Not all dental recruitment is the same

Natasha Hameed, Recruitment Consultant at MediCruit, a Henry Schein Company, explains the nuances of finding the perfect job match

I’ve been working in dental recruitment since 2011 when I took a part-time role with dental recruitment specialists MediCruit to help me through my studies at Nottingham University. Studying during the day and working in the evenings was ideal for me and I soon found myself looking after a number of dental nurses, dentists and practice managers, who were either searching for a move to a new position or wanting to recruit high-quality staff for their practice. After graduating in 2013 I was fortunate enough to be offered a full-time recruitment consultant position with MediCruit and I haven’t looked back since.

Knowing and thinking dental
Unlike general recruitment agencies MediCruit specialises solely in dentistry and I’m part of a team of experienced consultants who possess specific industry knowledge of the dental sector, backed by industry-leading partners and cutting-edge systems and technology.

The role of the dental nurse is pivotal in any dental practice and I work with dental nurses on a daily basis to help them to progress their careers. When a suitable new position arises the most frequent question I’m asked is, not surprisingly, ‘What’s the salary?’ This is an important question and gives an immediate indication of whether the role is at the right level and reflects the candidates’ experience. Obviously, they also want to know if the position is full time or part-time so they can decide how this fits with their lifestyle - for example trainee dental nurses need a more flexible role that allows them time to study and attend college. For others there may be a need to work around childcare or other personal circumstances.

Today’s dental practices have to accommodate their patients’ busy lives and many of the practices we work with now operate a split-shift system and open late into the evening - which means we do too! Working in the evenings is actually my favourite time as it is the most valuable period for us to keep in touch with our candidates and allows us to speak to people when they are more relaxed at home and have time to concentrate on the topic. Trying to discuss a potential job opportunity or arrange an interview whilst a candidate is at work during the day can be difficult and often they are unable to speak openly. Evenings are also the ideal time to call our clients to speak to them about how interviews went, give advice on pending interviews or, if they’ve applied for a position unsuccessfully, help them move onto the next prospect.

Supported by a powerful, responsive database
We’re very lucky to have access to a custom-built, in-house database where candidates looking for a new position come and register with us. This database holds details of over 69,000 dental professionals and there are around 1,100 ‘live’ jobs on the system at any one time. Every candidate is expertly matched to each vacant position and we only notify the people we feel are most suited to the role. Each candidate has an online profile, which includes the days they are available, practice and software experience and the notice period they have to serve in their current role.

When a new position is registered with us, in the first instance we send out texts and emails to carefully selected candidates. If we fail to get a response we then give them a quick call in the evening to let them know a position is available. Every detail is recorded on the system keeping everything up-to-date, reliable and consistent and we do our best to not waste anybody’s time. For those who may have been unsuccessful in applying for a role we can provide feedback on why it didn’t work out for them so as to help them make improvements or adjustments in preparation for future interviews.

The future is bright
Last year the MediHoldings group, which includes MediCruit, as well as one of the largest specialist broker of UK dental practices MediEstates and specialist financial advisers to the dental profession MediFinancial, was acquired by Henry Schein and this move has enabled us to interact with many more dental practices. Being a part of the Henry Schein group has brought with it all the benefits of belonging to such a large and reputable organisation, but I’m pleased to say it hasn’t changed our approach nor the professional and personal service we provide to our clients.

My job is hugely satisfying and I love the satisfaction of working with individuals and helping them progress their careers or find the perfect employee. Working in the dental sector is extremely fulfilling and it’s very personally rewarding when I know I’ve found the perfect job-candidate match.