How the Booking Wave System Works
By Eugene Bojé, Founder of Airlocum
Quick answer When a practice posts a shift, Airlocum doesn't notify all available locums at once. It sends notifications in timed waves, starting with the highest-scoring locums first. The higher your matching score, the earlier you're notified — and the more shifts you secure. New shifts open to the top 10 ranked locums immediately, then expand by 8 locums a minute (urgent) or 4 a minute (standard) until someone accepts. |
This guide explains exactly how the Airlocum booking wave system works, what affects your position in each wave, and the clearest steps you can take to get more dental locum shifts. Understanding the waves is the most direct way to improve your shift conversion rate.
Urgent Bookings (0–3 hours’ notice)
Urgent booking | How notifications are sent |
Wave 1 | Top 10 highest-ranked locums notified immediately |
Every minute after | +8 more locums added every minute until the shift is filled |
Closes when | A locum accepts — booking closes instantly, all pending notifications stop |
Standard Bookings (more than 3 hours away)
Standard booking | How notifications are sent |
Wave 1 | Top 10 highest-ranked locums notified immediately |
Every minute after | +4 more locums added every minute until the shift is filled |
Closes when | A locum accepts — booking closes instantly, all pending notifications stop |
⚡ What this means in practice
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How Your Wave Position Is Determined
Your position in each wave is set by your matching score — the same four factors that determine which locums are notified for any given shift. For a full breakdown of how each factor is calculated and how to improve it, see How Airlocum Matches Locums with Practices.
Scoring factor | Target | Impact on wave position |
Reliability score | 90%+ | Highest single factor — based on last 10 shifts |
Star rating | 4.5+ | Aggregated from practice reviews after each shift |
Distance | Closest match | Nearer to the practice = higher score for that shift |
Check-In engagement | Use every shift | Signals active commitment, contributes to overall score |
Why You Might Miss a Shift
Missing a shift does not mean anything went wrong. It means a higher-ranked or faster-responding locum in an earlier wave accepted first. The three most common reasons:
Wave position: you were notified in a later wave and the shift filled before your notification arrived.
Response speed: you were in the same wave as the locum who accepted but they responded faster.
Notification delay: if Airlocum is not on your home screen, your phone may delay the notification. Adding Airlocum to your home screen as a web app means notifications open instantly without loading through a browser.
📲 Add Airlocum to your home screen Opening a booking request notification through a browser takes longer than opening a home screen app. For urgent shifts where seconds matter, having Airlocum on your home screen can be the difference between securing the shift and missing it. See: How to Add Airlocum to Your iPhone Home Screen | How to Add Airlocum to Your Android Home Screen |
How to Know If You Got the Shift
✅ | Shift confirmed • Instant confirmation pop-up on screen • Confirmation SMS and email • Shift appears in your Bookings section |
❌ | Shift already filled • Message reads: "This shift has been filled by another locum" |
Frequently Asked Questions
How quickly do dental locum shifts fill on Airlocum?
Urgent shifts often fill within the first minute or two, because the top 10 ranked locums are all notified immediately and the booking closes the instant someone accepts. Standard shifts fill more gradually as the notification pool expands by 4 locums a minute.
How do I get into wave 1?
Wave 1 is the top 10 highest-ranked locums for that shift. You get there by keeping your reliability score at 90%+, your star rating at 4.5+, using the Check-In feature on every shift, and being within easy travelling distance of the practice.
Why didn't I get a shift I was notified about?
A faster or higher-ranked locum accepted first. The booking closes the moment anyone accepts, so all remaining notifications stop. It doesn't reflect badly on you — focus on staying in earlier waves and responding quickly.
Does responding faster actually help?
Yes. Within the same wave, the first locum to accept gets the shift. Adding Airlocum to your home screen so notifications open instantly is one of the simplest ways to respond faster.
Get into wave 1 and stay there
Your wave position is something you can control. Keep your reliability and star rating high, use Check-In on every shift, and make sure notifications reach you instantly.
Log in to your Airlocum profile to check your score and update your availability.
Support is available via live chat — just ask to speak to a person at any time.
