Should a practice choose retained or contingency?

Retained for physicians, optometrists, administrators and any role where the pool is small and the cost of a long vacancy is high. Contingency for technicians, coordinators, front desk and support roles where candidates surface more readily and the practice wants to pay only on a hire.

What should a practice have ready for the scoping call?

A compensation range, the reporting line, the surgical or clinic volume the role supports, the EHR in use, and an honest account of why the position is open. Thirty minutes with the owner or administrator is enough.

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Hire the right surgeon, OD or administrator. Without the guesswork.

Q: What is the guarantee?

Retained: six months. If the candidate hired is terminated within six months of employment, Denali replaces the candidate at no additional fee. Contingency: a ninety-day guarantee period on every placement.

Denali Recruiting runs retained and contingency searches for ophthalmology and optometry practices nationwide. AI-targeted search finds candidates who are not on job boards. A recruiter who has worked inside eye care since 2002 screens every one before you see a name.

Request a scoping call Call (682) 831-0900

Retained or contingency, your choice
Six-month replacement guarantee on retained searches
Free to list a position on contingency

Ophthalmologist and practice administrator reviewing a hiring plan beside a slit lamp — Every search starts with the surgeon and the administrator.Scoping call, then a written agreement

What a search includes

Sourcing, screening and the paperwork nobody enjoys.

Everything below is part of a Denali search. You see finalists, not a résumé pile, and the recruiter stays on the hire through the first weeks.

AI-targeted sourcing

Your opening becomes a search profile. It is matched against Denali's candidate database and public professional data, then used to build targeted search, social and video audiences by specialty and market.

Direct outreach, starting in your state

Phone and personal outreach begins with physicians and staff who already have roots in your area, then widens. Many of the strongest candidates are working, not searching.

Recruiter screening

Every finalist is interviewed by the recruiter on Zoom or Google Meet, recorded with their permission. No phone screens. You get highlight clips from each interview, a plain written summary, and a straight answer about fit, compensation expectations and timing.

References, license and background checks

Comprehensive reference investigations, medical license verification and a motor vehicle record check on every candidate presented.

Offer and contract support

Help structuring the offer and working through contract negotiation so a good candidate does not stall at the last step.

Post-placement follow-up

A check-in with you and the hire after the start date. Coordinators and phone staff can be trained by Denali Creative before day one.

Two ways to engage

Retained for physicians and leadership. Contingency for staff.

Both are confirmed in writing before any candidate is contacted. The right one depends on how hard the role is to fill and how fast you need it filled.

Retained search

An active, dedicated search for the roles that run the practice.

Retained clients are the top priority. The recruiter works the search continuously, with the full AI-targeted sourcing and outreach behind it, until the position is accepted.

Best forOphthalmologists, optometrists, practice administrators, senior managers
Fee50% initiates the search. 50% is due when a candidate accepts your position.
GuaranteeSix months. If the hire is terminated within six months of employment, Denali replaces the candidate at no additional fee.
You getA dedicated recruiter, weekly updates, a finalist short list with written summaries, offer and contract support

Start a retained search

Contingency search

List the role at no cost. Pay only when a Denali candidate accepts.

Only qualified, interested candidates are presented, which saves interview time. There is no fee to list a position and nothing due unless you hire someone Denali introduced.

Best forOphthalmic technicians, surgical and refractive coordinators, front desk, support roles, per diem
FeeDue when a candidate presented by Denali accepts a position. Listing is free.
GuaranteeNinety days on every contingency placement.
You getScreened, interested candidates as they surface, with the same reference and license checks

List a position

Fee percentages are based on first-year compensation and are confirmed in the search agreement. Terms above reflect Denali Recruiting's standard engagement and may be adjusted for multi-position or multi-location searches.

How a search runs

What happens, and what we need from you, at each step.

Staff searches often move in weeks. Physician and administrator searches commonly take several months. The timeline is set on the scoping call, not promised up front.

1
Scoping call
Duties, surgical volume, lanes and techs per surgeon, EHR, compensation range, reporting line, and what went wrong last time.
From you: 30 minutes with the owner or administrator, and a current compensation range.
2
Agreement and search profile
Retained or contingency terms in writing. The scoping call becomes the search profile that drives AI-targeted sourcing and outreach.
From you: a signed agreement, and for retained searches, the initiating fee.
3
Search and screen
Database match, targeted campaigns, direct outreach starting in your state, then recruiter interviews, references, license verification and background checks.
From you: feedback on the first finalists within a few days, so the search can adjust.
4
Interview, offer, start
Interview scheduling, site visit coordination, offer structure, contract negotiation support and a post-placement check-in.
From you: a decision-maker available for interviews and a timely offer when the right person appears.

Why a specialist

What changes when the recruiter has worked in eye care.

A general healthcare staffing firm can fill a seat. Filling it with someone who understands premium lens conversion, co-management or a 40-patient clinic day is a different job.

General staffing firmDenali Recruiting

FocusAll of healthcareOphthalmology and optometry only

Who runs the searchAccount rep plus a sourcing teamThe founder, in ophthalmology since 2002

SourcingJob boards and résumé databasesAI-targeted search, eye care network, targeted ad campaigns

Screening questionsLicensure, availability, salarySurgical volume, subspecialty, EHR, clinic workflow, reporting line, culture

After the hireGuarantee periodGuarantee period plus Denali Creative phone and sales training for coordinators and front desk

Also available—Recruiting ads, careers pages and video, AI phone agents through Denali Creative

Roles we fill

Every seat in the practice.

Pick the role to start the form with it filled in.

Ophthalmologists cataract · refractive · retina · glaucoma · cornea · oculoplastics Optometrists associate OD · co-management · dry eye Administrators & managers administrator · clinic manager · growth manager Ophthalmic technicians COA · COT · COMT · scribes Surgical & refractive coordinators LASIK · premium IOL · patient counselor Front desk & support scheduling · optical · billing Per diem leave · surge · new location Something else optical lab · marketing · IT · ASC leadership

From practice owners

What surgeons say after the hire.

Denali Recruiting helped our practice find the most outstanding and experienced doctors and practice administrator. I would highly recommend them to anyone searching for a new recruiting firm.

Dr. Robert GladsdenNew Vision Laser Center

Paul Stubenbordt not only helped me find the right candidates, but his team at Denali Creative helped train them to their fullest potential.

Paul Cutarelli, MDCutarelli Vision

Paul and his team helped my practice with crucial interviews of fellows and associates throughout the years. His experience is an incredible asset to any practice.

Theodore Perl, MDCorneal Associates of New Jersey

Questions practices ask

Fees, guarantees, exclusivity and what to have ready.

If your question is not here, call (682) 831-0900 and ask.

How much does a search cost?

Fees are a percentage of the hire's first-year compensation and are confirmed in the search agreement. Retained searches are paid 50% to initiate and 50% when a candidate accepts your position. Contingency searches are free to list and the fee is due only when a candidate Denali presented accepts.

What is the guarantee?

Retained: six months. If the candidate you hire is terminated within six months of employment, Denali replaces the candidate at no additional fee. Contingency: a ninety-day guarantee period on every placement.

Should I choose retained or contingency?

Retained for physicians, optometrists, administrators and any role where the pool is small and the cost of a long vacancy is high. It gets a dedicated, continuous search. Contingency for technicians, coordinators, front desk and support roles where candidates surface more readily and you want to pay only on a hire.

Can the search be confidential?

Yes. Replacement searches and partner-track searches are often run without naming the practice until a candidate is a finalist. Tell us on the scoping call and the outreach is written accordingly.

How long does it take?

Staff and coordinator roles often fill within weeks. Optometrist, ophthalmologist and administrator searches commonly take several months, depending on subspecialty, location and compensation. A realistic timeline is set during the scoping call and revisited as the search learns.

What should I have ready for the scoping call?

A compensation range, the reporting line, the surgical or clinic volume the role supports, your EHR, and an honest account of why the position is open. Thirty minutes with the owner or administrator is enough.

Do you work with practices outside Texas?

Yes. Denali Recruiting places with practices across the United States and runs searches from Trophy Club, Texas, with on-site visits when a search calls for it.

Start a search

Tell us about the opening.

You hear back from the recruiter, not an auto-responder, to set up the scoping call. No candidate is contacted until terms are agreed in writing.

(682) 831-0900Monday to Friday, Central time

Book a call on the calendarPick a time that works. Opens Paul's HubSpot calendar.

Trophy Club, TexasSearches run nationwide