---
title: "What Is Dental temp? Dental Practice Glossary | Copeland Consulting Services"
description: "A temporary hygienist, assistant or other team member who works for a short time to cover a gap caused by leave, illness, a vacancy or a busy period."
url: https://joncopeland.multisites.ai/glossary/dental-temp
publisher: Copeland Consulting Services
email: drcopeland@joncopelanddds.com
contact: https://joncopeland.multisites.ai/contact
---

Team and HR

# Dental temp

A temporary hygienist, assistant or other team member who works for a short time to cover a gap caused by leave, illness, a vacancy or a busy period.

A dental temp is a hygienist, assistant or other team member who works for a short time to cover a gap. Reasons can include leave, illness, a vacancy or a busy period. Temps may work through an agency or directly for the office.

Vacancies matter because the ADA Health Policy Institute estimates that vacant positions in dental assisting and dental hygiene have reduced dental practice capacity by an estimated 10% nationally. Short-term coverage is one way offices respond.

Employment status can vary. The tax and legal treatment of a temp may differ, so see [independent contractor](https://joncopeland.multisites.ai/glossary/independent-contractor) for how law treats that label. A temp is one tool within [dental staffing](https://joncopeland.multisites.ai/glossary/dental-staffing). This entry is a general definition, and it endorses no service.

[Next stepPractice consulting with Dr. Copeland](https://joncopeland.multisites.ai/contact?topic=consulting)

## Related terms

-   [Dental staffing](https://joncopeland.multisites.ai/glossary/dental-staffing)
-   [Dental recruiting](https://joncopeland.multisites.ai/glossary/dental-recruiting)
-   [Independent contractor](https://joncopeland.multisites.ai/glossary/independent-contractor)
-   [Dental hygienist](https://joncopeland.multisites.ai/glossary/dental-hygienist)
-   [Dental assistant](https://joncopeland.multisites.ai/glossary/dental-assistant)

## Sources

1.  [ADA Health Policy Institute, Dental workforce shortages: Data to Navigate Today's Labor Market](https://www.ada.org/-/media/project/ada-organization/ada/ada-org/files/resources/research/hpi/dental_workforce_shortages_labor_market.pdf)

## Talk with Dr. Copeland

[Contact Dr. Copeland](https://joncopeland.multisites.ai/contact)[Email](mailto:drcopeland@joncopelanddds.com)