The Workforce Has Changed. Has Your Dental Practice Kept Up?

A few weeks ago, I was speaking with my 25-year-old niece about her job search. I assumed salary would be her top priority. Instead, she rattled off a different list: hybrid work options, mental health days and whether a company’s mission aligned with her values.

Thirty years ago, when I was applying for jobs, I was just grateful for a callback. But today’s workforce isn’t just looking for a paycheck. They’re seeking purpose, flexibility and growth.

Nowhere has this shift been more evident than in dentistry, an industry known for its traditional ways of hiring, onboarding and training. At Resolute Dental Partners, where I serve as Employee Experience Director, we’ve had a front-row seat to this transformation. Since 2020, we’ve interviewed thousands of candidates and hired more than a hundred. What we’ve learned is that the old playbook no longer works.

Pre-pandemic, hiring was straightforward. Candidates needed jobs, and trained professionals often came knocking with resumes in hand. Post-pandemic, the dynamic flipped. Applicants began asking about growth opportunities, work-life balance and meaning. Ghosting became common, sometimes after applying, sometimes after interviewing, and even, astonishingly, after accepting an offer. Retention also became a challenge. Studies show more than half of U.S. workers are actively job-hunting, with Gen Z and millennials leading the charge as self-identified “job hoppers.”

So, how can dental practices not only survive this new reality but thrive in it? At Resolute, we’ve identified five strategies that have helped us navigate and embrace this changing workforce.

1. Target Your Talent

Job ads can no longer be bland lists of duties. Today’s applicants, like my niece, want to know how a role connects with their lifestyle and values. Ads should highlight priorities such as flexibility, growth and meaningful work.

But targeting goes beyond marketing. We also use assessment tools like the Culture Index to measure traits such as autonomy, sociability and pace. Pairing these insights with resumes helps us place the right person in the right role more effectively. Once you find that fit, act quickly: onboard and train without delay. In a competitive market, top candidates won’t wait around.

2. Create Specialists, Not Unicorns

For years, dental practices have leaned on “unicorn” employees—the rare people who could do everything, knew every patient and kept the office running. Today, these employees are nearly impossible to find and even harder to replace.

We’ve shifted toward specialization instead. Aligning employees with their natural strengths allows them to succeed more quickly and sustainably. For example, one employee struggled as a scheduling coordinator but thrived after transitioning to our centralized Revenue Cycle Management (RCM) team. Specialists are easier to train, more effective in their roles, and far simpler to replace than unicorns.

3. Leverage Technology

With the right people in the right roles, technology can amplify their impact. At Resolute, we’ve embraced AI tools for insurance verification, billing automation and even diagnostic support.

For example, our RCM team uses AI to streamline insurance processes, saving them from endless hours on hold with providers. We’ve also introduced call bots to handle thousands of monthly calls—bots that never take lunch breaks or sick days. Technology doesn’t replace people; it empowers them to perform at their highest level while reducing turnover risks.

4. Solve for Assistants

The era of hiring highly trained, career-long dental assistants is fading. For many in Gen Z, assisting is a steppingstone, not a lifelong profession. Instead of resisting this shift, we’ve embraced it.

We recruit eager learners and train them quickly, knowing that most will stay only for a season before moving on. By partnering with community colleges and technical schools, we’ve created pipelines for interns who often become valuable short-term contributors. Some even grow into future hygienists or leaders. The key is to hire for attitude and potential, not just credentials.

5. Inspire Leadership

Culture doesn’t happen by chance—it’s shaped through vision, values and leadership. At Resolute, we call it the “Resolute Life”: doing what you love with people you love while making a difference in your community.

But vision without leaders is just words on paper. Since great managers are rare, we built a year-long Leadership Academy to train and mentor future leaders. Research shows that investing in leadership more than doubles employee engagement, and we’ve seen firsthand how strong leaders inspire loyalty, growth and resilience.

Looking Ahead

The employee landscape has shifted dramatically, and dentistry is no exception. Resisting this change only breeds frustration. Instead, practices face a choice: adjust or innovate; react or lead.

As Winston Churchill said, “An optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.” The new workforce brings plenty of challenges, but it also new opportunities to rethink how we hire, train and grow.

Because one day, someone like my niece will answer your job ad. And if you’re ready for her, you’ll be lucky to have her.

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Jenine Toback holds a BS in Education and Special Education from St. John’s University in New York and an MA in Education from the University of Saint Joseph in Connecticut. She has worked in Human Resources since 2008 and currently serves as the Employee Experience Director for Resolute Dental Partners in Connecticut. Jenine is trained in Culture Index assessments and Gallup’s CliftonStrengths coaching, using these tools to help leaders build strong, engaged teams. She is passionate about creating positive, growth-oriented workplace cultures where people feel valued and empowered to succeed.