Flexible Schedules: A Dental Job Guide

Balancing work and personal life can be challenging for some employees. To help, many companies offer flexible work schedules, which can enhance productivity, efficiency, and overall employee satisfaction. 

In these situations, flexible working schedules provide both the employer and the employee value.

If you're interested in landing a job with a flexible schedule, this article will cover what flexible work schedules are, the different kinds, how to manage them, and the advantages and disadvantages of flexible work schedules.

What is a Flexible Work Schedule?

A flexible work schedule is a schedule that allows employees to choose their own start time and end time within a specific range (for example, 8:00 am - 5:00 pm). Employees may also be allowed to work from home on occasion (remotely).

Some employers require employees to maintain a set number of hours to qualify for benefits or pay increases (for example, 40 hours per week). However, this does not mean that employees must work those exact hours weekly—they may adjust their schedule based on their personal needs (errands, school drop-offs, childcare, etc). 

Types of Flexible Work Schedules

Flexible work schedules are offered to employees by many companies. Some types of flexible work schedules include compressed workweek schedule, regular flex schedule, highly flexible schedule, and remote schedule.

Let's find out which flexible work schedule is most attractive to you...

Compressed work-week schedule

Employees who participate in a compressed work-week schedule can work four days a week instead of five. They may work ten hours a day instead of eight, giving them a three-day weekend. Some employers allow employees to choose days off if the company is open on weekends.

There is also a 5-4/9 schedule, in which an employee may work four days at nine hours a day, then five days at eight hours for a total of 80 hours in a 2-week period.

Regular flexible schedule

Most flexible schedules allow employees to arrive earlier or later than regular hours. For example, if you're more productive in the morning, you might start at 7 am instead of 9 am. This is often not an option in dentistry because patients are scheduled for particular times. However, an alternative to this would be an assistant or hygienist that works morning or afternoons. 

Highly flexible schedule

This type of flex schedule is very rare in the dental field. Employees can work according to their schedules. They can arrive at the office when it's most convenient for them, leave when they prefer, and work from home if it's more productive. Employers don't require employees to work 40 hours a week as long as all tasks are completed on time.

Remote schedule

Dental offices are rarely remote, so you probably won't see many opportunities like these. Employees at these companies can choose to work most of their hours remotely. This means they can complete their work from home or wherever they please as long as they maintain constant contact with employees and employers via video or phone calls.

What Jobs Have Good Schedules

Many tech jobs have flexible schedules. These include jobs in graphic design, website development, and any kind of software development. Amazon is also known for its flexible schedule jobs. Many dental jobs can be flexible in their schedule, based on the needs of the office. Temping is a great way to maintain a truly flexible schedule, as you can choose the exact days you work. If you you need days off, simply don't take any assignments that day!

Highest Paying Flexible Jobs

We've published the salaries of the highest-paying dental hygienist jobs by state. You can find dental assistant salaries here. Any job in tech will be high paying as well, including many of the jobs we mentioned in the section above.

How Flexible Schedule Jobs Benefit Employers (for business owners)

Flexible schedule jobs offer a few benefits, including:

• Improved work-life balance.
• Higher employee retention.
• Attracts top employees.
• May increase productivity.
• Creates a more efficient commute.
• Boosts employee morale 
• Improves employee engagement.
• Extended hours of operation.
• Overall, may reduce costs.

Disadvantages of Flexible Schedule Jobs (for employees)

While flexible work schedules have many benefits, they do have some disadvantages. Below are some common drawbacks to employees who participate in jobs with a flexible work schedule:

• It can be challenging to collaborate with other employees (if they aren't working when you are).
• Flex schedules can be abused, resulting in managers needing more direct supervision of employees.
• Client interactions may be limited (employees not available to meet at specific times needed)
• Available only to some employees.

How to have a flexible schedule as a Dental Professional

Princess Dental Staffing is a dental staffing company that provides temp dental professionals with a flexible weekly schedule. Flexibility is essential for any job, but it is incredibly convenient in the dental field as several types of dentistry are performed at varying times throughout the day. This option allows temp dental professionals to choose their working hours and days within a specific range of flexibility.

Do dental hygienists have a flexible schedule?

Of course, staying on time as a dental hygienist is important. That's why we wrote this! On top of that, dental hygiene work is demanding. But that doesn't mean you can't have a flexible schedule. Some offices may have you work a longer shift, up to 10 hours. The perk here is that you may only work two or three days a week. Other offices may have work for you one or two days a week. Temping is another great way to create the perfect flexibility in your schedule since you can take off whatever days you need.

Check out our dental hygienist jobs or look at these temp jobs if you need something with more flexibility. 

Do dental assistants have a flexible schedule?

A day in the life of a dental assistant can be pretty tough. But one of the perks of being a dental assistant is flexible hours! Various dental offices are always looking for dental assistants who can work only one, maybe two, or even three days a week. Some dental assistant jobs are available in the mornings or only in the evenings. Want to work weekends? You can find that too! As we already mentioned, temping is a great way to create your perfect flexible schedule as a dental assistant.

Check out our dental assistant jobs or look at these temp jobs for dental assistants for a more flexible schedule.

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