Why Do They Resign? How To Prevent the Great Resignation in Your Dental Practice

This article features guest contributor Sharyn Weiss, M.A., founder of Weiss Practice Enhancement, on how to keep great employees and prevent the Great Resignation in your dental practice.

A recent DentalPost Salary Survey Report indicates that over 50% of dental assistants plan to leave their current roles. With hiring already stressful and time‑consuming, many dentists end up tolerating mediocre or even toxic employees instead of building a strong retention strategy.

It Isn't About Money

Many practice owners assume that higher pay is the key to retention. While fair and competitive compensation is essential, research consistently shows that employees rarely resign primarily for more money elsewhere.

As Sharyn notes:

"Unhappy employees don't actually get any happier or more productive when more money is thrown at them."

If a team member is disengaged, burned out, or frustrated, a raise might delay their resignation—but it usually won’t prevent it.

The Real Drivers of Resignation

Two main factors drive most resignations in dental practices:

1. Practice Culture

Talented people leave when they experience:

• Bullying or gossiping
• Chaotic or constantly changing systems
• Micromanagement
• Benign neglect (being ignored or left to fend for themselves)

Often, one toxic employee can drive out your most dedicated and reliable team members. When leaders avoid addressing bad behavior, the message to the rest of the team is clear: "We tolerate this."

1. Lack of Recognition

Hard‑working employees eventually ask themselves: "Why am I working this hard if no one notices?" When effort goes unacknowledged, even loyal team members start looking elsewhere.

Over time, lack of recognition leads to:

• Lower engagement
• Quiet quitting
• Increased turnover

What Recognition Is Not

Many dentists think they’re showing appreciation, but what they’re offering doesn’t land as true recognition.

Ineffective approaches include:

• Generic praise like "Thanks" or "Good job" with no specifics
• Waiting for spectacular achievements before saying anything
• Only recognizing the team as a whole, never individuals
• One‑size‑fits‑all gestures that ignore personal preferences
• Assuming recognition must be monetary, such as bonuses or gift cards

These efforts may be well‑intentioned, but they rarely make employees feel genuinely seen or valued.

Matching Appreciation to Preferences

Drawing from The Five Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace by Dr. Gary Chapman and Dr. Paul White, Sharyn highlights five primary appreciation preferences:

1. Words of affirmation
2. Acts of service
3. Quality time
4. Tangible gifts
5. Physical touch

In workplace research, tangible gifts consistently rank lowest in what employees actually want. Most people value how they’re treated far more than what they’re given.

In a dental practice, three of these are especially practical and powerful.

1. Words of Affirmation

This is more than saying "Nice work." Effective words of affirmation:

• Are specific: what exactly did they do well?
• Connect effort to results: how did their action help the patient, the team, or the practice?
• Are timely: offered soon after the behavior you want to reinforce.

Examples:

• "When you stayed calm with that anxious patient this morning, it helped the whole schedule stay on track. Thank you for your professionalism."
• "I noticed how you helped the new assistant with room turnover without being asked. That kind of teamwork makes a big difference."

2. Acts of Service

Acts of service mean rolling up your sleeves and helping, especially when someone is overwhelmed.

In a dental office, this might look like:

• Jumping in to help file EOBs so a team member can leave on time
• Helping sterilize instruments during a backlog
• Covering phones so the front desk can catch up on treatment plans

When leaders do this, they model:

• Collaboration
• Respect
• Compassion

The message is: "We’re in this together, and I see how hard you’re working."

3. Quality Time

Quality time is about focused, undistracted attention. It goes beyond the annual performance review.

Practical ideas include:

• Taking each team member to lunch periodically to check in
• Scheduling brief one‑on‑one meetings to ask about their goals and challenges
• Inviting input on systems, scheduling, or patient experience—and acting on good ideas

When you consistently invest time in your people, they feel:

• Heard
• Respected
• Important to the practice’s success

Building a Culture That Keeps Great Employees

Retaining great employees requires more than occasional appreciation. It depends on a healthy practice culture, which is shaped by leadership decisions about:

• Hiring: bringing in people who fit your values, not just your skill needs
• Supervision: providing clear expectations, feedback, and support
• Compensation: paying fairly and transparently
• Recognition: consistently noticing and reinforcing the right behaviors

It also means addressing problematic employees—even if they are clinically strong or have been with you for years. Protecting your culture protects your best people.

If you want help implementing these strategies or dealing with difficult team dynamics, Sharyn Weiss, M.A. offers coaching and consulting through Weiss Practice Enhancement.

And if your dental office needs staff, visit DirectDental to connect with qualified dental professionals.

Remember: recruitment fills seats, but retention builds a thriving practice.

- Schedule monthly one-on-one check-ins with each team member.
- Offer at least one specific, behavior-based recognition each day.
- Identify and address any toxic behaviors or gossip on the team.
- Ask each employee how they prefer to receive appreciation.
- Model acts of service by helping during peak stress times.
- Review compensation annually to ensure fairness and transparency.
- Celebrate small wins in morning huddles or weekly meetings.
- Document and follow through on employee suggestions when possible.