Career guide · Types of clinics and models
How to choose your dental clinic: the decision grid
After 990 questions, the decision remains. Here is a simple ten-criterion grid to objectively compare two or three clinics and choose the one that truly suits you.
What are the ten criteria of the grid?
1) Total compensation, 2) schedule and flexibility, 3) commute and location, 4) team and culture, 5) management and organization, 6) equipment and technology, 7) growth and training, 8) stability and projects, 9) values and type of clinic, 10) gut feeling during the visit. Rate each criterion from 1 to 5 for each clinic.
How do you weight the criteria?
Give each criterion a weight of 1 to 3 according to your situation: a mother of young children will give 3 to schedule and commute; a new graduate, 3 to team and growth; a dentist, 3 to compensation and projects. Multiply the score by the weight, add up: the clinic with the highest total deserves to be chosen, unless there is a red flag.
How do you assess total compensation?
Rate × guaranteed hours + premiums + value of benefits (insurance, RRSP, dental care, uniforms, training) − transport and parking costs. See Comparing two offers: total compensation for the detailed calculation.
How do you assess the schedule and the commute?
Schedule: does it match your ideal week, is it stable, posted in advance, changeable by swap? Commute: do it at the real time both ways and quantify it in time and money. A clinic 15 minutes away almost always wins this criterion.
How do you assess the team and management?
Visit, conversation with an employee, team seniority, turnover, management responsiveness (call-back time), clarity of answers on conflicts and schedules. See Recognizing a good team culture and The role of operations management.
How do you assess equipment and growth?
Equipment: year of the devices, digital, dedicated sterilization, ergonomics, software, online booking. Growth: examples of employees who progressed, paid training, projects (opening, specialists), ownership for dentists. A growing banner often scores points here.
How do you assess stability and values?
Stability: apparent financial strength, recent investments, long-term vision, succession plan. Values: type of clinic (family, 7 days, multidisciplinary), local involvement, visible respect for the team and patients. Choose a clinic you will be proud to talk about.
How much weight should gut feeling carry?
Real weight: your impression after the visit integrates hundreds of signals the grid does not capture. If the grid says yes and your gut says no, dig deeper before signing; if both say yes, go for it. If a red flag appeared (neglected sterilization, evasive management), it overrides the grid.
What if two clinics tie?
Ask for a second visit, ask the questions left unanswered, negotiate with each on your most important criterion and choose the one that answers fastest and most clearly. Responsiveness during recruiting predicts responsiveness during employment.
How do you use this grid with Go Dentiste?
Fill it in with information from our Careers, Team and About pages, then come visit Valleyfield or Vaudreuil-Dorion and meet Maryse Milton to complete the missing boxes. If the total and your gut say yes, applying takes two minutes.
Go further
- Comparing two offers: total compensation
- Clinic visit: what to observe
- Dental career guide: the 1,000 questions
- All positions at Go Dentiste
Sources and references
- CNESST — Labour standards in Quebec (brochure)
- Gouvernement du Québec — Dental hygienists: wages and outlook (IMT)
- Canadian Dental Association — Career options: key questions on associateships
Content prepared by the Go Dentiste team (Dr Dominic Morel-Maynard, general dentist and owner). Last updated: September 25, 2026. General information for guidance only: only an in-clinic exam can establish a diagnosis and a treatment plan suited to your situation.