That future job is only a click away. (Dentalworkers).

If you've visited the ADAA website lately you may have noticed a new link to dentalworkers.com. This new link could be your connection to a new job or to finding the right employee for an opening in your practice.

In the not too distant past, looking for a job in the dental profession was fairly limiting; either you heard about an opening through word-of-mouth or you checked the local newspapers' classified ads. Employers faced the same challenges in reverse.

But an innovative service established by Dentalworkers.com has simplified the process and is providing an invaluable service. We're pleased that this new service is now available to ADAA members through the internet. The concept is simple. Prospective employees such as dental assistants, hygienists, and dental office personnel place their resumes online through the Dentalworkers website free of charge. Employers then pay for a classified ad giving them access to the contact information of resumes that match their ad.

Dentalworkers is a twist on similar popular services such as monster.com and hotjobs.com. The difference is that those services are for generic employment from a large variety of business types, but Dentalworkers is specifically targeted to the dental profession.

"We are unique in terms of focusing exclusively on the dental market, and understanding the frustration employees have in searching out the right job," says Cathy Price, Vice President of Dentalworkers. "We are also aware that there is a growing need for dental offices to find qualified candidates."

It was the realization that there could be a better way to make that job connection that led to the development of Dentalworkers in 2000. The company, based in Reno, Nevada, is experiencing tremendous growth, with traffic doubling every month.

For job seekers, Dentalworkers provides a quick, convenient and free way to let prospective employers view their resume. The process of creating and posting the resume is done entirely online and can be completed in less than 20 minutes.

The website's easy step-by-step process begins by connecting to http://www.dentalworkers.com and registering. While Dentalworkers is free for job seekers, a valid e-mail address is necessary to use the service. Dentalworkers does provide free e-mail service for those without (see the home page for information).

After registering, or logging in for returning users, job seekers then create their resume by answering a series of questions such as their personal information (name, address, phone number), geographic location, job type they are seeking, full- or part-time, experience, education and other pertinent employment information. Resumes can be changed and updated as often as necessary.

Job seekers also have the option of protecting their identity by selecting "Confidential" before posting their resume. This hides the person's name, contact information and current employer identity from the resume. Employers are still able to contact the job seeker via an anonymous e-mail sent through Dentalworkers.

Providing privacy online was a key issue in the development of the site according to Cathy Price. "We are extremely sensitive to the fact that not every job seeker wants their resume posted for the world to see, complete with their name and current job. For a variety of reasons, they may want to keep some of that information guarded up front. We've made that easy to do, while still allowing them to post a resume that contains the bulk of their experience and education. Then, if they do have interest in a particular opening, they can reveal the contact information to the prospective employer. It's a system we found works well for everyone involved."

After the resume is created, job seekers merely click a "Publish" button. Then the contents are reviewed and the contact information is verified by the Dentalworkers team. The resume is then either approved or sent back to the worker. Once it is approved, it is published on the website and made available for employers to view. The job seeker then needs to update the resume every 30 days or it is taken off the website. In addition, the resume is also e-mailed to potential employers on a weekly basis. "Dentalworkers is very diligent in sending us weekly updates of new resumes from workers looking for work in my area! I have used Dentalworkers repeatedly." Thomas Lee, DDS, Los Angeles.

Registered job seekers with a published resume also receive other benefits, such as the ability to search the site for job openings. They will receive newly posted job openings that match their resume, and their resumes are e-mailed directly to employers.

The benefits for employers are just as important as for those seeking employment. Price says employers who use Dentalworkers. com usually need to interview fewer candidates before finding the right person to fill a position than if they had placed a newspaper ad. She says that by shortening the time it takes to search for an employee, a dental office can maintain productivity and realize significant savings.

"Every time a hygienist's chair is vacant, there is no production to be had," Price says. "If there is not an efficient assistant helping the dentist, more time is taken to perform the procedures and turn over the operatory. This also hinders production. If there is not an efficient receptionist, the books are not being filled with patients."

Employers can also register at no charge and search and view the entire database of resume contents by geographic location and job type. By e-mail they also receive new resumes for their geographic area. However, registered employers need to pay for their classified ad placement which gives them access to receive name and contact information for the resumes that match their ad.

The cost to employers for placing their ad and receiving contact access to resumes matching their ad is $250 per month. This allows online exposure 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This provides a wider and more targeted reach than placing an ad in the local newspaper. It is also much cheaper, more efficient and produces faster results by directly matching and contacting candidates by e-mail.

"It is much better than a newspaper ad, it almost feels like a dating service ... I hired my dental hygienist within 10 days of placing my ad", said Sam Ciccarelli, DDS, Chicago.

Daniel Deleon, DDS, also from Chicago, said "We started interviewing within one week ... better response, more applicants, wider area of exposure than a newspaper ad."

Job openings posted on the site are available to be seen only by job seekers with a published resume. Price says "this policy is enforced to protect our clients. Clients will only receive e-mails from serious job seekers who are looking to be interviewed." For the job seeker, responding to an ad is as easy as clicking on a "Send My Resume" button that appears on each job ad.

Cathy Price feels that the click of a mouse has quickly become the way business is done in our society. It's becoming the way Dentalworkers is changing the model used for dental employment. The days of classified ads as the primary means to find a job or hire an employee are drawing to a close. Employees no longer need to wait for a newspaper to arrive to find the right job in the dental field. Employers don't have to spend time or added expense with newspapers, which don't reach a targeted applicant pool and can be a lot slower to reach job seekers.

It's Easy to Register!!

Go online to http://dentalworkers.com and register free as either a worker or an employer. Questions should be directed to [e-mail] or call 877-235-9855.

Are you being discharged from the Army in the near future?

Do you wish to remain in the dental field as a civilian? Post your resume on dentalworkers.com.