Places to look for new dental practice employees:

a. dentalpost.com, dentaljobs.com, dentreps.com, and indeed.com

b. Dental representatives

c. Local Dental Societies

d. Your current staff can be of help. They often know others in the area and who might be looking for a job.

e. For assistants or hygienists: Call your sub list. Ask if any of them want a full time job.

f. For assistants: Check Dental Assisting Programs

g. Keep your eyes open! There are good people everywhere including your patients. I recall a client who observed a waitress at a local business who seemed really sharp. He offered to train her. She has worked out really, really well.

Tips:

1. Most employees at my favorite local restaurant have been there for years. The service is always heads and shoulders above other establishments in the area. Recently I complimented the manager and asked what her secret was. I got a very quick reply:

"Drug testing,” she said with a wink.

Check your local and state laws and drug test if you can.

2. A dentist who bought our dental staff office training manuals last year told me he now uses the manuals as part of his hiring procedure. He has the applicants go home with our Dental Practice General Policy Manual and read it. Then if the applicant actually comes back and passes an open book test, he hires them. I thought that was a creative way to determine if an applicant has initiative and can understand written policy.

3. Ask applicants about their past accomplishments. What this does is highlight the go-getters, those who take initiative and get things done. Of course, we also recommend that you verify those accomplishments because you can run across some pretty good storytellers. Also watch out for the people who just give you a job title - there are plenty of people who run around looking very busy but get nothing accomplished.

The only real way to know if they are going to be a good staff member is to hire them and observe their ability and willingness.

Before you hire them be sure to check their references. When checking, ask if the employee did in fact produce the results you were told in the interview and was the employee dependable.

You're not interested in opinions or "hearsay" just confirmation of results. If they pass the above tests hire, TRAIN, and apprentice them!

Always check previous employers and speak to them personally. Confirm all facts on the application and ask about reason for termination, their ability to work with others, absenteeism, job titles and duties, performance level. You might ask, "If you had the opportunity, would you hire them back?” Their response can be very revealing.

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