For most growing dental practices, finding the most efficient staffing model feels like searching for a unicorn. Many owners want to “staff up” in advance of growth opportunities to ensure they have the human capital to grow and integrate new practices. 

But, what happens when you hire for growth and that growth doesn’t happen? 

Currently in the dental industry, there are many obstacles to growth, both internal and external. We’re experiencing a highly competitive dental acquisition market, construction delays due to supply chain and skilled labor shortages, increased build-out costs for de novo practices, resistance to growth by existing teams, and lingering COVID fatigue. While there is no perfect way to staff without the risk of overstaffing, there are ways to mitigate that risk and protect profitability should you run into any of these growth obstacles.

Here are 3 ways to start:

1. Have a Clear Growth Plan and Company Vision

Any growing organization should have a clear short-term and long-term vision for their organization, where the long-term is the eventuality of the organization and the short-term includes the smaller, intermediate steps. For staffing purposes, it’s most relevant to look at the 1-to-3-year vision (anything further out is generally fruitless). 

Here are some questions to consider:

• Do you plan to grow through acquisition (and “buying” talent) or through de novo practices?
• Are you looking to expand outside your current geographical presence? 
• Are you expanding from strictly general dentistry into specialty? 
• Once defining your vision, are you communicating it to your current team? 
• Which of them would like to (and are capable of) growing to a higher level in the organization? 
• Have you assessed your current team recently to ensure that everyone is “in the right seat on the bus”? 
• Will you be centralizing any services that have historically been done solely in the office?

Answering these questions will help determine the milestones at which bringing on additional team members will be most efficient. As always, communicating the vision will be a necessity to get the buy-in of the current team and leverage what you’ve already invested in their development.

2. Recruit Talent that is Willing to be Adaptable

The current labor market is very challenging. Although many team members are willing to leave for what often seems like a minimal raise elsewhere, that also means that there is talent elsewhere that could be looking to make a move. If you have a clear vision, you can start your search sooner rather than later. 

Often organizations wait until capacity is stretched and people are burned out to start searching for an additional team member. This can lead to a rushed decision and ultimately a bad hire. For instance, if you’re hoping to hire someone within the week, what are the chances you’ll get a great fit? The best hires typically come from a longer-term view. 

If you need someone quickly, here are a couple of alternative options to think about:

• Is it possible to find someone that is looking for something more part-time with the hope of moving full-time as personal restrictions change? 
• Can you find someone capable of higher-level performance that is willing to fill a lower role that has been difficult to staff in order to learn the organization from a “ground-up” point of view? 

The more time you allow yourself to fill that role and the more clarity and vision you give to the candidates, the more optimal the fit will be and allow you to adjust as the plan adjusts.

3. Be Willing to Pivot on Your Original Game Plan as Circumstances Change

Lastly, it’s very rare for all visions to become reality at the size and the timeline expected. As previously mentioned, there are many variables out of our control that can attribute to this. However, if you don’t set that vision, you will never grow to the size and scale that’s possible. The most successful organizations are able to stay committed to the long-term vision while balancing the short-term realities of the business.

So, as constraints change, so should the plan:

• If capital resources decline for business or personal reasons, it’s best to reassess the timing of the growth plan and the human resources needed
• If there’s an opportunity to fold in a large group much quicker than expected at a great value, you might need to accelerate the plan and the related staffing
• If you grow and centralize services, you might get to the point where you think some services better reside in the office. 

All of these scenarios can affect staffing and result in a different role requirement or timing of roles. Ineffectiveness in adjusting to your new reality will immediately result in staff inefficiencies and negatively affect your profitability, so it’s important to be aware of changing circumstances and be willing to pivot.

Staffing dental practices in a static environment is a challenge, but staffing in a growing organization adds another layer of complexity. Following these steps and keeping your mission, your vision and your values top of mind will allow you to achieve optimal staffing in your quest to make your vision a reality. 

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