How to hire an associate dentist

How to hire an associate dentist, step by step

Here's a step-by-step associate dentist hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write an associate dentist job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new associate dentist
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does an associate dentist do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the associate dentist you need to hire. Certain associate dentist roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   An associate dentist's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, associate dentists from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   Here's a comparison of associate dentist salaries for various roles:

   Type of Associate Dentist	Description	Hourly rate
   Associate Dentist	Dentists diagnose and treat problems with patients’ teeth, gums, and related parts of the mouth. They provide advice and instruction on taking care of the teeth and gums and on diet choices that affect oral health.	$47-106
   Dentist/Owner	A Dentist/Owner is a person who is qualified to treat diseases and conditions that affect the teeth and gums of patients. They also are the owner of a dentist office.	$44-116
   General Dentist	The primary job of general dentists is to diagnose, treat, and manage patients' oral health care needs, including root canals, fillings, and gum care. They are considered as the main dental care providers for both children and adults... Show more	$47-105

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Patients
   • DDS
   • Oral Health
   • Aspen
   • Dental Services
   • Dentures
   • PPO
   • Diagnosis
   • Kids
   • Oral Surgery
   • Dental Procedures
   • Dental Health
   • Restorative Dentistry
   • Dental Practice

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Provide and manage direct patient care, including examinations, evaluations, diagnosis and treatment for practice's diverse patient population.
   • Perform quality patient care in a busy Medicaid and insurance practice including root canals, crowns, dentures, and extractions
   • Diagnose and provide treatment for mostly Medicaid patients.
   • Use Dentrix and Dexis software on a daily basis.
   • Fast pace office that serve a large percentage of Medicaid insure pediatric population.
   • Provide patient care in all aspects of general dentistry including tasks like filling, tooth extraction, and setting artificial dentures.

   More associate dentist duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your associate dentist job description helps attract top candidates to the position. An associate dentist salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

   For example, the average salary for an associate dentist in South Dakota may be lower than in Alaska, and an entry-level associate dentist usually earns less than a senior-level associate dentist. Additionally, an associate dentist with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

   Average associate dentist salary

   $148,530yearly

   $71.41 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level associate dentist salary

   $99,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 11, 2026

   Average associate dentist salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Massachusetts	$180,243	$87
   2	Connecticut	$174,243	$84
   3	District of Columbia	$161,404	$78
   4	Nevada	$160,878	$77
   5	Illinois	$160,807	$77
   6	New Hampshire	$157,727	$76
   7	Ohio	$156,981	$75
   8	Virginia	$154,986	$75
   9	Washington	$154,239	$74
   10	Arizona	$153,582	$74
   11	Georgia	$150,052	$72
   12	New York	$146,558	$70
   13	New Mexico	$143,188	$69
   14	Indiana	$143,138	$69
   15	Texas	$142,357	$68
   16	North Carolina	$141,776	$68
   17	New Jersey	$140,895	$68
   18	Tennessee	$138,373	$67
   19	Colorado	$137,560	$66
   20	California	$130,918	$63

   Average associate dentist salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Paris	$171,543	$82.47
   2	Taylor Community	$170,458	$81.95
   3	Benevis	$170,364	$81.91
   4	Twin Lakes Community	$167,268	$80.42
   5	iCare	$167,041	$80.31
   6	MINT dentistry	$166,901	$80.24
   7	Community Health Systems	$164,764	$79.21	1
   8	All Medical Personnel	$164,193	$78.94
   9	bty DENTAL	$163,634	$78.67	1
   10	Apple & Associates	$163,047	$78.39
   11	Smile Brands	$161,616	$77.70	123
   12	Dental Services Group	$156,506	$75.24	1
   13	Deca Dental	$155,440	$74.73
   14	Kennedy Care	$153,639	$73.86
   15	Lakeview Center	$152,090	$73.12
   16	Glenwood Care Center	$151,815	$72.99
   17	Signature Smile	$151,776	$72.97	1
   18	Golden Triangle Construction	$150,793	$72.50
   19	Gentle Dental	$150,495	$72.35
   20	Family Dental	$150,494	$72.35	3

4. Writing an associate dentist job description

   An associate dentist job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of an associate dentist job description:

   Associate dentist job description example

   Are you ready for a new challenge? Our quality, high end practices are seeking a long term dental associate. Our practices are growing and we are looking for someone to grow with us and build their patient base as we expand. Building patient rapport and one on one relationships is our core. We offer oral surgery, orthodontics and sedation along with our solid base of cosmetic and family dentistry. All of our providers have taken on their niche in the practice and welcome you to do the same!
   
   We have three beautiful offices with an all star team of caring dental professionals who are all passionate about their careers and providing our patients with the best care possible. We truly believe that two sets of eyes are better than one, three sets are better than two and we can use the expertise of multiple practitioners to care for our patients in the best way possible. We are always learning and are hoping to find someone who will help us continue to advance. Our offices are completely digital, paperless and constantly improving to stay on top of the latest technology. We have flexible schedules that allow everyone on our team to have work/balance, as this is one of our Core Values and one we act out every day.
   
   We have a generous compensation package for our associates, which includes dental insurance coverage, medical insurance coverage, a 401K plan with employer contributions, and CE stipend. Partnership opportunities are available within the first year and a cash contribution is not required!
   
   Please provide a resume, cover letter and your availability. We are currently seeking the right fit to add to our team for 2023 as we grow. We look forward to hearing from you!
   
   Job Type: Full-time
   Pay: $250,000.00 - $500,000.00 per year
   
   Benefits:
   * 401(k)
   * 401(k) matching
   * Dental insurance
   * Flexible schedule
   * Health insurance
   * Paid time off
   * Referral program
   * Tuition reimbursement
   Schedule:
   * 8 hour shift
   * Day shift
   * Monday to Friday
   Supplemental pay types:
   * Bonus pay
   * Commission pay
   
   COVID-19 considerations:
   We have always practiced the highest standards of infection control and have taken it to the next level to protect both our team and our patients since COVID going above and beyond the basic requirements.
   
   Education:
   * Doctorate (Required)
   
   Work Location: One location

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right associate dentist for your business:

   • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your associate dentist job on Zippia to find and attract quality associate dentist candidates.
   • Use niche websites such as healthcarejobsite, health jobs nationwide, hospitalcareers, medreps.com.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit associate dentists, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new associate dentist

   Once you have selected a candidate for the associate dentist position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

   It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new associate dentist first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire an associate dentist?