Not knowing how to run an effective staff meeting can have some negative consequences in the overall health of your dental practice. We’ve found that many offices don’t have meetings at all.

1. Whether an employee clocks in or not they must be paid for all hours actually worked.   2. You can set office policy that any time worked by an employee above the agreed upon hours must be approved in advance however you still have to pay the employees for any time worked whether clocked in or not.  You can reprimand an employee for violating such a policy. Ensure you document. That way  if you dismiss for repeatedly violating the policy you might avoid paying unemployment.  3. Honor systems tend to be abused. Your practice management software’s time clock is generally the...

How your staff approaches referrals can become second nature by asking patients their opinion, and if it's positive, then asking for that all-important new patient referral.

1. Set either a monthly or quarterly goal. 2. The goal is based on what is commensurate with 25% or less payroll percentage. Example: Say your payroll is normally around $20,000. Collections must be over $80K per month for there to be any kind of bonus. 3. If the goal is exceeded, a bonus is given. How much you bonus and how the bonus is split among the staff will vary from office to office. It can be an arbitrary amount of $200 to $400, or be specifically calculated on how much "bonus sum" is available, i.e., the difference between 25%...