How Airlocum Works for Locums
Airlocum is a UK dental locum booking platform connecting dental professionals — nurses, dentists, hygienists, and orthodontic therapists — with over 1,600 practices booking each month across the UK. Registration is free. You set your own rate, choose your own schedule, and keep 100% of your hourly rate — Airlocum’s service fee is charged to the practice, not to you.
Free to register — no commission deducted | 100% of your hourly rate paid to you | 5-18 days to payment after timesheet approval |
Step 1 — Register and Set Up Your Profile
# | Step | What to do |
1 | Create your account | Go to airlocum.co.uk, click Quick Registration and select Locum. Registration is free and takes under 2 minutes. |
2 | Complete your profile | A complete profile is essential — practices can only book locums whose skills and availability match their shift requirements. Role and skills: dental nurse, dentist, hygienist, or orthodontic therapist. Add specialist skills such as conscious sedation, implant nursing, or orthodontic nursing. Certificates: upload relevant qualifications. These are shared securely only with practices that have booked you. Hourly rate: set the rate you want to work for. You can update this at any time. Travel distance: set the maximum distance you are willing to travel from your home location. Availability: keep this updated so you only receive requests for dates you can actually work. |
3 | Connect to Stripe | Link your bank account via Stripe — Airlocum’s payment partner. This is how your earnings are transferred after each completed shift. Stripe is free to set up and your bank details are never shared with practices. |
💡 A complete profile gets you more bookings Practices filter locums by skills, rate, distance, and availability before sending requests. A profile missing certificates, skills, or availability will simply not appear in relevant search results — even if you are the closest available locum. |
Step 2 — How Work Comes to You
You don’t apply for shifts on Airlocum — practices come to you. When a practice posts a shift that matches your profile, Airlocum’s algorithm scores available locums and notifies the best matches first.
Instant notifications: you receive an SMS and email the moment a practice sends you a booking request.
Accept or decline: you are never obligated to accept a request. Your schedule is entirely your own.
First notified, first opportunity: locums with higher reliability scores, star ratings, and engagement are notified earlier than lower-scoring locums.
No chasing required: once you accept, the booking is confirmed instantly. The practice is notified immediately.
⚡ How to get notified first Airlocum notifies the highest-scoring locums first for every shift. Your score is based on four factors: distance from the practice, reliability (last 10 shifts), star rating, and Check-In engagement. The fastest way to build your score as a new locum is to accept early requests consistently, complete every shift, and use Check-In before each shift. |
Step 3 — Complete the Shift
Check-In before you arrive: use the Check-In link approximately 60 minutes before your shift to let the practice know you’re on your way. This contributes to your engagement score.
Complete the shift professionally: the practice will rate you afterwards. Ratings directly affect how early you are notified for future shifts.
Submit your timesheet: at the end of the shift, submit your digital timesheet via the platform. The practice has 24 hours to approve it. If they take no action, it is approved automatically.
Step 4 — Get Paid
Once the practice approves your timesheet, payment is processed automatically. You never need to chase an invoice.
Payment method | When you are paid | How |
Practice pays by card | Within 5 days of timesheet approval | Direct to your Stripe-linked bank account |
Practice pays by invoice | Within 18 days of timesheet approval | Direct to your Stripe-linked bank account |
✅ You always keep 100% of your hourly rate Airlocum’s service fee is charged to the practice, not to you. The rate you set on your profile is the rate you receive — in full. You never pay commission, platform fees, or registration costs. |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Airlocum free for locums?
Yes. Registration is completely free and there are no commission deductions or platform fees. Airlocum charges a service fee to practices, not to locums. You receive 100% of the hourly rate you set on your profile.
How do I find dental locum work on Airlocum?
You don’t search for shifts — practices find you. Once your profile is complete and your availability is up to date, you receive instant SMS and email notifications when a practice sends you a booking request. You accept or decline each request as it suits you.
How quickly do I get paid after a shift?
If the practice pays by card, you receive payment within 5 days of timesheet approval. If the practice pays by invoice, payment arrives within 18 days of approval. All payments go directly to your Stripe-linked bank account. You never need to invoice the practice yourself.
Can I set my own hourly rate?
Yes. You set your own hourly rate on your profile and can update it at any time. The rate you set is the rate you receive in full — Airlocum does not deduct commission.
What happens if I need to cancel a booked shift?
If you need to cancel, do so as early as possible via the platform. Late cancellations affect your reliability score, which is calculated from your last 10 shifts and determines how early you are notified for future booking requests.
What types of dental locum roles can I find on Airlocum?
Airlocum has over 1,600 practices booking each month across the UK, covering dental nurses, receptionists, dentists, dental hygienists, and orthodontic therapists. Practices filter by specific skills including conscious sedation, implant nursing, orthodontic nursing, and intra-oral scanner proficiency.
Ready to get started? Register free at airlocum.co.uk — select Quick Registration → Locum. Support is available via live chat at any time — ask to speak to a person for direct assistance. Email: [email protected] | Phone: 07716 580305 |
