Building Bigger Smiles in Dentistry!
Delivering the Difference: TTM Dental
Here in Ireland, we have a proud tradition of excellence in the highly specialised field of dentistry. At TTM, we’ve seen the opportunity of this exciting career in Ireland to our candidates in Ireland, the UK and the EU – combining a rewarding career path within the public and private sectors, with the advantages of working and living in Ireland.
TTM Dental was introduced as part of our Allied Health Professionals division – and here we chat with AHP Team Leader, Ruth Barry, to find out exactly how the division is helping to put bigger smiles on the faces of dental professionals from around the world.
Q.Tell us a little about your own journey Ruth…
A.I joined TTM Healthcare four years ago, moving over from a sales background. I started sourcing candidates for the AHP team and in 8 weeks I had sourced and placed 3 candidates into permanent roles. I quickly moved up to the position of AHP Team Leader – handling recruitment including Pharmacists, Occupational Therapists and Physiotherapists. We soon saw that there was a need to assist Dental professionals in particular – and in 2017 TTM Dental was born.
Q.Who do you assist and from which countries do you recruit?
A.We help dentists, dental nurses and hygienists find the right positions here in Ireland. We have candidates nationwide and coming from a wealth of different countries, including the UK, France, Spain and Germany.
Q.In what parts of the dental industry are your candidates being placed?
A.We assist with available positions in the Public Dental Service - linking in with the HSE to place candidates in Waterford, Carlow, Limerick and Clare. We also source locums for the defence forces in Athlone, Kildare and Dublin. We work with several very large private dental clinics - placing orthodontists, oral surgeons, implantologists and endodontists – and we also partner with several smaller, independent clinics. Candidates know we offer a great variety of opportunities.
Q.What’s the first thing that happens when a candidate expresses an interest in working in dentistry?
A.We invest a lot of time up front to get to know exactly what each candidate is looking for. We’ll talk about the kind of role they want, the level of salary and where in Ireland they would like to work. We’ll also discuss whether they are looking to work in general dentistry or specialise in a particular area.
Q.What is important at this stage of the process?
A.Communication. Communication. And communication! We make sure that candidates know exactly where they are in the process and what is happening. It’s about keeping the lines of communication open between candidate and the client.
Q.What sort of useful information do candidates look for?
A.Many candidates come to us with the intention of working in Dublin – often this is because they want to be close to the airport. So many candidates aren’t aware that Cork and Shannon provide the same proximity to an airport, and accommodation is much more affordable. These are the kind of options we look at together – weighing up what areas could work for them, the lifestyle they are looking for, and whether they might want to split their time between centres. For example, an orthodontist might work 3 days a week in Limerick then travel up to Dublin to work for a further 3 days – for substantial savings in rent while enjoying work variety.
Q.What’s the secret ingredient?
A.It’s simple really – like everyone at TTM Healthcare, we’re about PEOPLE-FIRST. Our candidates don’t just ‘know’ they’re on our books – they ‘feel’ it – through constant communication, total perseverance on our part and real dedication to finding them what they’re looking for. Our candidates know that if they need to, they can call us and we’ll help them. At the end of the day – it’s about people, relationships and opportunities.