Best dental staffing agencies in 2026
What the main dental staffing platforms charge dental offices, taken from their own published pricing pages in September 2026, and who each one suits.
Published pricing, September 2026
Taken from each company's own pricing page in September 2026. Where a company does not publish rates, that is noted rather than estimated.
| Company | Published office pricing | Employment model | Terms |
|---|---|---|---|
| Teero | 12% service fee per shift, plus W-2 employment costs | W-2 employees | Permanent placements always free. No subscription or minimum. 24-hour fee-free cancellation |
| Kwikly | 15% service fee per shift, plus W-2 employment costs. $60 per shift for assistants and front desk | W-2 employees | Permanent placement priced separately, not published. No subscription or minimums. Shifts cancelled inside 24 hours are billed in full |
| GoTu | 22.5% of the professional's shift rate. W-2 shifts add 20% of professional pay. $60 assistants, $70 front desk, $300 associate dentists | 1099 by default, W-2 optional | Permanent placement fee varies by circumstance. Cancellation terms not published |
| onDiem | Flat 25% for ADA members, with a $25 rebate on each of the first 20 shifts. Standard rate not published | W-2 employees | Permanent placement free. No subscription fees or long-term contracts |
| Princess Dental Staffing | $139 a month for temps, $259 for all access. No hiring fees | Your office is the employer | No hiring fees on top of the subscription. 14-day free trial, cancel any time, charged per office |
| Toothio | Not published. Quoted by location | Contractors under its terms; professionals can opt for W-2 | No subscriptions or upfront charges. Free temp-to-permanent hire |
| Cloud Dentistry | Not published. Quoted after a walkthrough | Mostly 1099 | Free to create an account. Permanent placement not published |
| Clipboard Health | Hourly rates by location, quoted | 1099 contractors | Quoted per practice |
What a shift actually costs, all in
A service fee is not the price. Every W-2 platform also passes on the employer payroll costs for the shift, and those are statutory: FICA, FUTA, state unemployment and workers’ compensation. They are what turn a 12% fee into a low-twenties percentage, and they are the part most quotes leave out. The number worth comparing is the total above the hygienist’s hourly rate.
| Company | Service fee | W-2 employer payroll costs | Total above the hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Teero | 12% of the hygienist’s hourly rate | 8-12% statutory, varying by state | About 20-24% |
| Kwikly | 15% of the hygienist’s hourly rate | Not published by Kwikly. Offices that moved to Teero report 12-15% | About 27-30% on those reports |
| GoTu | 22.5% of the professional’s shift rate | An additional 20% of professional pay on W-2 shifts, published | 42.5% |
| onDiem | 25% flat for ADA members; standard rate not published | Not published separately | Not published |
| Princess Dental Staffing | $139 to $259 a month, by plan | Your practice is the employer, so payroll costs are yours directly | Subscription, plus your own payroll costs |
| Toothio, Cloud Dentistry, Clipboard Health | None of these publishes both a service fee and an employment cost, so no all-in figure can be worked out from their own material. | Not published |
Service fees are quoted from each company’s own pricing page, checked September 2026. W-2 employer payroll costs are statutory (FICA, FUTA, state unemployment and workers’ compensation) and vary by state. Kwikly publishes a 15% service fee and states that W-2 employment costs are added, but does not publish that rate; the range shown is what offices that moved to Teero have reported paying, not a figure published by Kwikly.
Two of the three publish both halves. Teero charges 12% and passes the statutory payroll costs through at 8-12% depending on the state. GoTu publishes 22.5% and adds a further 20% of professional pay on W-2 shifts, which is where 42.5% comes from. Kwikly publishes the 15% but not its employment cost, so the figure above gives them the benefit of the doubt. Ask them for their number before you compare.
None of this counts permanent placement. If you hire a temp onto your own payroll, Teero charges nothing, at any point, however many shifts they worked first. Most others treat it as a placement and bill for it, and several do not publish what they charge.
Who each one suits
Only five of these companies publish a rate, split between per-shift percentages and monthly subscriptions, so the headline number rarely compares like for like. Read the employment column alongside the fee: a percentage on a 1099 marketplace and a percentage on a W-2 employer are not the same purchase.
Kwikly
The closest comparison to Teero: a percentage per shift on top of W-2 employment costs, so the two are directly comparable at 15% against 12%. Kwikly also staffs assistants and front desk at $60 a shift, which suits an office that wants one platform for every role.GoTu
The largest marketplace and the broadest: hygienists, assistants, front office and associate dentists. Offices browse and book themselves. The published 22.5% applies to 1099 shifts; choosing a W-2 shift adds 20% of professional pay on top, so the employment model changes the price rather than just the paperwork.onDiem
W-2 like Teero and Kwikly, with a flat 25% published for ADA members and a $25 rebate on each of the first 20 shifts. The standard rate for non-members is not published. No subscription and no long-term contract.Princess Dental Staffing
A different model entirely: a monthly subscription at $139 for temps or $259 for all access, with no hiring fee, and your office employs the professional directly. That suits a practice with the admin capacity to screen, hire and payroll, and it means the employment obligations sit with you rather than the platform.Toothio, Cloud Dentistry and Clipboard Health
None of these publish a rate for dental offices. Toothio quotes by location behind a form, Cloud Dentistry quotes after a walkthrough, and Clipboard Health quotes hourly rates by location. Toothio’s terms describe its professionals as contractors, though professionals can opt for W-2; Cloud Dentistry and Clipboard Health work with contractors. If you are comparing on price you will need each of them on a call.Where Teero fits
Teero is hygienist-only and W-2: we source, vet, employ and payroll every hygienist, and the fee is 12% per shift plus W-2 employment costs, against Kwikly’s 15% and GoTu’s 22.5%. The difference that compounds is permanent placement. Hiring a Teero hygienist onto your team is always free, where most platforms price a conversion or direct-hire fee separately and several do not publish what it is. Like Kwikly, there is no subscription and no minimum. The specialisation is the point: one role, deeply vetted, rather than a marketplace across every position in the practice.
Detailed comparisons
Service fees are not the total shift cost: professional pay and applicable W-2 employment charges are additional. Competitor pricing checked September 18, 2026; confirm current terms for your location.
Teero vs GoTu
12% vs. 22.5% service fee — Teero charges a 12% hygienist service fee; GoTu publishes 22.5%. Teero hygienists are W-2 employees, with W-2 employment costs added separately. GoTu offers contractor and W-2 shifts depending on location and adds employee fees when applicable.Teero vs Kwikly
12% vs. 15% service fee — Teero charges a 12% hygienist service fee versus Kwikly’s published 15%. Both employ professionals as W-2 employees and add W-2 employment costs. Found a great fit through Teero? Hire them permanently for $0. Ask Kwikly for its current permanent-hiring terms.Teero vs Cloud Dentistry
Subscription access vs. per-shift service — Cloud Dentistry charges for subscription access: your team searches profiles and books professionals. For W-2 bookings, your office handles employment and payroll; eligible other bookings can use Cloud Direct Pay for a fee. Teero has no subscription: pay a 12% service fee plus W-2 employment costs per shift, with Teero handling employment and payroll.Teero vs Toothio
Published fee. Free permanent placement. — Teero publishes a 12% service fee, plus W-2 employment costs. Toothio requests your location for pricing and does not list a standard service-fee percentage on its public pricing page. Teero permanent placement is $0. Toothio also advertises free temp-to-permanent hiring; its Mel recruiting service is a separate offering.Teero vs Princess Dental Staffing
Monthly access vs. managed staffing — Princess publishes $139/month for Temps Only and $259/month for All Access, before professional pay. Your office selects candidates and pays them directly. Teero has no subscription and handles W-2 employment and payroll, charging a 12% service fee plus W-2 employment costs per shift. Both offer hiring without a placement fee.Teero vs OnDiem
W-2 staffing, with different role coverage — Both Teero and onDiem employ professionals as W-2 employees and handle payroll. Teero focuses on dental hygienists, with a 12% service fee plus W-2 employment costs and $0 permanent placement. onDiem also staffs dentists, assistants and front-office professionals, and offers SafePay for temps your practice brings to the platform.Teero vs Clipboard Health
Hygiene-focused staffing vs. broader dental coverage — Teero specializes in W-2 dental hygienists, with a published 12% service fee plus W-2 employment costs and free permanent placement. Clipboard Dental connects offices with hygienists, assistants and dentists, and offers features such as live arrival estimates and dedicated account support. Compare local availability and request Clipboard’s full shift quote alongside Teero’s itemized costs.
Common questions
Among platforms that publish a rate, hygienist fees run from 12% to 25% of the professional's pay, and the model varies: Teero is 12% plus W-2 employment costs, Kwikly 15% plus W-2 employment costs, GoTu 22.5% with a further 20% of pay for W-2 shifts, and onDiem a flat 25% for ADA members. Princess Dental Staffing charges a subscription of $139 or $259 a month. Toothio, Cloud Dentistry and Clipboard Health do not publish rates.
On a W-2 platform the company employs the professional and carries payroll taxes, workers' compensation and liability. On a 1099 marketplace the professional is a contractor, and more of the compliance question sits with your practice. Teero, Kwikly and onDiem employ W-2. GoTu is 1099 by default with a W-2 option that costs more. Toothio's terms describe its professionals as independent contractors, though its sign-up page lets professionals choose W-2; Cloud Dentistry and Clipboard Health work with contractors.
It depends on the platform. Teero charges nothing to hire a hygienist permanently and Princess charges no hiring fee on top of its subscription. Several others price permanent placement separately and do not publish the figure, so ask before you book a shift with someone you might want to keep.
Ask for the full cost of a shift, including the professional’s pay, service fees, payroll-related charges and any subscription or cancellation fees. Compare quotes for the same role, location and shift length, and confirm which charges are included before booking.
Yes. Teero allows your practice to hire a hygienist permanently without a placement fee. When evaluating other platforms, check their current conversion fees and any restrictions on direct hiring.
Teero connects dental practices with vetted dental hygienists. Check the service areas page or contact our team to discuss coverage for your practice.
Availability depends on your location, shift date, hours and offered rate. Post your shift as early as possible and contact Teero if you need help with urgent coverage.
Yes. Teero is the largest W-2 employer of dental hygienists in the U.S., and more than 5,000 offices partner with us across our staffing and insurance services.
