Top 10 Things New Dentists Want in a Job Posting

Most new dentists do not skip job ads because they are lazy. They skip them because too many ads say almost nothing. “Great opportunity.” “Competitive pay.” “Fast-paced office.” That tells them close to zero.

If you want more job applicants, get them by making your account and get found by associates, hygienists, and new grads.

If you want better applicants, your job post needs to answer real questions before the interview even starts. New dentists want clarity, honesty, and enough detail to know whether the job is worth their time.

1. A Clear Pay Range

• •This is the first thing most new dentists look for. Not because money is the only thing that matters, but because vague pay language wastes everyone’s time. “Competitive compensation” is not a number. It does not help people decide whether to apply.
• •A better job post gives a real range and explains what it means. Is the role salary, daily guarantee, production, or collections? What is realistic for a new grad versus an experienced associate? That is what people want to know.
• •For example, “$750 daily guarantee for 6 months, then 30 percent of adjusted production” is much stronger than “great earning potential.” The mistake to avoid is hiding the pay and hoping the right person applies anyway.

2. How Pay Is Calculated

• •Even when a job ad includes a number, new dentists still want the formula. Thirty percent of what? Production? Collections? Adjusted production? Are lab fees taken out? Is there a threshold? Those details matter.
• •This is especially important for new grads because many have never worked under these models before. If your posting explains the structure clearly, it builds trust fast. If it sounds fuzzy, applicants assume the offer may be fuzzy too.
• •A good example would be: “Compensation is based on 30 percent of adjusted production, with lab fees covered by the practice.” The mistake to avoid is throwing out a percentage with no context and assuming applicants will figure it out later.

3. A Real Daily Guarantee

• •A daily guarantee matters because ramp-up is real. New dentists know they may need time to build speed, trust, and a full schedule. If the job post shows a guarantee, it tells them the office understands that reality.
• •This does not mean every job must have one. But if your office offers a guarantee, say so clearly. How much is it? How long does it last? What happens after that? Those details make the post much stronger.
• •A simple example: “$800 daily guarantee for the first 4 months while the schedule builds.” That is useful. The mistake to avoid is offering a guarantee in the contract but leaving it out of the ad, or mentioning it without saying for how long.

4. Patient Flow Details

• •New dentists do not just want to know what the pay could be. They want to know whether the office has enough patients to support that pay. This is one of the biggest filters for early-career applicants.
• •A strong post gives some proof. How many new patients come in each month? Is the associate replacing someone or adding capacity? How far out is the doctor schedule booked? These numbers help applicants see whether the opportunity is real.
• •For example, “Office sees 70 to 90 new patients a month and is hiring because the current doctor schedule is booked out two weeks.” That is much better than “busy office with unlimited opportunity.” The mistake to avoid is making big income promises without patient flow to back them up.

5. Mentorship Details

• •A lot of new dentists want mentorship, but they are tired of seeing the word used like decoration. “Great mentorship” means nothing by itself. They want to know who mentors, how often, and what that support actually looks like.
• •A better post says whether there is a lead doctor on site, whether cases are reviewed, whether the office supports a gradual ramp-up, and whether new grads are welcome. Real mentorship has structure. Vague mentorship is just marketing.
• •A strong example might be: “Owner doctor works on site 4 days a week, reviews cases with associates, and supports new grads with a guided first-90-day ramp-up.” The mistake to avoid is writing “mentorship available” with no details at all.

6. The Schedule

• •New dentists want to know what their week will actually look like. Days matter. Hours matter. Saturdays matter. Whether the job is four days, five days, or includes evenings matters too.
• •A clear schedule helps applicants decide whether the role fits their life before they apply. It also helps the right people self-select in. That saves time for both the office and the candidate.
• •For example, “Four clinical days, Monday through Thursday, no weekends” is strong and easy to understand. The mistake to avoid is saying “flexible schedule” when the office already knows the exact hours.

7. Benefits

• •Benefits are not a side detail, especially for new dentists comparing full offers. Health insurance, CE support, malpractice coverage, retirement options, licensing support, and paid time off all affect real take-home value.
• •A job post does not need every contract detail, but it should mention the major benefits. If there are no benefits, applicants usually figure that out soon anyway. It is better to be upfront than to make them guess.
• •A simple example: “Benefits include malpractice, CE allowance, license reimbursement, and health insurance contribution.” The mistake to avoid is acting like benefits are not worth mentioning because the salary sounds good.

8. What Procedures the Associate Will Be Expected to Do

• •New dentists want to know the clinical expectations before they apply. They do not want to walk into an interview and find out the office expects molar endo, surgical extractions, or high-volume same-day dentistry from day one.
• •A better posting tells applicants the likely procedure mix. Bread-and-butter restorative? Crowns? Extractions? Endo? Implant restorations? Sedation? This helps people gauge fit and confidence level.
• •For example, “Associate will focus on general restorative, hygiene exams, crown and bridge, and basic extractions; molar endo is optional based on experience.” That is helpful. The mistake to avoid is hiding the expectations until late in the process.

9. Why the Office Is Hiring

• •This part gets skipped a lot, but it matters. New dentists want to know whether they are replacing someone, helping because the office is growing, or stepping into a role no one seems to keep for long.
• •A short explanation builds trust. Growth is a strong signal. A healthy replacement can also be fine. But if the office says nothing, applicants may assume the worst, especially if they have already seen red-flag job posts elsewhere.
• •A strong example: “Hiring due to continued growth and rising patient demand.” Another honest version: “Current associate is relocating out of state after three years.” The mistake to avoid is treating the reason for hiring like a secret.

10. Growth Path and Lifestyle Details

• •New dentists are not only choosing a paycheck. They are choosing a life. They want to know what the area is like, what the office culture feels like, and whether the job can grow into something better over time.
• •That does not mean the post needs to sound fluffy. It just needs enough detail to feel human. Mention the location, community, commute, team setup, and whether there is room for growth in procedures, leadership, or future ownership.
• •For example, “Located in a fast-growing suburb with strong family patient base, supportive team, and long-term path for the right associate.” That gives context. The mistake to avoid is posting a sterile list of requirements with no sense of what the opportunity actually feels like.

Better Job Posts Get Better Applicants, it's just true.

• •New dentists are not asking for too much. They want enough information to tell the difference between a real opportunity and a vague ad with a nice headline.
• •If you want more qualified applicants, write a post that answers real questions: pay, formula, guarantee, patient flow, mentorship, schedule, benefits, procedures, hiring reason, and growth path. Create a clear employer listing on Bonded so new dentists can actually see what makes your opportunity worth applying to.