Page 66 - The Dental Entrepreneur

The Dental Entrepreneur

Online Resources?
As popular as doing everything online is, I think this can be a real mine field and time waster. I
would only pursue this after you have exhausted my previous suggestions and also any
potential personal recommendations from your personal circle that you have a trusting
relationship with.

One recommendation. Any posting should include a short series of straight forward instructions
to follow for the potential contact and interview. If a person can not follow simple instructions,
You may disqualify on that basis alone. I have also spoken to someone recently that asked
potential hires to submit a short video that addresses a short series of questions. I love that.
They have to prove they reasonably tech savvy, can follow instructions, and you can also
measure their their personal skills. Great time saver.

What are The Desired Characteristics of Staff Members?

The two most important characteristics of a potential superstar staff member are twofold. One
who aspires to take responsibility and secondly a very outgoing personality. There are a
multitude of people in the workplace who dislike responsibility and you must screen to
perfection here. People who are really hung up on job descriptions may well be leaning in that
direction. They want their job sharply defined so they know the limits and particularly what they
do not have to do. Dentistry does not work that way. In dentistry, personnel should be highly
cross trained. What that means is that they are capable and willing to do anything that has to
be done. Your receptionist must be willing to suction in a pinch, the assistant should know
proper telephone protocol in case she needs to answer the phone occasionally. These types of
people enjoy having diverse responsibilities and immediately react when something needs to
be done without being told to do so. That is what is meant by being a self starter. They are
alert and confident in making decisions on their own. Finding that right “outgoing” person really
isn’t that difficult. Observing them in other workplaces gives you a great insight as to what kind
of effort they put into their job. You cannot afford long faced, unhappy people anywhere near
your office regardless of who recommended them or how smart you think they are.

Hire Slow, Fire Fast

This is much easier said than done but it is essential. I have seen offices slowly destroyed over
the course of several years by a staff person the dentist did not have the confrontational
tolerance to fire. If you are unsure in an interview that someone is a good fit, don’t hire. There
might be a shortage of hygienists in your region and you need one right away but a bad hire
can cost you tens of thousands of dollars in a very short time. Another very tricky “fire” is a
long time employee of the previous dentist whom you inherited. If that individual does not get
on board and shift allegiance, it can be very detrimental to your own personal culture you are
trying to build. That individual needs to be identified very early in a practice and your objectives
and expectations spelled out very clearly. It is very difficult to have that conversation often to
someone your parents age but there is a lot at stake here.

Page 60