NEW YEAR - NEW YOU! INTERVIEWS

NEW YEAR - NEW YOU! INTERVIEWS

Dental professionals focusing on longevity & ergonomics

In the dental industry, we often approach interviews with the mindset of a candidate hoping to be chosen. However, the most successful long-term placements happen when you flip the script. As a clinician, you aren’t just looking for a paycheck; you are looking for a clinical home that supports your physical health and professional growth.

REMEMBER: You are interviewing the practice just as much as they are interviewing you. Here is how to navigate the interview process to ensure your next career move is one that lasts.

1. The "Vibe Check": Observe the Front Line

Imagine you step into a dental practice / clinic...You are ignored for some time... Once you are addressed you are met with a dental receptionist without warm smile.

Your interview begins the moment you walk through the front door, not when you sit down with the Principal. Pay close attention to the reception team.

• Atmosphere: Are the front-desk staff appearing genuinely happy and helpful, or do they seem stressed and curt?

• Interactions: How do they speak to patients and, more importantly, to each other?

• The Culture Indicator: If the reception team is in a good mood, it usually signals a healthy management style and a unsupportive culture. If they are frazzled or unhappy, that stress will inevitably flow into the clinical zone.

• Brand Consistency: A practice that invests in its decor and branding usually has a higher "treatment acceptance" rate. A misalignment between advertising and reality often points to deeper issues in management or a lack of attention to detail—factors that will directly impact your daily job satisfaction. If they advertise "state-of-the-art digital dentistry" but you see shabby reception area or patients' bathroom, the practice may not be meeting patients expectation even if they have a brand new EMS machine or a latest scanner technology.

• Leadership Dynamics: Pay attention to how the principal dentist engages with staff members. Is the tone professional and supportive, or does it lean toward a more rigid or commanding style?

  
  

2. Don’t Fall for the "Showroom" Trap

It is common practice for an employer to conduct the interview or a tour in the "Principal’s Surgery"—the high-end suite with the newest chair and the best view.

You must ask to see the specific room where you will be working.

Seeing your actual workspace is non-negotiable. It allows you to assess the real-world conditions you will face daily. If they are hesitant to show you your designated operatory | surgery, consider that a red flag 🚩 regarding the practice’s transparency and your future ergonomic longevity.

3. Prioritizing Ergonomics and Longevity

The dental career is mentally and physically demanding. To ensure longevity, you must evaluate the ergonomics of your potential workspace before signing a contract.

What to look for in the operatory:

• The Chair & Delivery System: Is the patient chair compatible with your height? Can you get your legs under the headrest comfortably? If it’s a side-delivery system and you prefer over-the-patient (or vice versa), consider how that will affect your neck and back over 30 - 40 hours a week.

• Clinician Seating: Ensure the chair meets your personal comfort requirements, as no single model fits everyone. Is it a flat chair or saddle seat chair? Verify the height adjustments and confirm that the chair maneuvers smoothly while you are seated.

• Lighting: Is the overhead lighting adequate, or will you be straining your eyes?

• Equipment Quality: Check the handpieces and basic tools. Working with vibrating, heavy, or outdated equipment is a fast track to carpal tunnel and repetitive strain injuries.

• Instrument Maintenance: Verify the frequency of instrument sharpening and replacement cycles.

• Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs): To avoid a headache it is essential to verify that a practice has comprehensive SOPs and clinical policies in place before committing to a role. These documents serve as the backbone of a safe, compliant environment.

  • Key Policy Areas to Verify:

    1. Operational Compliance & Safety

    • Health & Safety: Protocols for sharps injuries, radiation protection (IRMER/local equivalents), and medical emergencies.

    • Regulatory Compliance: Adherence to local regulatory bodies and data protection laws (e.g., HIPAA or GDPR).

    • Administrative Clinical Standards: Clear guidelines for patient consent, record-keeping, referrals and cancelation policy. I you are a self-employed cancelation policy will directly effect your income.

      
      

    • 2. Clinical Protocols for Complex Cases It is vital to confirm if the practice has written protocols for patients with high-risk medical histories. Check if there are clear guidelines for:

    • Patients presenting with active herpes simplex (cod sore)

    • Patients coming for dental procedure after a myocardial infarction (heart attack)

    • Patients with heart stent / valve replacement

    • Patients after joint replacement

    • Patients during / after chemotherapy

    • Patients recovering from major surgical surgery

    • Anticoagulant Management: Specific procedures for patients on blood thinners (e.g., Warfarin, DOACs).

    • Post-Critical Care: Guidelines for patients with a history of sepsis or those recovering from major surgery.

• Scope of Responsibilities: To ensure clinical efficiency, clarify who is responsible for instrument sterilization, reprocessing, and sharpening. If these tasks fall under your remit, confirm that dedicated, paid time is allocated within your schedule to complete them.

• Assistance: Observe the workflow between the dentist and the nurse/assistant. Seamless four-handed dentistry is the best way to protect your posture.

Also, check if you will be working with a dental nurse / assistant. In the UK, it is common for dental hygienists to be working with the dental assistants. Make sure this is agreed and written in your contract before you start working. This is essential for your ERGONOMICS and longevity of your career. In the UK you are expected to work fast and not having a dental nursing support will most definitely caused muscular skeletal pain which and occur even if working with dental assistant.

4. DO NOT START WORKING WITHOUT SIGNING THE CONTRACT OR EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

Sometimes dental clinics / practices leave late to find future employer and will ask you to start working before final agreement is signed. Sometimes agreement needs final ironing out as you may need to ask them to adjust the contract. It is an agreement at the end of the day. You may be tempted to start helping patients straight away without signing the contract. PLEASE DO NOT! If you do, the dental practice / clinic may not give you what you were promised at the interview. It will be too difficult to change the things in your favour if you do not have the contract. Protect yourself, sign the contract, then work!

Common Interview 🚩 Pitfalls

Avoid these frequent mistakes that can cloud your judgment or hurt your standing:

🚩 Principal ignoring the Staff

🚩 Focusing Only on Pay

🚩 Practice Not having important Polices in place

🚩 Not seeing your actual working place

🚩 Not Clear About Equipment Maintenance

🚩 Starting working without signing the contract or employment agreement

5. Final Thoughts: The Mutual Partnership

A dental practice is

an ecosystem. For you to thrive, the environment must be technically sound and emotionally supportive. By asking to see your specific surgery and observing the mood of the entire team, you protect your mental health and your physical ability to practice for years to come.

Don't just look for a job—look for the right fit for your spine, your hands, and your peace of mind!

NEW YEAR - NEW YOU! - good luck with INTERVIEWS and Happy New Year!

Essential guide to STRETCHING at work between seeing your patients