The difference between a dental practice that thrives with locum tenens support and one that struggles isn’t luck: it’s avoiding the critical hiring mistakes that 78% of practices make when bringing in tempo rary dental professionals.
When your regular dentist calls in sick, goes on vacation, or leaves unexpectedly, locum tenens for dentists can be a practice-saving solution. But here’s the thing: most dental practices approach tem porary staffing like they’re ordering takeout: rushed, last-minute, and without much thought to quali ty or fit.
The result? Disappointed patients, stressed staff, and revenue losses that could have been completely avoided.
After working with hundreds of dental practices, we’ve identified the seven most common (and cost ly) mistakes practices make when hiring dental locum tenens professionals. More importantly, we’ll show you exactly how to fix them.
Are You Waiting Until Crisis Mode to Find Coverage? Mistake #1: The Last-Minute Scramble
Picture this: It’s Friday afternoon, and your associate dentist just called to say they won’t be in Mon day morning due to a family emergency. Panic sets in. You start frantically calling every dental
staffing agency in your contacts, hoping someone: anyone: has a qualified locums tenens dentist available.
Sound familiar?
“The biggest mistake I see practices make is treating locum tenens like an emergency service,” says Dr. Sarah Chen, practice management consultant with over 15 years of experience. “When you’re scrambling at the last minute, you’re forced to accept whoever is available, regardless of their qualifi cations or fit with your practice culture.”
The Fix: Build relationships with reputable dental staffing agencies before you need them. Maintain a roster of pre-vetted locum tenens professionals who are familiar with your practice systems and pa tient base. Think of it as insurance: you hope you’ll never need it, but you’ll be grateful it’s there when you do.
How Thoroughly Are You Really Vetting Your Temporary Staff? Mistake #2: Inadequate Background Screening
Here’s a startling statistic: 23% of dental practices admit to hiring locum tenens professionals with minimal background verification beyond checking their dental license. That’s like hiring a babysitter based solely on their driver’s license.
“I once had a practice call us after hiring a locum tenens dentist who turned out to have multiple mal practice claims in other states,” shares Maria Rodriguez, Senior Recruitment Specialist. “They assumed the state licensing board would have caught everything. It was a costly lesson.”
The Fix: Implement a comprehensive vetting process that includes:
• Multi-state license verification
• Malpractice history review
• Hospital privileges confirmation
• Continuing education compliance
• Patient care quality metrics from previous assignments
Is Your Onboarding Setting Everyone Up for Failure? Mistake #3: The “Figure-It-Out-As-You-Go” Approach
Too many practices treat locum tenens orientation like a quick software tutorial: “Here’s the comput er, the patient files are over there, good luck!” Then they wonder why the day feels chaotic and pa tients seem unsettled.
The Fix: Create a standardized onboarding checklist specifically for temporary providers:
• Pre-arrival practice tour via video call
• Detailed procedure protocols document
• Staff introduction meetings
• Patient communication style guidelines
• Emergency contact information
• Technology training sessions
“The practices that invest time in proper onboarding see 40% fewer patient complaints and 25% higher provider satisfaction scores,” notes industry analyst David Park from the American Dental Staffing Association.
Are You Ignoring the Human Element of Fit?
Mistake #4: Treating Cultural Compatibility Like a Nice-to-Have
Your regular dentist might be the type who remembers every patient’s children’s names and spends extra time explaining procedures. If your locum tenens replacement is efficient but impersonal, you’ll have confused patients asking, “Is Dr. Johnson feeling okay today?”
The Fix: During the screening process, assess personality fit alongside clinical competence:
• Ask about their communication style with anxious patients
• Discuss their approach to treatment planning
• Evaluate their comfort level with your practice’s pace and philosophy
• Consider a brief meet-and-greet with key staff members before their first day
Could Billing Mistakes Be Costing You Thousands? Mistake #5: Credentialing and Billing Oversights
This mistake is particularly expensive because it often goes unnoticed for weeks or months. When you submit insurance claims, you must list the locum tenens dentist as the treating provider: not your regular dentist who’s on vacation.
“I’ve seen practices lose $50,000 in rejected claims because they forgot to update provider informa tion in their billing system,” warns certified practice administrator Janet Thompson. “Insurance com panies take provider fraud seriously, even when it’s an honest mistake.”
The Fix:
• Verify insurance panel participation for your locum tenens provider
• Update all billing systems with correct NPI numbers
• Train your front office staff on proper claim submission procedures
• Establish a checklist for credentialing requirements
Are Your Expectations Crystal Clear or Muddy Water? Mistake #6: Unclear Performance Expectations
“Work hard and be nice to patients” isn’t a performance standard: it’s a greeting card message. Yet many practices give locum tenens providers about that level of guidance and then feel frustrated when results don’t meet expectations.
The Fix: Establish measurable expectations:
• Daily patient volume targets
• Procedure time allocations
• Chart completion deadlines
• Patient satisfaction benchmarks
• Communication protocols with the primary team
“When we started providing detailed performance metrics to our locum tenens providers, our patient satisfaction scores improved by 30%, and provider confidence increased dramatically,” reports Dr. Michael Torres, who manages three family dental practices in Texas.
Why Are You Skipping the Most Important Safety Net? Mistake #7: Inadequate Reference Verification
Calling one reference who gives a glowing review isn’t reference checking: it’s reference theater. Most practices contact only the references provided and ask softball questions that generate predictable answers.
The Fix: Implement strategic reference checking:
• Contact practice managers, not just supervising dentists
• Ask specific questions about patient complaints, technical skills, and team integration • Verify dates and reasons for leaving previous positions
• Request references from their three most recent assignments, not just their favorites
The RSMC Services Advantage: Your Partner in Smart Staffing
At RSMC Services, we’ve built our reputation by helping dental practices avoid these costly mistakes. Our comprehensive screening process includes everything from multi-state background checks to personality assessments that ensure cultural fit.
“Working with RSMC transformed how we think about temporary staffing,” explains Dr. Lisa Patel, whose practice has used our services for over two years. “Instead of dreading staff absences, we actu ally feel confident knowing we have access to qualified professionals who understand our standards and patient care philosophy.”
Our locum tenens professionals come pre-credentialed with major insurance providers, fully briefed on modern dental practice management systems, and equipped with the interpersonal skills that keep patients comfortable during staff transitions.
Your Next Steps: Building a Smarter Staffing Strategy
The dental industry is facing an unprecedented staffing shortage, with over 60% of practices report ing difficulty finding qualified temporary coverage. But this challenge also represents an opportunity to build competitive advantages through strategic staffing partnerships.
Don’t wait for your next staffing emergency to start building better processes. Begin by evaluating your current approach against these seven common mistakes. Which ones are you making? What sys tems need improvement?
Remember, the cost of getting locum tenens for dentists wrong: patient dissatisfaction, revenue loss, team stress, and potential compliance issues: far exceeds the investment in doing it right from the start.
Ready to transform your approach to temporary dental staffing? Contact our team, call +1 650-447-1527, or email careers@rsmcservices.com to learn how RSMC Services can provide the vet ted, reliable locum tenens professionals your practice needs to maintain excellent patient care during any staffing transition.
Because your patients deserve consistent, quality care( even when your regular team isn’t available.)