Contributing Writer 
Dental Consultant Tip: Clocking In and Out
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 easiest to use.
Kevin Tighe, Cambridge Dental Consultants, Senior Consultant, got bitten hard by the business and marketing bug during long summer days working at his dad's Madison Avenue ad agency. After joining Cambridge as a speaker in the mid-1990s, Kevin went on to become Cambridge’s senior consultant and eventually CEO. Cambridge Dental Consultants is a full-service dental practice management company offering customized dental office manuals. Frustrated? High overhead? Schedule a chat with Kevin at
