The Most Powerful Retention Tool in Dentistry Costs Nothing

When was the last time you truly felt appreciated?

Whether you’re the practice owner, the newest team member, a parent, or a friend, we all need to feel like what we’re doing matters. Otherwise…why do it?

That’s especially true in dentistry.

We spend our days anticipating everyone else’s needs. We notice the nervous patient before they say they’re anxious. We grab the suction before the doctor asks. We stay late to finish sterilization, call a patient back, or make sure tomorrow’s schedule is ready. We get really good at taking care of everyone else and sometimes forget that we need something too.

Not a pizza party.

Not a coffee gift card.

Not even a raise.

We need to know that someone notices.

A few years ago, I received an email from the dentist I worked with. It wasn’t long. It simply thanked me for the work I had been doing around the office. He mentioned the hours I’d spent creating new protocols, getting the team on board, and improving our systems. He pointed out specific things I had done and genuinely thanked me for the effort.

I was honestly caught off guard by how much that email meant to me.

This wasn’t a dentist who never said thank you. Quite the opposite. At the end of nearly every day he’d thank the team before heading home. I already knew he appreciated me.

But seeing those words in writing…that hit differently.

I remember reading it to my family over dinner that night. I even shared it in a dental hygiene Facebook group because it meant that much.

The comments poured in.

“I wish my boss would do that.”

“I’ve never received anything like that.”

“I’d probably cry.”

The email probably took him five minutes to write. The impact lasted much longer.

Suddenly the extra projects didn’t feel like extra work. Waterline testing didn’t feel like one more thing on my list. Writing protocols didn’t feel like something nobody noticed.

It all felt purposeful.

And appreciated.

Appreciation Isn’t Just Nice. It’s Smart Business.

The hiring landscape is challenging.  According to the ADA Health Policy Institute, only about 60% of dentists report having enough hygienists on staff, and among practices trying to hire, more than 90% say recruiting a hygienist is very or extremely difficult.

The good news? DentalPost’s 2026 Salary Survey suggests things are beginning to stabilize. Nearly three-quarters of hygienists say they plan to stay in their current position, and 71% report they’re happy in their current role. The survey also found that hygienists value flexibility, trust, autonomy in clinical decisions, and strong relationships with their team just as much as compensation.

Think about that for a minute.

We spend a lot of time talking about wages, signing bonuses, and recruiting. Those things absolutely matter.

But people don’t stay because of salary alone.

They stay where they feel trusted.

They stay where they feel respected.

And they stay where they feel appreciated.

Appreciation Isn’t Pizza

Don’t get me wrong. I love tacos, donuts, and office lunches as much as anyone.

But appreciation isn’t a catered lunch during Dental Hygiene Week.

Real appreciation is specific.

It’s saying, “I noticed you stayed late to make sure Mrs. Smith understood her treatment.”

It’s, “Our sterilization process is so much smoother because of the work you’ve put into it.”

It’s, “Patients constantly tell me how comfortable you make them feel.”

Those moments don’t cost anything.

Yet they remind people that what they do matters.

That’s the kind of appreciation people remember.

It Goes Both Ways

It’s easy to read an article like this and think, “I wish my boss would do that.”

Maybe they should.

But I don’t think appreciation only belongs at the top.

Some of the most meaningful compliments I’ve ever received have come from assistants, front office teammates, and fellow hygienists.

Tell the assistant you noticed how prepared your room always is.

Tell the front desk team you appreciate how they handled an upset patient.

Tell your doctor you appreciate that they trust your clinical judgment.

None of us hear those things often enough.

The Best Investment You’ll Ever Make

Richard Branson famously said, “Train people well enough so they can leave. Treat them well enough so they don’t want to.”

That quote feels especially relevant in dentistry today.

Practices spend thousands of dollars recruiting, onboarding, and training new team members. Yet one of the most effective retention strategies costs absolutely nothing.

Take five minutes.

Send the email.

Write the note.

Say the words out loud.

Be specific.

Because the person you encourage today may be the very person who chooses to stay tomorrow.

In a profession where recruiting is still one of the biggest challenges we face, appreciation isn’t just good leadership.

It may be one of the smartest investments a practice can make.

Want your voice heard?  The 2027 Salary Survey is open right now!