Dentists Hire Too Fast and Fire Too Slow

Dental schools are filled chocker-block full of curriculum, leaving precious little time at the completion for the information required to actually run a successful practice. If you were opening your doors right out of school (uncommon but not unheard of) the suppliers will of course assist you in choosing equipment, expensive cabinetry, and other incidentals to hang out your shingle.

The biggest impediment to success is on the HR side of the equation. When we evaluate a practice the biggest task is to interview each team member and determine who does what. It is common to find ‘mis-matches’ in terms of task delegation. If we ask why an individual was hired for a position the answers range from ‘she was my former babysitter’ to ‘she is from my home town’. You wouldn’t tackle a brand new clinical procedure without training or some experience, but every single day dentists hire key team members based on ‘gut’ feelings. Frequently when we are consulted, the dentist has some misgivings about one or more employees’ ability to adequately manage their duties, and it turns out he or she inherited that employee or they were hired in a pinch because they made the usual promises about being trained and experienced. References are rarely checked out, and those who really have something to hide are relatively skilled at coming up with excuses why you cannot call the last/existing employer. One receptionist we met has criminal court charges for fraud pending, yet still answers every dental ad we place claiming to be ‘temping’ because her previous dentist retired. Well – that was 5 years ago before her big insurance fraud.

A ‘wrong’ hire can and will cost your business (and a practice is first and foremost a business – just ask your lender) in the area of $150,000 per year. This is easily proven, particularly at the front end. That individual is the spokesperson for your practice – and influences prospective patients immeasurably. In fact, 70% of the decision making process is made while on the telephone or in the front office – prior to even meeting you, the dentist. If the image projected is not friendly, likable, and professional – you don’t get to perform advanced dentistry. Save yourself some grief – only hire front end help who are computer savvy (and test them!). If you have misgivings about a team member – chances are you have waited 12-24 months too long to allow them to be happier elsewhere. No employee is better than a poorly selected one – and it is not fair to everyone else on your team to carry any dead weight.

Technorati Tags: dentist, incidentals, receptionist, team member