Tips to Help You Get Your Ideal Dental Job

From childhood through adulthood, people rely on dentists to help them maintain the health of their teeth, gums and mouth, as well as diagnose and address any dental problems which may arise. This means a dentist is one of those careers you can count on to be in high demand for a long time to come. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the employment of dentists in the United States is expected to grow at a much higher rate (around 18 percent between 2014 and 2024) than the average for all occupations.

So, whether you are right out of dental school, looking to join a new practice, planning to relocate, or simply wanting to shift the focus of your career into a particular specialty area, it is important you know how to define your objectives so you can properly conduct a job search. If you don't, you could end up selling yourself short or settling for a less-than-ideal job.

These basic tips can dramatically improve your chances of getting the dental job you deserve:

Make Sure Your Resume Highlights Your Strengths

The first action you should take before beginning your job search is to update your resume, taking care to highlight your strengths. Focus on your education, clinical skills and expertise. If you have obtained particular certifications, make it known. Do not be afraid to flaunt your abilities. You need to stand out from other applicants and your resume is one of the key ways to accomplish that.

Many resources exist to simplify creating a powerful resume to help you get your foot in the door. You can also seek assistance from a professional resume writing service. The key is to make sure your resume is professional and showcases you and your abilities.

NOTE: You may want to tweak your resume according to the specific job you are pursuing. For example, if you are planning to apply for a position as a Pediatric Dentist, your resume should focus on your pediatric dentistry experience and accomplishments.

Dental Associates: Salaried Compensation or Percentage of Production?

Another point you will want to consider before applying for a dental job is whether the practice is interested in hiring you as an associate and paying you a flat salary, a salary with potential production bonuses, or a percentage of the collections. While benefits do exist for each of these, you need to figure out which situation is most suited for your needs and future. Don't be afraid to ask:

Will you be earning a salary or percentage of the practice's income?

Is a guaranteed salary being offered, with an additional percentage of collections? How much can you expect to receive overall?

If a salaried compensation is being offered, is it at least commensurate to the average salary for a dentist? Payscale lists the median salary for a dentist in the U.S. at $123,942, however salary will depend greatly on where the practice is located, your certifications and other key factors. Many dentists can make between $120,000 and $200,000 or more per year.

If you are being offered a percentage, what is the percentage? Will your percentage be for production or collections? How much does the practice make on average? Will earning a percentage put you in the range of income you require?

 If a flat minimum daily, weekly or monthly rate is being offered, can you also earn bonuses? What are the bonus tiers?

You should also be sure to find out whether the dental practice is interested in hiring new graduates, or only individuals with a minimum amount of experience. This too can affect income and hiring success.

Professional References Can Make All the Difference

While your resume will do a lot to help you stand out above other potential job applicants, professional references can make all the difference. Take time and care when adding references to your resume. Don't list just anyone as a reference. List individuals who have an in-depth familiarity with your skills, abilities, education, and strengths.

In instances where you are applying for a specialty position, or applying to a practice which focuses on a particular area (such as a pediatric dental office), be sure to list references of previous employers, dentist and co-workers who have knowledge on your expertise in this area. Employers often depend heavily on references and listing individuals who sing your praise is always beneficial.

Don't Sell Yourself Short

Although you may not want to tout your own horn too loudly, it is equally as key to not sell yourself short. Obtaining a degree as a dentist is quite an accomplishment, and if you have furthered your career by becoming a cosmetic dentist, endodontist, pediatric dentist, periodontist or orthodontist, you can be a valuable asset to any dental practice. Even in cases where a practice may only be looking for a general dentist, you being a dental specialist in another area could have career benefits later on.

By following these simple tips, you can hone your job search and increase your chances of finding the position right for you.

The People Link is a professional recruitment service specializing in finding and placing qualified healthcare candidates around the U.S. If you are a seasoned dentist or new dental graduate who is actively looking for work, please feel free to check out our current job listings, visit our website or call 888-773-0014 for a free, no-obligation consultation.

Certifications Physical Therapists Require

Physical therapists (PTs), like most healthcare professionals, are required to obtain specific certifications before they will be allowed to begin practicing in their given field. By completing the required curriculum, clinical education and hands-on training, it significantly helps to improve the chances that the physical therapist will be able to perform his or her duties knowledgeably, professionally, with confidence and to industry standards.

Doctor of Physical Therapy Degree

The first certification a physical therapist is required to have is a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree. In the past, PTs could opt to pursue a Master of Physical Therapy degree or a Master of Science in Physical Therapy degree, however neither of these are currently being offered in the United States. To practice as a PT in the U.S., you must obtain a degree from a physical therapist education program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). As it currently stands, 233 accredited PT programs exist throughout the country.  

State Licensing

Once you have completed your education and obtained a DPT degree, your next step will be to take and pass the national physical therapy exam (NPTE) administered by the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (FSBPT). This exam allows the FSBPT to assess a new graduate’s basic, entry-level competence following graduation to, "...help ensure that only those individuals who have the requisite knowledge of physical therapy are licensed in the physical therapy field." and "To help regulatory authorities evaluate candidates and provide standards that are comparable from jurisdiction to jurisdiction."

Individual states may have additional requirements for licensure, such as passing the jurisprudence exam designed to test your knowledge on state laws and rules or completing a specified amount of practical experience. The law does require PTs to be licensed in each state in which they intend to practice.

Specialty Certification

If you are interested in becoming a specialist in a particular area of physical therapy, you can continue your education so as to become a board-certified specialist in any of these areas:

• Cardiovascular and Pulmonary
• Clinical Electrophysiology
• Geriatrics
• Neurology
• Orthopedics
• Pediatrics
• Sports Physical Therapy
• Women's Health

Oftentimes obtaining board certification can help a physical therapist gain entry into a particular area of practice or acquire a job he or she may not have otherwise been qualified to hold. Board-certification may also lead to increased opportunities and income.

National Provider Identifier

All physical therapists and other healthcare providers are required to have a unique and standard National Provider Identifier (NPI) as part of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996. This 10-digit identification number is to be used by the covered individual for all administrative and financial transactions between other providers, health plans, clearinghouses or other entities which may require the number for valid purposes.

The purpose of assigning a number to each healthcare provider is to improve efficiency and effectiveness as it pertains to the electronic transmission of healthcare records and vital information.

To apply for an NPI, individuals can go to the National Plan & Provider Enumeration System website, create a login and complete the application. It is recommended all new graduates do this step as soon as possible following graduation.

Medicare Number

Another certification most employers will want an applying PT to have is a Medicare number. Any physician or non-physician practitioner who plans at some point to bill Medicare for services will need to have a Medicare number. It doesn't matter whether you are an individual practitioner or under another person's employ, a Medicare number will be a necessity.

Medicare Enrollment Applications can be obtained through the Department of Health & Human Services website. All applicants need to do is download, print and fill out their Medicare enrollment application, then mail it in to get the process started.

Why Choose Physical Therapy?

Looking to get into the healthcare industry? Whether it be as a first-time job or a career change later in life, physical therapy is one of the fastest growing fields in the United States. According to the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA), the demand for physical therapists is expected to continue climbing until at least 2020. Even Forbes listed PTs as one of the "10 Jobs In High Demand That Require A College Degree." In total, the healthcare industry had four jobs which made this list: physical therapist, speech-language pathologist, medical and health services manager, and registered nurse. Needless to say, those looking for a career with long-term potential would be wise to consider physical therapy or another career in the healthcare industry.

The People Link is a professional recruitment service specializing in finding and placing qualified healthcare candidates around the U.S. If you are a PT graduate or soon-to-be graduate who is actively looking for a job, please feel free to check out our current job listings, visit our website or call 888-773-0014 for a free, no-obligation consultation.

Attention New PT Graduates: Are you Sabotaging Your Own Interviews?

Once an individual graduates from a physical therapy (PT) program and obtains his or her degree, the next obvious step is to find a job. While some graduates may already have jobs lined up ahead of time, others will have to begin what could be a very long job hunt involving sending in their resumes, doing interview after interview, and working hard to market themselves to potential employers.

Even when new graduates have great qualifications, lots of hands-on experience, a strong work ethic or board-certification in one of the specialty areas of physical therapy, what these graduates may not realize is they could be sabotaging their own job interviews without even knowing it by omitting one simple step. In some instances, neglecting to apply for a National Provider Identifier (NPI) and Medicare number could be all it takes to prevent you from beating out the competition.

Applying for Your NPI and Medicare Number Now Could Make You More Desirable to Employers

Having both an NPI number and a Medicare number is essential for any physician or non-physician practitioner like a physical therapist, occupational therapist or speech language pathologist. These numbers are a form of identification issued by the federal government to health care providers for the purpose of improving efficiency in the healthcare industry and reducing fraud or abuse of the system.

By applying for an NPI and Medicare number prior to going out on job interviews, you could actually make yourself more desirable to employers and prevent losing out on a job for which you may be the ideal candidate.

Employers in the healthcare industry, and in most industries for that matter, like to see it when potential employees take initiative. Showing initiative is a positive quality and one which can easily put one candidate ahead of another in terms of desirability. As it could take up to three months for a new PT graduate to establish his or her NPI and Medicare number, sending in your application now could come across as a sign that you are taking your career seriously and looking to get ahead of the game. It could also make an employer be more willing to hire you as you are closer to obtaining your identification numbers than other candidates.

So if it came down to you and another candidate, neither of whom had an NPI or Medicare number, you would probably receive a job offer as you were the one who thought ahead and got the ball rolling.

How to Apply for Your NPI and Medicare Number

It doesn't take much to apply for either an NPI or Medicare number. For an NPI, individuals can go to the National Plan & Provider Enumeration System website, create a login and complete the application. Medicare Enrollment Applications can be obtained through the Department of Health & Human Services website. All applicants need to do is download, print and fill out their Medicare enrollment application, then mail it in to get the process started.

This one simple action of applying for these numbers before going out on job interviews could prevent you from sabotaging your own interviews and, more importantly, help you secure your ideal job.

For recent PT graduates who are actively looking for work, please visit our website or call 888-773-0014 for a free, no-obligation consultation. The People Link is a professional recruitment service specializing in finding and placing qualified healthcare candidates around the U.S. Job seekers can also take a look at our current job listings any time, day or night.