settings in a shorter period. However, with a permanent role, you can sink your teeth (mind the pun) into the task and shape roles differently. This one comes down to personal preference!

Training and Development

Dental temp services are a great option if you are looking for flexibility. However, you may find that only permanent staff members get offered on-the-job training. Despite this, there are lots of great courses you can carry out through your own means.

How Do I Choose Which Is Right for Me?

To find out if temping or a permanent contract is right for you, consider the following:

• What commitments do I have outside of work that demand time from me?
• Am I getting where I want in my career?
• What financial targets do I need to meet each month?
• Have I gained enough exposure to different practices to settle down?

Yes, there are many other points to consider, but these give you a starting point to plan what is next in your dental career.

How Can TempStars Support With Temporary Dental Assistant Jobs?

As a dental temping service for dental hygiene and assistant roles, we have made it our mission to ensure it’s easy to find positions if you have decided that temping suits you best. 

Firstly, we offer a payment guarantee,. This means you are never left chasing your funds long after the shift has finished. You simply need to wait for the funds to arrive by the confirmed date. Financial control is important when temping to make the work viable for your needs, which is why we also let staff choose their hourly rates. Based on your experience and the worth you believe you can provide to a practice, temps get paid what they request.

We also offer a no-contract model, which simplifies taking on temporary work. All you need to do then is manage the financial side of things as you normally would with other temporary work, but no contract signatures are needed to proceed.

Sign up for a platform now for free and comment below whether you prefer permanent or temporary work.

Lastly is capitalize on specialist skills even if they are not required full-time in your practice. Is there a market opportunity for a new service offering, or have you got a group of patients that need specialist support? Perhaps you even want to try adding a new dynamic service, but don’t want to dive straight in. 

Choosing temps based on their skill set and experience allows dental offices to strengthen certain services without a full-time commitment. They are also on hand to fill in at short notice, meaning that a higher level of patient care can be provided without barriers.

Does Your Dental Office Hiring Strategy Include Room For Temps?

Dental hiring can be a complex task but can be made easier when using TempStars to bring in talented specialists at short notice. Of course, the main benefit is plugging a hole when the unexpected happens, but as we have showcased, you can gain much more if you adopt the right mindset. 

Comment your thoughts below!