Research shows you spend one third of your life at work. Considering this, it’s important that employees and employers find a mutually beneficial experience.
When our doctor owners decide that they are ready to expand their team through the addition of an associate doctor, they place significant value on the character of the candidate – ensuring they are long-term fit for the practice, patients and the community. They are seeking candidates who exhibit a career growth mindset, strong leadership qualities, dedication to teams and communities, and a positive attitude. This mindset demonstrates a commitment to continuous learning and adaptability, which is crucial in the dental industry. Leadership skills, including the ability to guide a team and make
decisions for a dental practice are essential for driving success, and fostering a collaborative and trusting work environment.
Once a doctor owner finds an associate doctor who they deem is the right candidate for their practice from both a personal and cultural perspective, then they evaluate clinical skills and clinical acumen to ensure they are hiring individuals who are going to provide great quality care to their patients.
When both of those are confirmed, they move forward – in confidence – with an offer. A common question from both practice owners and associate doctors is what factors they should consider in creating an attractive and comprehensive job offer. Multiple factors come into play to ensure the offer is thoughtful, competitive, and fair with the goal of not only recruiting new talent, but also ensuring long-term satisfaction and retention.
Here are several key factors to be considered:
1. Market Trends
Analyzing compensation trends within the dental industry helps set a baseline. There is usually a competitive range that can help guide the doctor owner in creating a fair offer. Additionally, the practice’s geographic location can also impact on the offer and will likely differ in rural areas versus urban areas.
2. Experience and Education
Compensation packages will differ for new graduates as compared to those for dentists with years of experience, or those who have completed additional training like a general practice residency. The extensive, hands-on experience that enhances clinical skills and decision making makes a candidate more attractive and can impact the overall offer.
3. Health of the Practice
Doctor partners usually conduct a thorough analysis of the health of their practice – financially and operationally before finalizing an offer to better understand the financial impact of adding an associate, as well as the opportunity that exists for the associate to impact the growth of the practice based on capacity. Larger practices, which often have multiple locations and a larger patient base, may offer a greater financial opportunity compared to smaller, single-location practices.
4. Other Benefits Included in the Offer
There are factors beyond just the compensation that make-up the full package/offering, including the following:
- Offering 401(k) plans with matching contributions can add significantly to the total compensation an associate receives.
- Providing quality health insurance coverage to employees is often an important added benefit. Offering dental, vision and life insurance plans is becoming expected by candidates.
- Offering work schedules focused on work-life balance to maintain personal well-being to avoid burnout, ensuring the ability to provide high-quality care to their patients, is another benefit of importance to consider. It’s also important that a reasonable amount of vacation/sick time is provided to support this work-life balance.
- It’s important that the candidate understands the great culture and work environment being offered We are focused on ensuring all doctors have a
supportive and collaborative team environment where they feel valued as a member of the team, and where clinical autonomy is assured for great patient care. - The opportunity for a pathway to true doctor ownership provides more financial security, autonomy without isolation, and the ability to be a leader with a seat at the decision-making table. This is an important benefit offered by doctor owners within the PepperPointe family.
- Professional development and mentorship opportunities are highly valued by job seekers. PepperPointe Partnerships offers extensive CE courses along with a unique Leadership and Development program for associate doctors. Mentorship at PepperPointe is doctor-to-doctor with owners who are invested in the long-term success of their associates, making a meaningful difference in the importance placed on the relationship.
To us, it is critical that doctors love where they work, and it is our goal to work in collaboration with our doctor partners and associate doctors to create a great environment for incoming and future associate doctors. And to us, loving where you work starts with believing in the difference a doctor can make in the lives of their patients and communities. At PepperPointe, we are committed to supporting our doctors every step of the way and ensuring that the dreams they have for their future are realized.
Our Doctor Recruiter, Meredith Brown-Parsons is eager to assist you in finding the perfect role and exploring opportunities with the right job offer for you. Reach out to us to begin learning more!