Research Article
"A Dentist's Guide to Creating an Environment that Encourages Staff Retention"

Abstract

Voluntary staff turnover of quality dental practice employees can negatively impact practice goals via decreasing productivity, staff morale and well-being, team sustainability, patient satisfaction, thus ultimately affecting profitability and overhead. Variables associated with clinical dental staff retention and turnover (beyond medical, maternal, career change, or relocating factors) were investigated in a sample of eight registered dental assistants with long-term employment status from five specialty practices, one group (multi) practice, and one general office practice, all located in Northern California. The themes that emerged from the qualitative data analysis as salient retention motivators were: 1) effective leadership, 2) flexibility, and 3) cooperative team culture. Organization Development (OD) interventions to increase staff retention are discussed.

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