The Dental Jobs Diaries
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The Dental Jobs Diaries
Jim Hall's Vision for International Dentists: Exploring Clyde Munro's Overseas Explorer Program and Innovative Recruitment Strategies in Scotland
Curious about why Scotland is becoming a hotspot for international dentists? Join us as we sit down with Jim Hall, the visionary founder and CEO of Clyde Munro, who shares his pioneering efforts to welcome overseas dentists with the remarkable Overseas Explorer Program. Discover how this initiative offers a guaranteed first-year salary, comprehensive support, and a unique training experience to ensure a seamless and successful transition for dentists coming to the UK. Jim sheds light on the challenges of recruiting in certain parts of Scotland and the innovative strategies Clyde Munro is employing to overcome these obstacles. Plus, learn about their cutting-edge technological advancements and AI systems set to launch in 2024.
Looking to balance work and life in a new country? Our discussion also explores the flexible opportunities for overseas dentists within the Clyde Munro network, highlighting the ability to explore different locations and achieve a harmonious work-life balance. With a strong focus on training, skill development, and mentorship, Clyde Munro is not just a workplace—it's a supportive community that aligns with core values and fosters personal and professional growth. We also reconnect with our guest, Rino, reflecting on the importance of maintaining strong industry connections and hinting at more insightful conversations to come. Don't miss out on this engaging episode packed with insights and opportunities for dental professionals eyeing a fresh start in Scotland.
Welcome to the Dental Jobs Diaries podcast in association with DentalJobscom, a leading job board for dental professionals. Please sit back and relax and listen to some of the thought leaders across the dentistry sector.
Speaker 2:Hi everyone, welcome to a further episode of the Dental Job Stories in association with dentaljobscom. I'm over the moon to welcome our next guest back onto the show, jim Hall, founder and CEO of Clyde Munro. Jim, great to have you back with us almost a year since our first recording.
Speaker 3:Yeah, can't believe that. Yeah, Where's that gone In a flash? Yeah, In a flash.
Speaker 2:How has 2024 been for you so far?
Speaker 3:Yeah, good, it's been great. We've been very busy. We've been very fortunate that we've been able to roll out a number of new initiatives with particularly new technology, digital strategy and, in particular, ai systems that I'll actually talk a wee bit about more later. And then we've be working really hard to obviously add new dentists into the business. As everybody knows, there is a huge demand across the country for people to see a dentist, and we're doing everything we possibly can to make sure that we've got some great new dentists in Clyde and Rowe so that we can support families across Scotland.
Speaker 2:That's excellent. I'm particularly excited to share the Overseas Explorer Program that you guys come up with. So let's get into that. What has inspired Clyde Monroe to launch the Overseas Explorer Program? And, for the listeners, what you know. What is that?
Speaker 3:right so. So the overseas explorer program is really one part of a number of initiatives that we've on their way to attract new dentists and to develop our own dentists uh in, uh, clive monroe we. We have got, in a number of parts of the country, a real challenge in recruiting dentists, and families in those communities are desperate to be able to go to the local dentist and to get the care that they need and they deserve, and for both the adults in the family, but in particular for children. So as we look at the different initiatives that we are working on, it was clear there was an opportunity to look at some of the excellent clinicians that we have around the world that are keen to work in the UK and in Scotland and to look after patients across Scotland, and we felt what we needed to do was to learn a bit about what's worked and what hasn't worked in terms of making that a program that attracts overseas dentists to come in and work alongside our other clinical teams and look at what lessons we've learned when we've done it in the past. We haven't done a huge amount in the past, but we've done one or two programs there and we thought, right, well, what could we do to make this really work for the individual, what can we do to make it work for the teams they'll be part of and, of course, for the patients that will be looked after by the UDETs? And what became clear is that in order for it to be successful, you really need to invest in a program of support with their family in a different country, and to go in and just automatically sit in without giving them the right support just isn't successful. So we felt very strongly that there was an opportunity here to do something different, to do something that's well structured, that allows us to make it a success for everybody and a win-win for everybody. So that was the motivation behind it.
Speaker 3:We spent a long time working with our own clinicians, some of whom have had experience of working alongside overseas dentists before, whom have had experience of working alongside overseas dentists before, and we put together a very comprehensive program.
Speaker 3:The program will be delivered by our own clinicians.
Speaker 3:It will also be delivered by outside support as well, where we believe that's necessary, and there'll be a mixture of internal and external trainers.
Speaker 3:We will obviously utilize our unique training academy in Perth to carry out a lot of the training there and something that we believe will give the best chance of success for everyone. It starts off with a residential course where all of our overseas dentists that are going to start the program come together and they all start at the same time, which is good, because it then creates a network that people can use to support, to share experiences and to get information. So we start off with that residential period and course and then we move in through a whole year of structured training, all of which is done alongside a mentor. Each of the overseas dentists will have a very specific mentor in the practice where they're working that's there to support them and provide help to make sure they make the best use of that learning. So it's really a very practical approach to making sure that excellent clinicians can be absorbed into our system, integrated into our system and get the help and support they need to be successful.
Speaker 2:What sets this program apart from other dental training programs, particularly for international dentists. I mean you, you know you've touched on the point there you know having having a team start at the same time and that that creates bond, that creates a good um step in step into joining. That makes sense yeah, yeah so.
Speaker 3:So what sets it apart? I'm not aware of anyone else that's doing a program like this. There are groups that have got their own plans, but nothing like this. We're very fortunate that we have our own training academy, that we have our own dedicated clinician group who support our dentists across all the practices, and we're very fortunate that we are the lead group in Europe in terms of applying new technology, and all of that comes together to create quite a unique opportunity for overseas dentists to make a real success of their life in Scotland.
Speaker 3:So we believe it is pretty unique. The other thing we do is we want to make sure that their experience is one where they can focus on the clinical side, not worry about having to earn fees and get started with concerns around how do I learn, but build up enough patients to give me a living, if you like. So what we've done is we've got a guaranteed salary for them for the first year, which means that they don't have to be concerned about that. They can focus on the learning, the training, the patient care and building up their confidence to be able to earn very well for their families, going forward and provide the best possible patient care at the same time I mean, that's key, isn't it?
Speaker 2:you know, having that reassurance, uh, without the run around try and find patients, is obviously, you know, important. And again, you know, it just goes to show that you're always thinking, you're always coming up with initiatives and, more importantly, you know, you're thinking about the talent you're bringing in as well as obviously keeping clients in mind as well, patients in mind. Obviously, we've touched on a few things, but you know what kind of support and resources are provided to the, you know, to the dentist, throughout the year long program. We've touched on, you know, salary support and stuff like that. But but what else? I mean training, I guess lots of it yeah, yeah, well, there'll be.
Speaker 3:There'll be access to training, as I've talked about quite a specific course of training that's that's spanned out throughout the first year.
Speaker 3:Um, they will get, as I've said before, the a mentor to support them through that.
Speaker 3:But they'll also get access to a new AI technology and, in particular, to AI Peril second opinion, where they can utilize the software as quite simply, a second opinion to help them with, for example, how they diagnose the x-rays from the patient, so they will have that tool available.
Speaker 3:Help them with, for example, how they diagnose the x-rays from the patient, so they will have that tool available. We're also implementing another AI system called ChairSide, which helps with treatment planning and treatment patient notes, again for an overseas dentist. That will help them to be able to get really into the rhythm of how we do things, make sure that their notes are all that they can be and that their treatment plans are all that they can be through using this new technology, and that supplements the training and support that they will get from the individual practices where they work and, of course, from the central training program that's available. We also have an annual conference where all the dentists get together and again, we will, of course, be coming to that and that gives them a feeling of being part of a team, a wider team throughout Scotland. They will be able to understand what potential opportunities are there for them to grow and really feel that they are supported by a much bigger team, all with the same values of care and support for themselves and for patients.
Speaker 2:Isn't it amazing how far technology has come, even if we get back 12 months? You know you've mentioned chair-flying AI. We weren't talking about that last time, were we? It's just amazing how quickly these things evolve and you've got to adapt and put those into the business.
Speaker 3:Yeah, absolutely, and that's one of the things that we pride ourselves in that if there is technology there that we believe will help our clinicians to provide greater patient care and allow them to develop themselves further, then we make that investment. We have got the biggest integrated set of digital tools available and they're available to all our clinicians available and they're available to all clinicians, and that includes our VT trainers straight from university, our newly qualified dentists and our therapists, hygienists, as well as, obviously, the overseas dentists that come in through our overseas dental program.
Speaker 2:Obviously, we've touched on, obviously, the opportunity that exists for these international dentists, which is, you know, you guys have put a lot of thought into this and coming up the initiative is going to be, you know, very well received having the comfort of a, of a, of a patient such as yours, jim, the career growth and the development available for these individuals coming across. You know what is. What does that look like, year one year?
Speaker 3:well, really, you know, one of the things I say to all the dentists in clive monroe is you can be what you want to be in clive monroe, um, because there's so many opportunities there and we support our dentists. If our dentists want to go down a particular path and and they want to be involved in you know, for example, implants, or they want to get involved in orthodontics or endodontics, then we will support them all the way and it will be the same for the overseas dentists. Once the overseas dentist is comfortable, they're in and working the system, then all these opportunities will be there. I think the other thing I would say is, given that we are all over Scotland and we have opportunities across Scotland, it's a great chance for overseas dentists to come in and maybe try somewhere and try how they feel about living somewhere and knowing that they can always move somewhere else within the group as well, so that they have that flexibility, because it's quite a big challenge for someone coming overseas.
Speaker 3:Kick relevant, they've got a young family and trying to make sure that they pick the right part of the country where they want to live and be happy together. And you know we're going to support you know a huge number of people that live in that area with great patient care. So the opportunities there are to come in, to go and work somewhere to make sure they're happy with that. If they decide that they want to try somewhere different for the family, they're able to do that as well. If you want to learn to do, for example, adult ortho, then you'll have the opportunity to do that. And, of course, all of that as well as having the full access to all the digital equipment that's available and practical to use at the practice level.
Speaker 2:That's amazing. We touched on the training of it earlier. You've got your own academy, which is fantastic. How much time would they expect to be at that academy, and is there like a forecast of training and all those things? What does that look like for these guys?
Speaker 3:Yeah, so essentially we have the residential part of the course, where it will be at the academy, and then, throughout the year there's a number of training days and again, the majority of those will be held at the academy. But further to that, if they then decide that they want to further develop their skills, then the academy has a whole series of courses that we run for a year and, of course, working alongside their mentor, they can decide whether that's right for them and when it's right for them, so that they can access the fantastic facility we have there. So they would expect to be quite a lot of the time, you know, especially in the early period of climbing the rope, learning and developing their skills in that academy.
Speaker 2:Brilliant, clyde Munro. How do you ensure that international dentists align with you know the company's values and culture, because that's going to be important coming in right and getting them to align of how you work and everything else.
Speaker 3:I think you're absolutely right and that's the key to success. It's the key to success for the overseas dentists, but it's the key to success for the practices that they're working in as well. I think it's back to the support we give them from day one, where, you know, first of all I think the one thing that's really important as well we have at the end of January an assessment. The one thing that's really important as well we have at the end of January an assessment day where they can assess us and we can assess them. We say is this a relationship that will work? You know, we will, at that day, talk about the values we have and, you know, just discuss is there a match here in terms of how you want to do your work as a clinician and how you want to care for your patients?
Speaker 3:And that day gives both parties really a chance to make sure that there is a relationship that will work, that there is an alignment of our value set, and that's really important.
Speaker 3:And then, of course, when they come into the business, they are going to get support from our central clinical team and they'll get support from their mentor, but, more importantly, they'll get support from all the nurses in the practice, you know the other clinicians in the practice, regional support, and one of the things we pride ourselves in is that we all in Clyde Monroe strive to live, you know, and work together with a very high value set where you know we care for each other as well as you know, make sure you know our first and foremost priority is caring for our patients, but we also make sure we care for each other and I think you know, coming from overseas, many of the overseas dentists will have families that they will be bringing with them.
Speaker 3:That having that value set to work in and having the confidence that there are people there to care for you as well as you caring for your patients, I think is vitally important. I think it's critical and it's one of the things that we make sure everybody recognises that. You know this is a big step for someone coming to work in Scotland and it's a massive step bringing their family to Scotland and we need to be there for them if they need it, because it isn't easy to do that and the more support you get, both professionally but also from a caring environment, um, the easier it's going to be and the more successful it will be so. That's, for me, is extremely important you really do.
Speaker 2:You know you really do empower your uh, you know your firm right, you really empower people to be able to, you know, provide feedback. You know you, yeah, you allow that to be able to better the culture. That's really excellent, right, because the culture is obviously critical, as you say earlier. So, again, you know, anybody coming into a business like this has the reassurance that they can provide feedback, they can ask questions, they they're going to be supported as well, right, and whenever. When any anyone relocates to any part of the world, they need to understand that. You know they've got a company that supports them and has has that intelligence. That's, that's totally important building the company right, a hundred percent.
Speaker 3:Yeah, it's essential and that's the way that we we, the way that I've done it right from the very start, when we basically started this business nine years ago now, and I think it's important that everybody lives those values together and that we recognize each other as well when we do the right things and support each other. It's vitally important and it's just how we do things now at and support each other. It's, by the way, important and it's just how we do things now at Clydeborough.
Speaker 2:Absolutely, absolutely. It's fantastic. What advice would you give international dentists who are considering applying for the programme? I mean, there's lots of great things, but what advice from yourself?
Speaker 3:My advice is to make sure that they come and speak to us, and I think that's the important thing.
Speaker 3:We will be opening up the programme for dentists to start at the end of March next year.
Speaker 3:We will have what we call our assessment day, which is the day that they can come and speak to us and assess how we fit with what they're needing, and vice versa.
Speaker 3:I would encourage them to come to that day and talk to us, to learn more about the opportunity before. Even before that, I would encourage them to speak to joe and karen to Joe and Karen and the recruitment team to find out more about how this will work for them, to find out more about where in Scotland the opportunities lie for them to work, and they would be delighted to engage, to have those discussions and then, of course, to then come along and speak to us at the end of January and then, at that point, hopefully, we would love them to commit to then joining our program. Now we have got limited spaces, because one of the things that I wanted to make sure is that every single person on this program gets the right level of support, so we've limited it to five dentists so that we can make sure that each and every one of them gets their undivided support and the right level of support, so that we're not spreading our resources too thinly brilliant.
Speaker 2:It's absolutely brilliant. It's just, you know the the kind of the detail, the detail you guys go into is absolutely fantastic and also witness as well. We've worked closely with you for a couple of years now, so it's brilliant. Any international dentist wishing to take up an excellent opportunity with an organization that has a stellar reputation, they need to crack on and get something. So March is the deadline. I take it.
Speaker 3:Yeah, well, we'd like to put along at the end of January. So we need to get moving and then start at the end of March and we'll be ready to go with our first group in this course.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's brilliant. So, jim, we're obviously nearing the end to 2024. I know, before we came on, you mentioned it's been a busy, busy year. What respite have you got for the end of the year? Are you going to take it easy or are you going to keep going?
Speaker 3:Well, I've got well, I've had to take it easy. I don't know what that means. My wife said I don't know what it means to switch off, but yeah, I'm going to spend some time with my grandkids. I've got four grandchildren and they range from three to six, so you can imagine things are starting to build already in terms of the excitement, and it just makes Christmas all the more magical when you have your grandchildren at that age. It's just wonderful. So that's what I'll be doing over christmas and um, hopefully teaching a couple of them how to ride their bike that they get for christmas and um and spend time together and that's what it's all about at this time of the year. For me, it's fantastic to hear that's what it's all about at this time of the year for me.
Speaker 2:It's fantastic to hear that's fantastic to hear. Jim, I mean my daughter's five, so you can imagine things are extremely exciting now. And it snowed last week so she was thinking it's Christmas, you know. Well, We've got a few weeks left, you know that's right Up, you guys.
Speaker 3:I absolutely mean that. That's the thing, though they think it's Christmas already.
Speaker 2:You know, jim always a pleasure to hear your passion, your enthusiasm, yeah, and also, you know what you've achieved is fantastic and I think the opportunity for people coming in and I think the listeners will be, you know, I think they'll just be wowed by the kind of the detail.
Speaker 3:And that's what we want to do and I think, in terms of the people that are thinking about it, there's just a couple of things that we think about as well, because we want to get moving quite quickly now and we've got almost a year's worth of work to get this programme set up. Then there are a couple of things just for potential candidates to think about in terms of what we're looking for. Obviously, first and foremost, we're looking for the right person that will come in and make the most of life at Clyde Monroe and the access to all the training, the digital equipment and work well within our teams. But we really need them to be GDC registered and that is something that we need and it's open to candidates from Europe and from out with Europe internationally. Obviously, the EU candidate is a bit simpler for them to go through the process.
Speaker 3:If it's candidates out with Europe, we would like them to have done their ORE exam because, again, that allows us to move forward pretty quickly to support them, to get them really into the teams as quickly as we can and get them operating and supported by the teams and staffing to see our patients and, as I said before, we will be looking to have our initial discussions at the end of January and then we really want to get cracking as soon as we can around the end of March.
Speaker 3:And there's some wonderful places across Scotland Lewis where the candidates can live and work all the way from, you know, from the very north of Scotland down through into the cities, into some wonderful rural areas as well as Scotland, where it's a great place to live and bring up families. So there's opportunities for everyone, no matter what they're looking for in terms of their lifestyle, and I'm quite excited about welcoming a new team member to Clyde Monroe and I'm sure they'll bring a wealth of experience and a wealth of culture that will benefit all as well. And, yeah, I'm really excited about this.
Speaker 2:No, you should be. You should be, and I think there's going to be people out there that are going to relish this opportunity to work with a firm that provides support, have the intelligence to help as well in terms of relocating. All of those things matter to people. Rino, a pleasure to have you on again. Let's not leave it another 12 months. Let's been a pleasure to have you on again. Let's not leave it another 12 months. Let's try and make it six months next time. But it's great to have you with us and I look forward to catching up.