One caller. One problem almost every dentist is dealing with.

Jesse is a new practice owner in a rural market. One hygienist is out on maternity leave, another is burning out from assisted hygiene, and after calling schools, searching job boards, and exhausting his options, he's asking the question every owner eventually asks: "What do I do now?"

Peter and Craig explain why this isn't just bad luck. The hygiene shortage is real, but waiting for the perfect candidate isn't a strategy. They unpack why hygiene is becoming one of the strongest careers in healthcare, why most hiring ads blend into the sea of sameness, and how practices can market themselves to future team members the same way they market to new patients.

Along the way, they discuss employee referral bonuses, recruiting videos made by your existing team, why total compensation beats hourly pay, hiring for the practice you want instead of the practice you have, and the difference between hiring great people and actually keeping them.

Got a question for the Hotline? Call (561) 933-5575.

DESCRIPTION

The Bulletproof Dental Podcast Episode: 447

HOSTS: Dr. Peter Boulden and Dr. Craig Spodak

In this Bulletproof Hotline episode, Peter Boulden and Craig Spodak answer a listener question about one of the biggest challenges facing dentistry today: hiring hygienists.

Drawing from their own experiences, they share practical recruiting strategies, discuss why the hygiene shortage isn't going away anytime soon, and explain how practice owners can build a culture that attracts—and retains—top talent.

Want Peter and Craig to answer your question on the Bulletproof Hotline?

Call and leave a message:

(561) 933-5575

Whether you're dealing with hiring, leadership, practice growth, or a challenge inside your business, your question could be featured on a future episode.

TIME STAMPS

00:02:04 - Listener Question: The Rural Hygiene Shortage

00:04:44 - Why Hiring Hygienists Has Become So Difficult

00:06:37 - Why Craig Is Bullish on the Future of Hygiene

00:10:50 - Recruiting With Employee Testimonial Videos

00:12:27 - Referral Bonuses That Actually Work

00:13:32 - Marketing Your Practice to Potential Employees

00:15:36 - Finding Hygienists Outside Traditional Job Boards

00:16:43 - Why Total Compensation Matters More Than Hourly Pay

00:17:54 - Always Be Hiring

00:19:08 - Hire for the Practice You Want to Build

00:20:15 - Becoming the Purple Cow in Hiring

00:22:14 - Using Social Media to Attract Talent

00:26:10 - Why Community Creates Better Hiring Ideas

00:27:31 - Hiring Great People vs. Keeping Great People

REFERENCES

The Bullet Proof Summit