'Demands on leaders are higher than ever,' says Dentalcorp CPO

Post-pandemic talent wars, management burnout challenging HR

'Demands on leaders are higher than ever,' says Dentalcorp CPO

Nicola Deall, Chief People Officer at Dentalcorp, is leading the people strategy for one of Canada’s fastest-growing and best-managed companies.

"Growing to 10,000 team members across 600 locations in 13 years requires constant innovation in the way the people function operates, our structure and how we partner with the business to develop talent and create value," she told HRD.

For Deall and her team, enabling this growth means consistently adapting the HR operating model to meet the evolving needs of the business.

"The journey initially focused on basics—systems, processes, and policies," she explains. "It was about reorganizing the structure and investing in technology to make the people function efficient. Over time, we’ve evolved into a talent and learning organization that not only grows our people professionally but also impacts revenue generation. Our recruitment function, for example, has become so sophisticated that it’s almost like a practice optimization consulting house. Today we drive practice growth through recruitment."

Post-pandemic talent wars

One of the key drivers of Dentalcorp’s success is its culture, which Deall believes is the company’s greatest value proposition.

“Our entrepreneurial culture drives value by inspiring people to reimagine what's possible. That passion and energy comes alive in everything we do," she states. “It’s about innovating on how to get things done while keeping the environment fun and energized. Anyone who joins would tell you they feel it immediately. It’s a passion and energy that comes alive in everything we do, and I think that’s played a key role in why we’re considered one of Canada’s best-managed companies."

However, at Dentalcorp, the company’s rapid growth has not been without challenges. Deall pinpointed the talent shortage following the pandemic as one of the most significant hurdles her team has faced – a problem shared with many companies across Canada.

The post-pandemic talent shortage demanded innovative solutions. It was a once-in-a-generation shift. We saw a huge deficit in the number of available people for dental roles. In 2024, the government launched the CDCP, which is fantastic that more people have access to dental care, but it further strained the supply of talent.

“[To overcome this], we didn’t just focus on traditional recruitment levers like value propositions or job ads. There simply weren’t enough people available. So, we looked further up the funnel and created more supply in the industry. We also developed a winning campus recruitment strategy, which gave us first access to great talent, lobbied governments and colleges to see the number of industry graduates increase and started developing from within for key roles.”

And these efforts more than paid off. Dentalcorp’s recruitment strategy won the "Best Recruitment Strategy" award at HRD’s Canadian HR Awards, an achievement Deall describes as one of her proudest moments.

"That recognition was a game-changer," she HRD. "It validated our innovative approach and the hard work that went into addressing the talent shortage. When you join a high-growth organization like ours, the opportunity for personal development is unparalleled. The nature of our organization allows people to grow quickly. Many join for that culture and find themselves promoted over time simply because of the pace and opportunities available."

In addition to on-the-job growth, Deall revealed that Dentalcorp has formalized its development initiatives, particularly for clinicians.

“We have around 2,000 dentists and 2,000 hygienists, so ensuring continuous education is critical to patient care and quality," Deall added.

Dentalcorp established a learning institute that provides hands-on clinical education, team training, and professional development programs.

 "We issue continuous education credits not just to our team but to the entire industry. It’s everything from compliance training to skills expansion, like implant dentistry. Our faculty includes world-leading experts who travel across the country to teach. Continual training and skill expansion is a key differentiator for us as an employer."

‘Demands on leaders are higher than ever’

Looking ahead to 2025, Deall sees both opportunities and challenges. One of her priorities is addressing the tension between the fast pace of work and the need for leadership development.

"The external environment is changing rapidly, and the demands on leaders are higher than ever. Technology, burnout, and the pace of work create a need for leaders to think deeply and reflect. We need to slow down today to go faster tomorrow. That means carving out time for leadership development, difficult conversations, and alignment."

Here, Deall and her team are introducing new leadership programs and emphasizing in-person interactions.

"It’s about turning phones off and being fully present. Quality conversations and leadership development are critical for us to meet the challenges ahead," she says.

"We’re constantly reimagining what’s possible for our people and our patients. Whether it’s creating industry-leading recruitment strategies, offering unparalleled learning opportunities, or fostering a culture of growth, we’re focused on making a lasting impact."