Hiring the right people for your orthodontic practice has always been a cornerstone of growth. But as we look toward 2025, the challenges of inflation, rising interest rates, and workforce uncertainty are redefining how practices approach the hiring process. It’s no longer about just finding “good” employees—it’s about hiring for excellence with systems that deliver predictable results.
Recent data from the labor market highlights both opportunities and risks. While inflation has moderated slightly, interest rates remain high, creating a cautious economic climate. This puts pressure on wages and forces small businesses, including dental and orthodontic practices, to be laser-focused on productivity and value. In short: every hire must count.
In today’s market, time wasted is money lost, and turnover has become an expensive mistake many practices cannot afford. A proven structured interview process, like the one I outlined in The Structured Interview Process, gives you a repeatable system to evaluate candidates objectively, reduce bias, and ensure you’re bringing in people who can elevate patient care and team performance.
Why Now is the Time for a Systematic Hiring Approach
With inflation keeping wages high, it’s tempting to rush hires to fill empty seats quickly. But here’s the truth: hasty decisions often lead to mismatched hires who cost you more in training, frustration, and attrition. A structured interview process ensures you:
Define Excellence: Build a clear position description and prioritize deal-breaking skills that candidates must possess. For example, in hiring an orthodontic assistant, knowing how to calm a nervous patient or take accurate dental impressions might be non-negotiable.
Ask Better Questions: Use consistent behavioral and situational questions. For instance, “Tell me about a time you dealt with an angry parent about a child’s treatment plan. What did you do?” This method reveals how a candidate has handled real challenges.
Score Objectively: Structured interviews provide a scoring system that eliminates guesswork, letting you compare candidates side by side based on data—not personal bias.
The 2025 Outlook: A Competitive Labor Market
The Federal Reserve’s projections suggest interest rates will remain elevated well into 2025, and job openings in healthcare continue to outstrip available talent. Practices that rely on outdated, unstructured interviews will lose top candidates to competitors offering clarity, professionalism, and purpose.
When I recently reviewed sample questions for orthodontic assistants, the structured format not only assessed technical skills—like x-ray precautions—but also soft skills, such as patience, empathy, and teamwork. In a market where culture fit is as important as competency, structured interviews help you find candidates who align with your practice’s values and vision.
Position Yourself for Excellence
If the last few years have taught us anything, it’s that resilience and quality are the foundations of long-term success. You can’t control inflation or interest rates, but you can control who joins your team and how they contribute to your growth. Invest the time now to refine your hiring process. Implementing structured interviews doesn’t just improve hiring outcomes—it strengthens your practice’s ability to thrive in an uncertain economy.
As you prepare for 2025, remember: a strong team isn’t an expense—it’s your greatest asset.
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Want to get started? Download our Sample Interview Questions for Orthodontic Assistants and learn how to hire for excellence in your practice.
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