How to Start a Dental Staffing Business

Job seekers can seek dental employment through newspaper classified advertisements, online job boards, networking, and registering with employment agencies. The latter can help a job seeker obtain short-term, long-term or direct hire positions. If you want to help dental professionals become employed or help dental offices find qualified candidates, consider starting a dental staffing agency. Arm yourself with ample understanding of human resource practices and labor laws to run a successful dental staffing agency.

Instructions

Planning Is Essential

1. Develop an effective, realistic business plan. The business plan can be used as a way to help obtain funding through loans and grants. It also is used to help you plan and strategize how to get your business started and operating smoothly. For help in writing your plan, borrow books from your local library, get information from your local small business development center or visit the U.S. Small Business Administration's website. Score representatives also are available to provide you with free valuable information. Score representatives are volunteer business professionals who are currently working in the field or are retired. They have experience as executives, business owners, executives, or corporate leaders.

   Also,conduct market research to learn about other dental staffing agencies, identifying their strengths and weakness. You can research dental staffing agencies by visiting their websites. You can also interview job candidates who used an agency's services to get feedback about their experiences. If finding past job candidates from a particular agency is challenging, ask someone registered with an agency to report back on their experiences with that agency. This information can help keep you from repeating the same errors. Learn about human resource issues by visiting sites such as the Society for Human Resource Management website. The United States Department of Labor is an excellent resource to get familiar with labor laws; clients will expect you to be knowledgeable about these matters.

2. Obtain enough funds to help with the business' bills, equipment and marketing expenditures until the business' profits exceed the business' costs. When planning, overestimate your costs to help safeguard against going bankrupt. When seeking funding contact banks, the U.S. Small Business Administration, as well as family and friends; investors may come from personal associates. Keep your business finances separate from your personal banking accounts. If managing finances is not one of your strengths, hire a bookkeeper and/or accountant. Do not hire an accountant during tax season; hire during the initial phases of your business start-up to help develop a good accounting system that you can follow.

3. Find a location for your dental staffing agency. You may choose a brick-and-mortar location and/or a website. Ideally your staffing agency will be located near dental offices or a medical district. Job seekers are usually willing to travel to an employment agency if they feel they will gain work through the agency.

4. Register with the state, if necessary. Operating your business as a sole proprietorship does not require registering the business with the state; however, if you choose another business model, such as a limited liability partnership, non-profit or corporation then registering with the state is part of the legal procedures. Visit the IRS' website to learn the tax implications for your particular business model.

5. Market your dental staffing agency to help find job candidates to refer and positions that need to be filled for employers. Creating a logo and brand image make it easier for people to identify your business. Include it on the company's brochures, business cards and letterhead. Send press releases introducing your employment agency to all the local newspapers, radio stations and news programs. Also, contact the career services departments at all the local colleges, especially the schools that offer dental, medical assistance or administrative programs; you can target recent college graduates who may benefit from your service. Send brochures to all the local dental offices so they, too, will be aware of your service.

References

• Small Business Administration
• Small Business Guidance
• Business Information on Incorporating

Resources

• Business Tools
• United States Department of Labor
• Society for Human Resource Management