How do I know which path my hire needs?

We work it out together on the discovery call, from the seat and what a wrong hire would cost the practice.

Does the guarantee differ between the two paths?

No. Every placement is guaranteed for a year: if it leaves, we run the search again at best effort, at no additional charge.

What is the search retainer?

Path A: a search for reliable hiring that keeps operations moving, with a steady candidate pipeline across every seat on the team. It is minimal upfront and paid on placement success.

What is the deeper dive?

Path B: a search for high-stakes hires that adds culture-fit analysis to deliver a targeted, thoroughly vetted hire. Pricing is shared in the initial consultation.

Which path covers succession planning hires?

Path B. An associate you expect to buy in or buy you out shapes the practice for years, so the extra fit work is worth it.

How much does each path cost?

Path A is minimal upfront and paid mostly on placement success. Path B uses a protected investment model; exact figures for either are quoted on the discovery call.

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Two depths of search. Most seats need the lighter one.

Published October 14, 2026

Both are DDS Recruit searches, both are backed for a year. The difference is how much culture and practice-fit work sits on top of the search, and that should follow how much the hire can cost you if it goes wrong.

Key takeaways

Both paths are DDS Recruit searches, and both are backed by the same one-year guarantee.
Path A, the search retainer, is for reliable hiring that keeps operations moving: associates, in-house specialists, office managers, key team members and hygienists.
Path B, the deeper dive, adds culture-fit analysis for high-stakes hires: specialists, C-level roles such as Chief Clinical Officer or COO, succession planning hires and DSO expansion leads.
Path A is minimal upfront and paid on placement success. Path B uses a protected investment model, with pricing shared in the initial consultation.
Most seats need Path A. Choose Path B when the hire is a future owner, a leader, or anyone whose departure would cost more than a year of their salary.

How we compared them

Each option is judged on the same 5 criteria, the rows of the table below: best for, typical roles, what you get, pricing, guarantee. We describe how each model is structured, not any named provider, and every claim about DDS Recruit matches our pricing and how-it-works pages.

Side by side

The Search Retainer vs the Deeper Dive, compared side by side.
Dimension	Path A: the search retainer	Path B: the deeper dive
Best for	Reliable hiring you can trust to keep operations moving.	High-stakes hires you cannot get wrong.
Typical roles	Associates, in-house specialists, office managers, key team members, hygienists.	High-stakes associates, specialists, C-level roles such as Chief Clinical Officer or COO, succession planning hires, DSO expansion leads.
What you get	A steady candidate pipeline across every seat on the team.	Culture-fit analysis and a targeted, thoroughly vetted hire.
Pricing	Minimal upfront; pay on placement success.	A protected investment model; pricing shared in the initial consultation.
Guarantee	One year, at best effort, at no additional charge.	One year, at best effort, at no additional charge.

Which one, by situation

Replacing a hygienist or office manager who resigned
Path A
The role is well understood. You need good candidates quickly, not a culture study.
An associate you hope will buy in or buy you out
Path B
A succession hire shapes the practice for a decade. The extra fit work is cheap against that.
Several open seats across a growing group
Path A
A steady pipeline across every seat is exactly what the retainer is built for.
A COO or clinical director for a DSO expansion
Path B
Leadership hires set the culture other hires inherit.

Verdict

Start with the search retainer for most seats. Choose the deeper dive when the hire is a future owner, a leader, or anyone whose departure would cost you more than a year of their salary. If you are unsure, the discovery call is where we work it out together.

Questions

How do I know which path my hire needs?: We work it out together on the discovery call, from the seat and what a wrong hire would cost the practice.
Does the guarantee differ between the two paths?: No. Every placement is guaranteed for a year: if it leaves, we run the search again at best effort, at no additional charge.
What is the search retainer?: Path A: a search for reliable hiring that keeps operations moving, with a steady candidate pipeline across every seat on the team. It is minimal upfront and paid on placement success.
What is the deeper dive?: Path B: a search for high-stakes hires that adds culture-fit analysis to deliver a targeted, thoroughly vetted hire. Pricing is shared in the initial consultation.
Which path covers succession planning hires?: Path B. An associate you expect to buy in or buy you out shapes the practice for years, so the extra fit work is worth it.
How much does each path cost?: Path A is minimal upfront and paid mostly on placement success. Path B uses a protected investment model; exact figures for either are quoted on the discovery call.

Not sure which fits your seat?

Tell us about the role and we will talk through the options on the discovery call.

Schedule the discovery call