The way that professionals work has evolved drastically over recent years, and dental professionals are no exception.
Dental offices have shifted from operating with a team of regular employees to increasingly incorporating independent contractors or temping staff.
An independent contractor is someone who is contracted to do a specific job and provide services and is not an employee in that office. You bill for your service at the hourly rate you've agreed to upon completion provide an invoice to collect your payment. There may or may not be tax deductions of those services and that is dependent on the office and their accounting set up for independent contractors.
This has allowed businesses to scale staffing to their needs, while allowing independent dental professionals to find freedom, flexibility, and fulfillment in their career.
Whether you’re a dental professional looking to supplement your income, or you’re looking to shift to independent entirely, here are just some of the great benefits we’ve seen first-hand for our members at TempStars.
Working as an independent contractor requires that you to obtain your authorization to self-initiate seal from the College of Dental Hygienists of Ontario (CDHO). The following link details the requirements for self-initiation.
Once you have obtained your seal, you may consider opening your own dental hygiene clinic or operating a mobile dental hygiene service.
1. Have control over your own schedule
One of the best things about being an independent contractor is the flexibility! When you are your own boss, you have the freedom to make your own schedule. Choose which days you want to work and which days you’d like off. You have the freedom to shape your schedule to fit your lifestyle. Whether you want to work every day and save money or only work weekdays to be home for your kids on weekends. It’s your dental career and your choice!
2. Set your own pay rate
Independent contractors have the freedom to set the pay rate they want from each contract or shift. With TempStars, dental hygienists and assistants set their own hourly rate, giving members autonomy over their salary. When you have the power to negotiate a rate that is fair to you, there is no room for confusion and disappointment!
3. Grow professional connections
While shifts for independent contractors may be temporary, the connections made will last forever! TempStars hygienists and assistants have found dental offices they’re eager to return to time and time again. Many members have even moved into full-time positions with dental offices they found through temping. Whether you enjoy the variety of new workplaces and teammates every day, or you’re hoping to stumble upon the right fit for you long-term, temping is the way to get your foot in the door(s)!
4. Feel respected and empowered
Being your own boss is very empowering as it lets you take full reign over your own career. As a consequence, you have the power to only work with offices that make you feel respected and appreciated. You have the opportunity to find workplaces where you belong and feel valued. At TempStars, we believe strongly in contributing to making the dental profession a better place and that starts with respect for one another.
5. Return to work at your own pace
A benefit especially relevant to the year 2020 is the freedom to return to work at your own pace. Many dental professionals are being called back to work and may not be ready to go back. Independent contractors do have the flexibility to return when they’re ready. And they can take as few or as many shifts as they want while the world industry reopens. In non-COVID times, this flexibility also leaves room for professionals to take breaks to tend to their health and wellness.
All in all, we at TempStars think being an independent contractor has many benefits.
Ontario Laws for independent contractors
Editors note: The legal and tax classification of “independent contractor” has requirements and nuanced criteria – be sure to consult employment and tax experts for specific advice and clarification.
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