New Business Helps Dentists Fill Temporary Jobs

Historically, it's been difficult for dental practice team members to find last-minute coverage. This can be particularly problematic for hygienists. And as you know, a day down a hygienist in your practice is a day of lost revenue. A new app is being developed that may help you find last-minute hygiene coverage when you need it.

A new company is looking to solve the problem of finding last-minute coverage for your hygiene team.

Good hygienists make all the difference to a dental practice and can generate anywhere from $1,300 to $1,500 per day in revenue. But when something happens and a hygienist can’t make it to the office, the practice stands to lose significant funds if patient appointments can’t be rescheduled or shifted to another team. A new startup, Biteline, wants to change this by connecting temporary job seekers with dental offices in need of coverage.

Biteline is the brainchild of Barclay McFadden, who learned how difficult it was for a hygienist to find coverage during a dental appointment. As he spoke with his hygienist, who’s child was sick, he learned that she’d reached out to several colleagues at 2 a. m. to try to find a replacement, but was unable to because it was such short notice.

In an interview with the Post and Courier, McFadden said, “I was sitting there baffled that this was the best process available.”

Dentists already know they can use temporary agencies to help fill in the gaps when staff members can’t make it into the office, but this can be very expensive. It can also be very difficult for staff members to try to find someone to take over a shift, and people often must rely on texting or social media websites to try and quickly connect with colleagues.

Biteline was developed to make the process of finding replacement staff much easier. Dentists and hygienists will pay $5 each month — when enrolled in an annual subscription – to be able to use the service. Several key features are included in a monthly subscription, such as:

· Candidate profiles showcasing education, specialty and software experience, and videos.

· Performance ratings dentists or hiring managers can view when choosing a replacement. Each candidate is rated by an employer after each job transaction.

· Candidate work history that shows where and when a person was employed, with detailed candidate performance reviews that allow dentists to decide who would be the best fit.

· Social connections that allow users to connect to each other.

· The ability to register and post a job, or apply for a job, in less than 5 minutes.

· Notifications that show when a candidate has applied for a position, or whether a hygienist has been offered a job.

Biteline is currently gearing up for beta testing in Charleston, South Carolina. McFadden said, “I’ve designed the software to be simple, fluid and as effective as I possibly can. The beauty about the Charleston market is there is it’s a large enough metro area so that this service could be very beneficial."