A Smarter Approach to Hiring in the Dental Office
Hiring has always been one of the hardest parts of my role as a dental office manager—not because I do not understand the process, but because I understand how much is at stake. The person who greets patients, answers the phone, manages the schedule, and handles financial conversations plays a critical role in the practice’s success.
The right person brings calm, organization, and confidence to the day, while the wrong person can unintentionally create stress for the team and frustration for the patients.
Recently, I found myself needing to hire a new Patient Care Coordinator after experiencing an unexpected departure, and I knew I wanted to approach the process differently. I did not want to rush into a decision or rely solely on instinct. I wanted to be thoughtful, intentional, and confident in my choice.
I quickly felt overwhelmed by the number of candidates and the variety of backgrounds. Some applicants had dental experience; others came from medical or customer service roles; and several looked strong on paper, yet I questioned whether that would translate into success in a fast-paced dental environment.
At that point, I decided to incorporate AI into my hiring process—not as a replacement for my judgment, but as a tool to help me organize my thoughts and evaluate candidates more clearly. What I discovered was that AI did not make the decision for me, but it significantly improved the way I approached each step of the process.
Starting with the Job Posting
The first place I noticed a difference was in writing the job posting.
In the past, I would list responsibilities and hope the right person would recognize themselves in the description. This time, I wanted to be more intentional about identifying the qualities that truly mattered, particularly attention to detail.
Instead of simply stating that I wanted someone detail-oriented, I worked with AI to build a small but meaningful test directly into the posting, asking applicants to email their résumés to the office and to respond to a specific instruction rather than applying through Indeed alone.
This simple adjustment provided immediate insight into who was carefully reading directions and who was not, allowing me to identify candidates with strong attention to detail before even reviewing their experience.
Looking Beyond Dental Experience
As résumés began to come in, I took an additional step that changed the entire process. I scanned and uploaded the résumés into AI and asked it to compare candidates, identify patterns, and highlight strengths and concerns. This allowed me to look beyond job titles and focus on behaviors and transferable skills, giving me a much clearer picture of how each person might perform in the role.
For example, candidates with call center experience stood out for their ability to manage high call volumes, multitask efficiently, and handle difficult conversations, all of which are essential in a patient-facing position. This shifted my perspective from simply seeking dental experience to evaluating how each candidate would perform in the practice’s real-world environment.
Instead of asking only whether someone had worked in dentistry before, I found myself asking whether they could remain calm under pressure, manage multiple responsibilities simultaneously, and communicate clearly with patients.
Bringing Clarity to Comparison
One of the most overwhelming parts of hiring is comparing candidates who bring different strengths and experiences. It is easy to second-guess yourself or feel uncertain about how to weigh those differences.
Using AI, I was able to lay candidates side by side and evaluate them more objectively, which helped me clearly identify who demonstrated strong communication skills, who had stability in their work history, and who appeared most trainable.
This process did not replace my intuition, but it supported it in a meaningful way. Instead of feeling scattered or unsure, I felt more confident narrowing down my focus to the candidates who were truly worth interviewing, which ultimately saved time and improved the quality of my decision-making.
Changing the Way I Interview
The most significant shift occurred during the interview process. In the past, I relied on general questions and hoped I could read between the lines. This time, I focused on asking questions that reflected real situations that occur daily in the role.
One question in particular proved to be extremely revealing. I asked candidates what they would do if two patients walked in at the same time and the phone was ringing. Their responses gave me immediate insight into how they prioritize, organize their thoughts, and handle pressure.
I also learned to tailor questions to each individual candidate. Those with dental experience were asked about workflow and scheduling. Those from a customer service background were asked about handling difficult conversations and high call volume. This approach led to more meaningful discussions and helped me better understand how each person would perform in the position, rather than how well they could answer rehearsed questions.
Understanding What Can Be Taught
Through this process, one of the most valuable lessons I learned was recognizing the difference between what can be taught and what cannot. We can train someone on software, systems, and procedures. It is much harder to teach someone how to stay calm under pressure, communicate clearly with patients, and take initiative without being asked.
Using AI helped reinforce that distinction and kept my focus on the traits that truly impact daily success. It reminded me to look beyond experience and consider how a candidate thinks, responds, and adapts in real situations.
Making the Final Decision
At the end of the process, I identified a candidate who stood out, not because she had the most experience on paper, but because she demonstrated organization, initiative, and the ability to remain calm under stress. AI did not make that decision for me, but it helped confirm that I was making the right choice and gave me the confidence to keep going.
Final Thoughts
Using AI in the hiring process did not replace my instincts as a leader, but it strengthened them by bringing structure, clarity, and intentionality to each step. In a busy dental office where time is limited and the impact of hiring decisions is significant, having a tool that supports thoughtful decision-making is incredibly valuable.
Hiring will always be one of the most important responsibilities we have as office managers, because the people we bring into our practice shape our patients’ experience and the culture of our team. When we combine our experience with tools that help us think more clearly, we are better equipped to build strong, supportive, and successful teams.
About the Author
Christine Richardson, MAADOM
Christine “Tina” Richardson, MAADOM, is the office manager at Mark E. Richardson DDS in Kalamazoo, Michigan, where she works alongside her husband, a second‑generation general dentist. A Battle Creek native, she earned her BSN from Hope College and began her career in neurosurgery, neurology, and trauma nursing. After stepping away to raise their three children, she returned to dentistry as her husband’s assistant and later became office manager.
Tina is active in local volunteer work and shares a passion for mission trips to Honduras. She enjoys reading, traveling, and spending time with family and friends.
