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Cover the chair for today, or fill it for the next five years.

Published

Temps keep the schedule running when someone is out. They are not a hiring strategy, and practices that lean on them for months pay for it in rate, continuity and team morale.

Key takeaways

  • Temp staffing covers a chair fast, often the same week, at a premium hourly or daily rate. It is built for absences and overflow.
  • A permanent hire takes a real search, weeks rather than days. After a one-time fee, the cost is normal payroll.
  • Temps can change from visit to visit, so patients lose continuity and the team re-teaches its systems every shift.
  • If you have covered the same seat with temps for more than a month, the need is permanent. Start the search and keep the temp until the hire starts.
  • Every permanent placement through DDS Recruit is backed for a year. If it leaves, we run the search again at best effort, at no additional charge.

How we compared them

Each option is judged on the same 5 criteria, the rows of the table below: time to cover, cost, continuity for patients, team fit, commitment. 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

Dental Temp Staffing vs a Permanent Hire, compared side by side.
DimensionTemp staffingPermanent hire through DDS Recruit
Time to coverOften same week, sometimes same day.A real search. Weeks, not days.
CostA premium hourly or daily rate, every day the seat is covered.A nominal monthly search fee and a one-time success fee, then normal payroll.
Continuity for patientsA different face may be in the chair each visit.The same person, building relationships and recall.
Team fitNot screened for your practice. They learn your systems every shift.Screened on role, culture and long-term fit before you meet them.
CommitmentNone either way. Easy to stop.A hire, backed by a one-year guarantee.

Which one, by situation

  • Maternity leave, a medical absence or a sudden resignation

    Temp staffing

    Keep the schedule full while you decide whether the seat needs a permanent hire.

  • You have been booking temps for the same seat for over a month

    DDS Recruit

    You are paying a premium rate for a permanent need. Start the search and keep the temp until it lands.

  • Seasonal or one-off overflow days

    Temp staffing

    There is no permanent seat to fill.

  • You want to trial a part-time hygiene day before committing

    Temp staffing

    Measure demand for a few weeks; hire permanently once the column stays full.

Verdict

Use temps for absences and overflow, which is what they are built for. Once the same seat has been covered by temps for more than a few weeks, the need is permanent and the premium rate is the expensive way to meet it. Run both in parallel until the permanent hire starts.

Questions

Does DDS Recruit place temporary dental staff?
No. We run permanent searches only, backed by a one-year guarantee. Keep your temp arrangement running while the search is open.
What does a dental hygienist earn in my state?
Our hygienist salary pages show BLS medians state by state, which is the baseline a permanent offer has to meet.
Is it cheaper to use temp dental staff or hire permanently?
For a few days of cover, temps are cheaper. For a seat that stays open for months, the premium daily rate usually adds up past a one-time search fee and normal payroll.
How fast can a temp dental hygienist start?
Often the same week, sometimes the same day, depending on the platform and your market.
Can I keep a temp while a permanent search runs?
Yes, and you should. Keep the schedule full until the permanent hire starts.
What does a dental assistant earn?
Our dental assistant salary pages show BLS medians state by state, the baseline a permanent offer has to meet.

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