The route should follow the vacancy shape: immediate cover, long-term growth, team stability or specialist support.
Locum dental hiring works best when dates, location, rate, hours and responsibilities are clear. It is useful for sickness cover, holiday cover, short-term clinic gaps, urgent dentist sessions and temporary support while a permanent search continues.
The mistake is using locum cover to disguise an undefined role. If the dates, rate or expectations are vague, suitable professionals will hesitate or ask the same questions repeatedly.
Permanent hiring needs more than availability. It needs motivation, culture fit, commute reality, pay expectations, development path and confidence in the practice setting. A permanent dentist, dental hygienist, dental therapist or dental nurse will usually want to know how the role will feel after the first month, not just what the advert says.
That means the vacancy must be strong enough to hold attention: salary or rate route, rota, Saturdays, equipment, support, training, leadership and interview process should be ready before promotion.
A practice may need locum cover to protect clinic capacity while the permanent search runs quietly. In that case, the ATS should keep the two pathways distinct: locum bookings need diary, confirmation and rate clarity; permanent search needs screening, consent-led representation and interview readiness.
The cleaner the vacancy data, the easier it is to match the right professionals and avoid introducing people who are available but not suitable.