A new hire checklist for your dental or orthodontic practice
🦷 Your Step-by-Step Outline: Hiring Team Members in Your Dental Practice or Orthodontic Practice
Hiring good people for your medical practice is critically important because the quality of your team directly impacts patient care, operational efficiency, and your practice’s reputation. Here’s why it matters so much:
1. Patient Experience and Satisfaction
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First impressions count: Front-desk staff are often the first point of contact. Friendly, organized, and empathetic employees set the tone for the entire patient experience.
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Trust and comfort: Skilled nurses, medical assistants, and providers foster trust and make patients feel safe—key to long-term loyalty and compliance with care plans.
2. Clinical Quality and Safety
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Competent healthcare professionals reduce the risk of errors, misdiagnoses, and complications.
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Well-trained staff follow protocols, document accurately, and uphold the highest standards of patient safety and hygiene.
3. Operational Efficiency
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Good employees keep the practice running smoothly—scheduling efficiently, minimizing wait times, and managing billing accurately.
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They can handle pressure and adapt to changes in workflow, which is essential in a dynamic healthcare environment.
4. Team Cohesion and Morale
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A positive, reliable team culture reduces turnover and burnout, both of which are common challenges in healthcare.
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Good hires contribute to a collaborative, respectful work environment, which boosts productivity and job satisfaction.
5. Financial Performance
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Employees who are efficient, courteous, and proactive help maximize revenue (e.g., through correct coding, reduced no-shows, and streamlined operations).
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Replacing bad hires is expensive. Recruiting, training, and lost productivity from turnover can cost thousands per employee.
6. Reputation and Growth
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Word-of-mouth and online reviews matter. Exceptional staff generate positive reviews and referrals.
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Good people become brand ambassadors for your practice, which drives growth.
In short:
Your people are your practice. Hiring well means better care, better business, and better outcomes—for everyone involved.
For Ortho:
For Dental:
Preboarding Checklist
(Before Day One)
Goals: Prepare new hires and set expectations
to reduce anxiety and day-one confusion
√ Send a welcome email with:
• Start time and location
• Parking details
• Dress code
• First-day agenda
√ Confirm completed paperwork:
• W-4
• I-9
• Direct deposit
• Etc
√ Share digital copies of:
• Office handbook (vision, mission, values)
• Code of conduct
• HIPPA & OSHA overview
√ Set up (when applicable):
• Email login
• Practice management software
credentials
• Computer and equipment access
√ Assign an onboarding buddy and be sure the buddy knows their responsibility
Onboarding Checklist
(Day One)
Goals: Set the tone for team connection and
workplace confidence.
√ Greet new hire and tour the facility:
• Front desk
• Clinic
• Treatment Coordinator area
• Sterilization
• Admin offices
• Break room
• Etc
√ Team introductions (clinic and admin)
√ Explain team structure and roles:
• Who supervises whom
• Who to go to with questions
• Department responsibilities (front desk
vs. clinical vs. leadership)
√ Conduct orientation and review:
• Company mission, core values, and tone
of patient care
• Expectations for professionalism and
communication
• Daily schedule and office safety policies
√ Ensure access to:
• X-ray login (if applicable)
• Imaging software
• Communication tools (inter-office chat,
email, etc.)
√ Walk through emergency procedures
(location of eyewash station, defibrillator,
fire exits)
√ Begin basic systems training (management
software, scheduling system, etc.)
√ Lunch with supervisor or onboarding buddy
Week 1 Milestones for New Hires
Goals: Establish workflow familiarity, early compliance, baseline performance and begin rolespecific training.
√ Begin role-specific training
Depending on your state requirements, online training is available for orthodontic roles at Trapezio.com
√ Observe or shadow key procedures:
• Patient check-in and check-out
• Chair-side flow or scheduling flow
• Banding, de-banding, attachment procedures, etc
√ Begin supervised hands-on tasks
√ Introduce CE tracking expectations (if applicable)
√ Set up the first performance check-in
30-Day Milestones for New Hires
Goals: Ensure confidence in daily duties, reinforce SOPs, and formalize training
√ Complete role-specific tasks with decreasing supervision
√ Review the infection control protocol in full
√ Review emergency procedures (location of eyewash station, defibrillator, fire exits)
√ Reinforce team communication expectations
√ Revisit team structure and roles:
• Who supervises whom
• Who to go to with questions
• Department responsibilities (front desk vs. clinical vs. leadership)
√ Demonstrate consistent use of customer service tone and escalation protocol
√ Confirm all required certifications are verified and on file
• X-ray
• CPR
• Etc.
√ Complete 30-day performance review with review of online training course progress (when applicable)
90-Day Milestones for New Hires
Goals: Transition from onboarding to ongoing development
√ Evaluate progress of role-specific online training (when applicable)
√ Demonstrate consistent use of office systems and SOPs
√ Understand role in patient handoff and flow
√ Outline next steps in professional development (CE, expanded functions, etc.)
√ Final onboarding check-in and feedback
√ Complete 90-day performance review with review of online training course progress
√ Remove onboarding buddy support and transition to full autonomy
Feeling overwhelmed about your new business’s goals, branding, marketing, or day-to-day operations? Odd Marketing & Designs can help!
With over 10 years experience in the dental and orthodontic industry, including a two year stint as an in-house creative and marketing director for Western North Carolina’s largest ortho practice, Audra (Odd’s owner) can either answer your questions, or connect you to a resource who can.
Shall we?
Investing in good design and branding is like putting your money in a high-yeild savings account: the sooner you take action and put your money (or your branding) where it needs to be, the sooner your investment can bring you returns.