Among the many challenges that practice principals face in today’s world, is finding and keeping a great team. A topic that has remained in the spotlight for several years now, there are no quick fixes and no short cuts for business owners to utilise. Instead, significant time, effort and money must be invested in improving staff retention.
The situation
There are several factors affecting dental staff retention in the UK, which a study[i] published in 2023 attempted to clarify and assess. The most common issue was identified among NHS dentists, who cited the UDA system and its associated workload as the greatest issue affecting whether they would remain in a job.
Opportunities – or lack thereof – for career progression was another major factor. Once again, particularly important to dental professionals working within the NHS framework, the chance to upskill and develop were essential in their decision to choose to stay in a role.
Perhaps surprising to some, financial factors came in third. Cited specifically were the increased costs of expenses and indemnity alongside a long-term reduction in income, as well as the rising risk of litigation. Financial concerns were common among various members of the dental team from dentists to dental hygienist/therapists and dental nurses, highlighting the breadth of the issue.
The final challenges highlighted were the impact of Brexit on recruiting overseas clinicians and geographical challenges of rural or coastal practices associated with poor transport links and the lack of interest for clinicians to work in remote areas.
Keeping the good ones
Taking these issues alone into consideration will demonstrate the size of the problem that practices face nationwide. For example, there is little that most practices can do about the UDA rates they can offer dentists. The workload pressures are also difficult to tackle given the enormous backlog of patients seeking care across the country.
However, there are ways of attracting and keeping exceptional individuals. As the aforementioned study suggested, providing a structured career progression pathway is an excellent place to start. This could involve the provision of free CPD events, access to discounted courses, flexibility to enable clinicians to advance their studies or a chance to attend prestigious dental events. This skill development has been shown to improve their job satisfaction.[ii] Research has also found a direct link between career development and team retention.[iii]
Of course, ensuring fair pay is also essential. Rewarding staff for their hard work and dedication to their patients is vital in keeping them happy in their job role. For businesses that can’t afford to provide significant or regular pay increases, there are other things you can do to promote job satisfaction among the team. For example, a supportive culture[iv] and positive working environment correlate with increased staff retention, while also improving employee performance.[v] In practice, this could mean creating a system that allows individuals to access help and support whenever needed in clinical or other areas. It also involves providing everything that the team needs to fulfil their roles effectively and efficiently, including clinically-proven materials, innovative technologies and administrative or compliance support. Part of creating this positive culture, and another way of supplementing pay increases, is to recognise and reward individuals when they go above and beyond the call of duty. Studies[vi] have shown that praising staff who are invested in their work is a great way to increase their loyalty to the organisation – and who doesn’t like recognition when it is deserved?
Inspiration, support and opportunity
If you are looking to increase staff retention in your practice and need inspiration for what to do next, there are many professionals in the field ready and willing to help. Whether you seek business development advice, career progression for all team members or new technology to optimise the working environment, the BDIA Dental Showcase 2025 has your needs covered. This event offers a unique opportunity to engage with a broad range of dental business experts and establish hugely influential connections with educational providers who can help deliver career-changing development for your entire team. You can also browse the very latest innovations on the market, with various technological and material suppliers making this the only professional exhibition they attend all year.
Ultimately, building and retaining a good team is crucial for the provision of exceptional patient care and the long-term success of a practice. Boosting job satisfaction, creating a positive work environment and actively facilitating career development are integral to staff retention and, therefore, a priority for all principals today to achieve.
BDIA Dental Showcase 2025
14th-15th March
ExCeL London
Register your interest for 2025 at https://dentalshowcase.com/register-interest-pr
Author: David Hussey, Event Director MA Exhibitions
[i] Evans, D., Burns, L., Mills, I. et al. Recruitment and retention in dentistry in the UK: a scoping review to explore the challenges across the UK, with a particular interest in rural and coastal areas. Br Dent J (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41415-022-5406-0
[ii] Nava-Macali, J., Nava-de Jesus, C., & Almari, E. P. (2019). Effectiveness of Career Development Program on Job Satisfaction and Retention of Employees in a Private University in the Philippines. Archives of Business Research, 7(7), 301-310.
[iii] Phyu, Naw & Thwin, Phyuzar & Janarthanan, Midhunchakkaravarthy & Bhaumik, Amiya. (2023). Impact of Career Advancement on Employee Retention. 106-109.
[iv] Xuecheng W, Iqbal Q, Saina B. Factors Affecting Employee’s Retention: Integration of Situational Leadership With Social Exchange Theory. Front Psychol. 2022 Jul 11;13:872105. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.872105. PMID: 35899015; PMCID: PMC9309793.
[v] Zhenjing G, Chupradit S, Ku KY, Nassani AA, Haffar M. Impact of Employees’ Workplace Environment on Employees’ Performance: A Multi-Mediation Model. Front Public Health. 2022 May 13;10:890400. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.890400. PMID: 35646787; PMCID: PMC9136218.
[vi] HR Cloud. The impact of employee recognition on engagement and retention. March 2023. https://www.hrcloud.com/blog/the-impact-of-employee-recognition-on-engagement-and-retention [Accessed August 2024]
