The dental industry is grappling with a pressing issue: high turnover rates among dental professionals. According to the most recent salary survey conducted by DentalPost and Endeavor Media (Dental Economics and RDH Magazine) that was published in January of 2024, nearly 45% of the over 4,000 survey respondents were contemplating a job change in 2024.
Two Critical Trends
Year over year comparison of the survey data gathered in Q4 of 2022 and Q4 of 2023 revealed two critical trends.
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Rising Wages and Benefits, Yet Decreasing Satisfaction: Although hourly rates and benefits had improved, dissatisfaction with compensation had significantly increased across all roles (dentist-owners, associate dentists, hygienists, practice managers, billing specialists, and front office associates). This dissatisfaction is indicative of a significant disconnect between these increases and the escalating cost of living. And this trend is not surprising, considering the downward pressure from insurance reimbursements and rising overhead costs, which complicate efforts for dental practice owners to offer competitive salaries. Additionally, the current shortage of dental professionals empowers employees to job-shop for higher wages, further intensifying dissatisfaction with their current earnings and competition for talent in the industry.
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Significant Turnover Rates: Job turnover was high in both 2022 and 2023. The highest turnover rates in 2023 were reported among associate dentists (28% in the previous 12 months), dental assistants (25% in the previous 12 months), and hygienists (19.5% in the previous 12 months).
More than Wages Drive Turnover
Looking back at the survey data from 2022 and 2023, it becomes clear that the desire for change extends beyond financial incentives.
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For Associate Dentists: Career advancement, improved work environments, and higher pay topped their lists. Many were seeking opportunities to tackle complex cases and learn advanced procedures.
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For Hygienists: A better location was their primary motivator, followed by higher pay and improved work conditions.
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For Dental Assistants: Higher pay was the main draw, followed closely by a better work environment and a sense of appreciation.
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For Practice Managers: The focus was on higher pay, better hours, and a positive work culture that fosters appreciation and career growth.
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For Billing Specialists and Front Office Associates: Their priorities included better locations, work environments, and advancement opportunities.
Team members who changed jobs for a better work environment wanted a workplace culture characterized by less stress to accomplish their work in limited time, more employer respect, and collaborative teammates, who appreciate and support each other.
While many dental professionals are seeking better pay or improved work environments, financial incentives alone won’t solve the turnover crisis. The key to retention lies in reducing stress, enhancing work-life balance, and fostering a collaborative workplace. This is where technology can be a game-changer.
Leveraging Technology for Retention
To combat turnover and enhance employee satisfaction, dental practices should consider innovative solutions. Curve SuperHero™, an award-winning, cloud-based dental practice management software from Curve Dental®, offers several features that can significantly improve the work experience:
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Streamlined Workflows: Automation of digital intake forms, appointment reminders and confirmations, letters to patients, online patient self-scheduling, invoicing, insurance eligibility, electronic claims submission, online collections, and more features save employees time to focus on personalizing patient visits. The reduced administrative burden not only lowers stress but also increases job satisfaction, fostering a more positive work environment.
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Centralized Data and Enhanced Communication: The ability to access synchronized, real-time information and collaborate effortlessly with intra-office messaging helps create a cohesive team dynamic. When communication flows smoothly, employees feel more connected and supported, reducing frustration and turnover.
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Smooth Transfer of Data: Curve's seamless data conversion process ensures that employees aren't bogged down by technical challenges during a system transition. This smooth process minimizes disruptions, allowing team members to maintain their productivity and confidence in the system.
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Data-Driven Insights: Automated analytics and easy-to-read dentist dashboards help practice managers and owners identify improvement areas and make informed decisions. When staff see that their workplace is running smoothly and their contributions are valued through data-backed improvements, they’re more likely to stay long-term.
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Easy to Learn and Use: Curve provides online training resources and 24/7 support. Practice managers, the front office administrators they supervise, and clinical team members all rave about how easy the platform is to learn and use.
Many dentists report that summarizing visits and creating treatment plans has never been easier. Dentists and hygienists are pleased with Curve’s image enhancement tools and integration of Pearl’s AI Second Opinion software, making it easy for patients to understand and accept the need for treatment.
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Improved Patient Experience: With the elimination of human input errors and access to clear, precise information, clinical explanations and customer service are faster and without confusion.
The patient’s ability to see enhanced diagnostic images, receive understandable treatment plan documents for eSignature, make online payments, and interact with the practice online via Curve’s robust two-way messaging software—all contribute to a wonderful patient experience. High patient satisfaction contributes greatly to a positive work environment.
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Administrative Mobility: While the cloud has long offered the flexibility for practice managers to work in Curve from home or on the go, the new Curve Mobile app takes this convenience to the next level. Now, managers and authorized staff can seamlessly retrieve patient data, manage schedules, and perform administrative tasks directly from their mobile smart devices.
Imagine the Impact of These Curve Features on Staff Retention
By streamlining workflows and automating time-consuming tasks, Curve reduces the administrative burden on your team, allowing them to focus on patient care. This minimizes stress and fosters a more efficient, positive work environment where employees feel valued.
One customer shares, “This practice management software is intuitive, beautifully laid out to maximize efficiency and function, and helps us get our job done much more easily and pleasantly. Notes and interstaff communication work seamlessly. We could hardly be happier with the way Curve has contributed to our success.”
Another adds, “We love the flexibility and accessibility that Curve offers our staff and patients. Custom reports are helpful and easy to build! We love keeping everything paperless and appreciate the way Curve easily integrates into our practice model.”
These testimonials highlight just a few ways Curve improves daily operations and empowers staff to work more efficiently. By reducing administrative strain, improving communication, and offering flexibility, Curve fosters a positive work culture that helps retain top talent.
Over 80,000 dental professionals use Curve. Schedule a personal demo and consultation to understand the impact Curve can have on transforming your work environment into one dental professionals genuinely enjoy.
