Maggie Lasley

The hiring process is hardly ever enjoyable; the paperwork alone can be enough to drive anyone insane. Unfortunately, this long, exhausting process is unavoidable.  If you’ve said, “I know I need a good team, but it is too hard to find the right people,” chances are you’ve made some mistakes during the hiring process.

Here’s a breakdown of the top 5 mistakes dentists make during the hiring process, and how you can avoid them.

1. You didn’t provide a clear enough job description

. Don’t skip over any details when reviewing your job description, and make sure applicants are fully aware of what they are expected to do, said Cathy Jameson, CEO and Founder of 

 All candidates should be aware of every skill they must possess prior to employment to make them a successful team member.

“The clearer you are with your written job descriptions-which would be reviewed during employment interviews-the better both you and the candidate will be,” Jameson said.

2. You don’t know what you’re looking for. 

Before you begin the interviewing process, you have to know what traits and skills you want the candidate to possess, Jameson said. Brainstorm with your team members about what characteristics you need in a new team member, that way when you begin the process you have a better understanding of what kind of person would benefit the team most.

 Sometimes, when you’re interviewing an applicant, you get a ‘gut feeling’ that this person is the right fit, said Penny Reed Limoli, owner of the 

. Don’t go with your gut and hire the person on the spot. Always fact check, call for references and check the candidate’s job history before you make an offer. Also be on the lookout for ‘job hopping.’ If a candidate has not held a job with one company for at least two years, you should consider whether this person is the right ‘fit’ for you and your team.

You assume that just because they’ve made it through the paperwork and the interview, they are going to cut it in the office.

 Always provide new staff with orientation and training. It may seem tedious, but it is a crucial part of discovering how the applicant will work not only with clients, but also with staff.

“No matter how carefully you organize the hiring process, if a person is not carefully integrated in the early days, weeks and months of employment, the research shows that this becomes a major factor in shortened longevity, lowered productivity and disappointment in the job,” Jameson said.

 You hire someone out of desperation. This happens more often than you may think, Limoli said. You might think you simply don’t have the time to be selective during the interviewing process, so you hire the first ‘decent’ person who walks through the door. HUGE mistake. Make sure you check every fact and detail, and most importantly, find the time to interview applicants. That way, you don’t hire someone who’s decent; you hire someone who is perfect for your practice.

All these mistakes can be detrimental to a practice, but they are all easy to avoid. How? Limoli suggests establishing a hiring process.

“This ensures two things,” she said. “The first is with a hiring process, every candidate will be compared on the same level. Establishing a hiring process will also eliminate that ‘gut feeling’ you get when meeting with applicants.”

The most important thing you can do to keep yourself from making the most common mistakes is to allow yourself the time to meet with and review applicants. It is tough, but if you pay enough attention to detail and learn from the mistakes above, you’ll have a perfect new staff member in no time.

Articles

The hiring process is hardly ever enjoyable; the paperwork alone can be enough to drive anyone insane. Unfortunately, this long, exhausting process is unavoidable.  If you’ve said, “I know I need a good team, but it is too hard to find the right people,” chances are you’ve made some mistakes during the hiring process. Here’s a breakdown of the top 5 mistakes dentists make during the hiring process, and how you can avoid them.

Top 5 mistakes dentists make when hiring employees

	On July 9, the Advanced Technology Center opened their doors to a new teaching center in Burbank, California. The center celebrates their technology inspired  approach to continuing education with a unique learning experience.

	ATC’S education center is progressive, and unbiased. Since its opening on July 9, the center has become a reputable place for professionals to further their knowledge of the dental industry. The center provides people with an intimate setting to learn about the latest in dentistry and its place in improving the standard of care.

	“The center isn’t biased to one specific school of thought. We are a neutral, inviting place; a lot of curriculum can be single tracked at different centers, that is not the case here,” said Holly Lagos, Director of Education at ATC. While an unbiased, intimate setting certainly provides professionals with a productive place to learn, technology makes a difference, too.

	With technologies such as ProMax 3D imaging system by Planmeca, from Fitzpatrick Dental, and a Roeders CNC machine ATC is dedicated to showcasing the latest in dentistry.  ATC’s education center provides its professionals with multiple forms of study to help learn about technology as easily as possible.

	“We provide evening courses and lectures as well as the opportunity for professionals to come in individually,” Lagos said.

	ATC for education strives to make people feel comfortable while learning about new technologies.

	“With the latest of the dental industry’s technology under one roof, we are trying to present and educate professionals with what we know is leading tomorrow,” said Andrew Sedler, C.O.O. of ATC.

	The education center at ATC also invites companies to use their facilities to showcase their “latest and greatest” in a fully functional, fully equipped workplace. With a facility designed to service any kind of course from lectures to live patient courses, the public’s response has been wonderful. With three lectures under their belts, the education center has impressed everyone with their functional and inviting setting, from a concierge style service and gourmet catering to industry leading speakers from across country.

	Over the next year, ATC’s education center has already scheduled multiple courses. It is clear that their combination of cutting-edge technology along with a friendly, relaxing atmosphere has paved the way for a bright future in education.

 On July 9, the Advanced Technology Center opened their doors to a new teaching center in Burbank, California. The center celebrates their technology inspired  approach to continuing education with a unique learning experience.  ATC’S education center is progressive, and unbiased. Since its opening on July 9, the center has become a reputable place for professionals to further their knowledge of the dental industry. The center provides people with an intimate setting to learn about the latest in dentistry and its place in improving the standard of care.

Showcasing the latest in dentistry

	Senior Mobile Dental is a non-profit organization focused on bringing dental hygiene services to the elderly population of the Colorado Springs area.

	In 2000, the Surgeon General reported on Oral Health in America, finding that ‘there are profound and consequential oral health disparities within the U.S. population’.
	For years now, the elderly community has slowly become an invisible population; their position in the dental industry is no different. It’s no secret that the majority of dental care providers are family practices and most public support programs are focused on children ages 18 and under. So how has a majority of our population failed to receive proper dental care?

	One of the most common concerns the elderly population has about receiving proper dental care is cost. According to MEPS, in 2000 people ages 65 and older paid more than three-quarters of their dental expenses out of pocket. Since most of the elderly receive Medicaid or financial support from family members, the near 3,000 dollar cost for dentures can seem overwhelming.

	Still, dentures are a seemingly easy fix compared to abstractions extractions and restorative procedures which are significantly more expensive. “Most of these people are on a fixed income, so their dental care is put off,” registered dental hygienist and founder of Senior Mobile Dental, Michelle Vacha said.

	“There is some kind of barrier, and I’m not sure what it is. Maybe these people are afraid knowing if they go to the dentist they will find something wrong, and they’ll be hit with heavy costs in order to fix the problem,” Vacha said.

	While cost may be the root of the problem, it isn’t the only issue for the elderly. Access to care is just as troublesome. The elderly are also frailer; transporting to a dental office can be very traumatic. Loss of dexterity, makes it difficult to impossible to brush their teeth themselves. And while many of the elderly live in assisted living and skilled nursing facilities, little instruction is given to CNA’s for proper oral hygiene. Elders also face decreased salivary flow leaving them with heavy plaque and materia alba buildup, which Vacha compares to “velcro on their teeth.”

	Everyone has their embarrassing moments they’d be only too happy to forget. Vacha says as she recounts one of her first experiences with an elderly patient. Incontinence is a major issue they face while transporting out of homes.

	“I had an elderly woman that was dropped off for a dental appointment; while I was with another patient she went to use the restroom," Vacha said. "When I finished with my patient and I walked to the front office, staff was standing around the bathroom. The woman needed help and she sat there for over half an hour and no one went to see if she needed help.”

	Once they make it to a dental office, often times the elderly will find that the facility does not cater to their needs beyond the chair.

	“The general public is not used to providing them with the help they need,” Vacha said. "And in truth, it can be uncomfortable for the clinician and patient; yet another reason a lot of elderly people opt out of going to the dentist. The dental industry needs to find a way to help the elderly community with their dental needs, while allowing them to keep their dignity intact."

	Still, the biggest hurdle the elderly need to overcome is cost. A typical checkup can run anywhere from 250 to 300 dollars. Not to mention the cost of dentures, fillings, restorations and extractions. Medicaid and Medicare and public support in funding need to be reassessed, in order to help this community receive the dental care they need.  Very little options are available for preventive oral health care.

	“We need to start addressing these issues now before it really hits us,” Vacha said.  "Poor oral health relates to all kinds of health issues ie, the oral/systemic relationship which could be avoided by getting the proper dental care. Dental care is important to us all, overlooking a generation that is seemingly ‘invisible’ will cause an epidemic, and with that will come health issues and crisis across the board."

	Vacha’s main observation: “If this population still has their teeth at this stage of their life, it shows they have taken care of their teeth their whole life. Why should their standards of care change now due to retirement and loss of dental insurance, loss of dexterity or loss of their ability to transport to a dental office? This is why I founded Senior Mobile Dental; to address the issues older adults face in access to care and their financial barriers.”
	 

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   Senior Mobile Dental is a non-profit organization focused on bringing dental hygiene services to the elderly population of the Colorado Springs area.  Photo: Courtesy of Senior Mobile Dental