THE DENTIST’S GUIDE TO MANAGING EMPLOYEES

May 2017

CONTENTSCHAPTER 1

How to Recruit and Hire Great Dental EmployeesSo your best staffer just gave her notice. There’s no need to panic. We’ll walk you through what you

need to do to find a replacement, step by step.

CHAPTER 2

Use Group Interviews to Streamline Hiring It’s a competitive market, with dozens of applicants for each available position. Save time on your first pass through the pile of resumes with group interviews.

CHAPTER 3

Use Teamwork to Grow Your Practice and Improve Your LifeHow do you improve productivity, reduce conflicts, and eliminate communication breakdowns among your staff? Focus on teamwork.

CHAPTER 4

Are You Required to Pay Out or Roll Over Unused PTO?Your employees have earned their paid time off. But your policies need to be clear and in line with state regulations if you want to be fair.

CHAPTER 5

How to Promote Female Talent in Your Office?The companies that offer the best environments for working women share four characteristics. Make sure your practice shares them too for greater success.

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Practice owners have to hire a variety

of personnel, including hygienists

and assistants, receptionists and

billing coordinators, and even associate den-

tists. Good help can be hard to find, though.

With new regulations and the evolving online

world, it may seem nearly impossible.

Fortunately, the California Dental Associa-

tion (CDA) offers advice and resources for find-

ing, hiring, and retaining the right candidate

on the Practice Support section of its website,

along with a team of experts who are available

to answer tricky questions.

DON’T HIRE IN HASTE

So your longtime receptionist has given you her 2 weeks’ notice just as you’re

about to start your busy season. Who’s going to answer the phones, file insur-

ance claims, and more? Whatever you do, don’t panic and hire the first person

who comes along just to fill the position.

“Take your time,” said Michelle R. Corbo, a practice analyst with the CDA.

“Don’t make a knee-jerk reaction and hire somebody and then regret making

a bad mistake.”

THE JOB DESCRIPTION

Take a step back and examine the position you need to fill, and then write up a

job description of that position. Even if you already have one in your employee

manual, it’s probably time for an update, especially if you’ve recently intro-

duced new technologies into your practice.

Plus, consider the duties of the position itself, not the person who had been

performing them. Be specific about the skills that are needed, such as chairside

skills, clerical work, or communication and other soft skills. The description

also needs to be specific about employee classification.

“Employee versus independent contractor? We probably get this call a

couple times a day,” Corbo said. “Then we move into exempt versus nonex-

empt classifications. Salary versus hourly? Job title alone does not qualify an

employee as a salaried employee.”

These descriptions will be needed long after the hiring is done, too. When

employees go on leave, descriptions are sent to the healthcare provider to help

determine the job’s essential functions and if accommodations need to be

made. Also, descriptions can play a role in reviews.

“They can be something that you should have sitting on the desk when you

do your performance evaluations,” Corbo said. “It gives employees an under-

standing of what’s expected from the job if you’ve got a description specific to

what they’re doing.”

ADVERTISING THE POSITION

It isn’t enough to say you have an opening available. Emphasize why your

practice is a great place to work. Your ads should be as dynamic as possible,

explaining why candidates would want to work for you. This should be easy if

Chapter 1 How to Recruit and

Hire Great Dental Employees

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you already are known as a solid practice.

“I talked to an employer recently who had potential employees coming to

her wanting to work for her because she had such a good reputation, and she

was concerned that the other doctors in town were going to get mad at her,”

Corbo said. “She was known as an employer of choice.”

Ads in the newspaper and online still have impact, and social media like

Facebook and Instagram can help extend your reach. The personal touch helps,

too. Your current patients might know good candidates. So might colleagues at

conferences and society meetings. Just ask them.

“One of my favorite phrases is ‘Birds of a feather flock together.’ If you have

great employees, they probably have excellent friends who are looking for posi-

tions. Or friends of friends,” Corbo said. “I would use those internal referrals.”

THE APPLICATION AND INTERVIEW

The application should include a cover letter and simple instructions to follow.

The cover letter gives applicants a chance to show off their writing and com-

munication skills, as well as their personality. Plus, ask for names and contact

information for references.

“Ask for a sentence or 2 about why they would want to work for you. What

makes them the ideal employee?” Corbo said. “And then, quite honestly, elimi-

nate the applicants who can’t follow simple directions.”

Many practices speak to applicants by phone before deciding who should be

invited into the office for an interview. These screenings can save you and your

applicants alike some time while giving you a better idea of their personality

beyond the cover letter.

“How personable are they on the phone during the conversation? Do they

seem distracted? Are they articulate? What’s your first impression upon having

a conversation? Do they seem nervous?” Corbo said. “Really get a gauge of who

they are.”

Before these candidates come in for the interview, develop a list of questions

that you will ask all of the candidates, which will maintain a level playing

field and head off potential claims of discrimination. Provide a copy of the job

description during the interview, too.

“Stick to job history. Stay away from hobbies, asking about marriage, reli-

gion, sex, and age. Really keep it more about the position and the progress of

their career over time,” Corbo said. “Discuss the position and how they feel they

would fit into the job.”

Hypothetical situations are good topics for the interview. How would they

react to changing schedules in light of emergency cases, for example? Or, how

would they handle a disagreement with another member of the staff? Get an

idea of how they work under pressure.

And beyond the answers to these questions, the interview is the best time

to observe the candidate’s personality. Was the candidate articulate and able to

look you in the eye? Were answers candid and honest? Interpersonal dynamics

will play a significant role in your practice.

“Do the airplane test,” Corbo said. “Would you be willing to sit next to this

person you’re interviewing for hours and enjoy the time? Keep that in the back

of your mind when you’re working through this process.”

Some practices then call likely candidates back for a “working interview,”

where they spend time performing the anticipated duties to give you an idea

of how they work. While this seems to be a practical strategy for evaluation,

Corbo advises caution.

“There’s really no such thing as a working interview. Once you have some-

body work in your practice, in the eyes of the State of California, they are

employed by you. Even for one hour,” Corbo said. “You need to provide all

new-employee documentation. They need to be paid for their time.”

Instead, Corbo recommends having the candidate come in to shadow your

current employees. These candidates wouldn’t do any actual work, but they

could see how you operate, chat with your staff, and get a feel for the office’s

pace and operations—and your staff can get a feel for them.

“Do they give you the thumbs up or not?” Corbo said. “They may have a feel-

ing for somebody or notice something that you didn’t notice.”

REFERENCES AND BACKGROUND CHECKS

Though some practices overlook them, references and background checks are

essential in any new hire. You also need to validate licenses and credentials

as necessary. Applicants should be aware that you’re going to perform these

checks, though, on all candidates.

“You need to do it for everyone. You need to provide a separate release form.

It shouldn’t be a buried part of the application. They should know what they’re

signing and that they’re going to have a background check prior to eventually

being hired, as well as what steps you will take if you find something in there

that is questionable and decide not to move forward,” Corbo said.

If you reject a candidate based on something you discovered, you should tell

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that candidate, Corbo said. Also, provide the name, address, and other contact

information of the company that sold you the report. And the candidate should

understand that you were the one who made the hiring decision, not the inves-

tigating company. In California, candidates have the right to dispute the accu-

racy of the report and get a copy of it within 60 days as well.

As for references, employers should stick to questions that are specific to the

job. The biggest question, Corbo said, is if the candidate is even eligible to be

hired. Other questions can include salary and length of employment, though

the intangibles are fair game too.

“You can ask anything. Really. What matters is what they say to you. They’re

putting themselves out there,” Corbo said. “How did they socialize in your prac-

tice? How were they with their chairside manner? Were they quick? Were they

thorough?”

And then there are licenses.

“I can’t tell you how many calls I’ve had from dentists who just decided one

day to check their hygienist’s license that happened to be on the wall and found

out it was expired and wondered what he could do,” Corbo said. “Others have

found that they were on hold because of serious criminal violations. So I can’t

stress enough to check the licenses. And continue to check them for your cur-

rent employees to make sure that they’re keeping them accurate and up to date.”

THE DECISION AND ONBOARDING

Of course, you should consider candidates who successfully meet the needs of

that carefully written job description. But new hires aren’t just your employees.

They also are new members of your team, so the way they may interact with

your current workers should be a big part of the decision. Your current employ-

ees’ participation in the process may be essential, too.

“Do you have the support of the team? Have you included any of them in this

process?” Corbo said. “When the candidate came in to shadow at the office, did

they get a good feel? Sometimes people are different around their peers than

they are with their employers. What kind of conversations did they have?”

Once you’ve made your decision and the offer, and the candidate has accepted

it, it’s time to prepare for the transition. Provide any forms that need to be filled

out ahead of time, so your new employee doesn’t spend a couple of hours on day

one dealing with paperwork. Additionally, set up a defined training schedule.

“Don’t just have them come in and go, ‘Okay, this is it. Here’s sterilization,

and go.’ Set them up. Give them an opportunity to learn,” Corbo said. “Also, the

schedule should allow them time to get to know your staff and systems. And if

possible, allow time in your schedule too. Try not to overload your day so you

have time to check in and make sure they’re doing well.”

And don’t forget to make the first day fun. Corbo suggests welcoming your

new employee with a breakfast or by going out to lunch. Or if you know that

your new hire has a favorite kind of candy, for instance, have some waiting on

that day.

“It’s a stressful thing to walk into a new practice and have them succeed,”

Corbo said. “Welcome them in and give them an opportunity to acclimate, and

they’ll do good things for you.”

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Interviewing prospective employees

can be draining and time consuming.

Group interviews are the most efficient

way to hire for your practice. You can compare

the applicants side by side. You can see their

personalities, communication skills, and lead-

ership qualities as well as their undesirable

traits. It’s not necessary to take an hour to

interview each applicant when you can have

everyone qualified for the position right in

front of you at the same time.

MAKING THE CALL

Begin with the resumes. Determine who you are interested in. Review their

resumes against your criteria and each other. Then, appoint a team member to

call and invite them for a group interview. When your team member calls, use

the following script:

Hello, my name is _______________ and I’m calling you in response to the resume

you emailed to us.

I represent [say the name of your practice slowly], a dental office.

You requested to be considered for a position with us, and we’re inviting you to par-

ticipate in a group interview on this Friday at 2:30 PM, and you would be through

no later than 4:00 PM.

Would you like to come?

If the candidate says yes, use the following script:

Good! We appreciate you working with us in this way. We’ve had many applicants,

and we feel this approach will be beneficial to all concerned.

Now, we are located at _______________. If you need a map, we suggest you look

online at mapquest.com. Our phone number is _______________.

We request that you bring a copy of your resume. We’ll ask you to also fill out one

of our applications when you arrive. Then we’ll tell you about our company and the

positions that are available.

Do you have any questions?

Answer any questions the candidates may have. But if any of them try to engage

you in a conversation, let them know that you will answer all of their questions

when they arrive.

If candidates cannot come to the group interview, find out:

Chapter 2 Use Group Interviews to Streamline Hiring

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• Do they object to such an interview?

• When can they come?

• Get the answers and write it on the front sheet of their resume. Then, pass it off

to the person in charge of hiring.

If you are unable to reach them by phone, try emailing them. Make note of

your attempts.

GROUP INTERVIEW PROCESS

You can see all of the available prospective applicants at the same time and

should be able to get through the entire process within a couple hours. Hav-

ing an exact system can help keep the meeting flowing and provide the desired

results.

Determine a day, time, and location for the group interview. It is best done

after hours due to the number of participants and parking issues. Then, use the

following procedure:

• Begin contacting applicants and invite them to the interview, providing all

necessary information about when and where.

• Invite up to 20 applicants, and expect approximately 14 to show up.

• As the candidates arrive, greet them and ask them to sign in and include their

time of arrival. Then, direct them to the conference area of the office.

• Hand out the employment applications so they can begin filling them out.

• A practice representative should be appointed in advance to provide a descrip-

tion of the practice, the doctor, the staff, and the positions available to the group.

The presentation should last no longer than 10 minutes.

• After the presentation, ask the applicants to turn over their application and

write down everything they remember about the presentation that was given.

This will give you an idea about their ability to listen, duplicate what was said,

spell, compile paragraphs, and more.

• Consider planting a current employee in the group to take notice of the way

the applicants interact with others, listening for negativity and complaining.

• As the applicants finish their writeups, they will hand them in.

• Review the applications and writeups. Dismiss the applicants who do not fit

the criteria or who failed to remember specifics from the presentation.

• Begin individual interviews on the spot. If you do any pre-employment testing,

do it at this time.

One of the most vital functions of a practice owner is the selection of employ-

ees. Putting the wrong person in a position can be a real problem. It can cause a

decrease in production, additional stress, poor customer service, upset employ-

ees, and low patient retention. The quality of your hiring processes will deter-

mine your success rate.

SANDY PARDUE CLASSIC PRACTICE RESOURCES

Ms. Pardue, director of consulting and lecturer with Classic Practice Resources, has consulted with offices throughout the United States and Canada and with leading dental companies for product evaluation and design. In addition, she has given hundreds of lectures and workshops on every aspect of dental practice management. Her articles have been published in the top dental publications, and she has spoken at major dental conferences throughout the United States. Den-tistry Today has recognized her as a Leader in Dental Consulting for the past 13 consecutive years. She can be reached at sandy@classicpractice.com.

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Chapter 3 Use Teamwork to Grow Your Practice

and Improve Your Life

Wouldn’t you like to improve the productivity and effi-

ciency of every member of your team? How about

reducing conflicts? Do you need fewer communication

breakdowns? Would you like more practice revenue? Would you enjoy less

stress and a higher quality of life and work?

I’ll bet the answer is yes!

One very important factor in reaching

these desirable goals is to improve

teamwork in your practice. As the

leader of your team, you must not

tolerate mediocre performance from

the other members. Instead, insist on

a team that follows your standards and

executes your vision to help you reach

your practice goals.

Let me suggest 10 ways

to get you on your way to

more productivity and less

stress in the office:

1. Hold your team accountable. Be

sure all team members understand what

is expected of them, in writing, and

then review these expectations with

them at regular intervals or more often

if necessary.

2. Make constructive suggestions. Criticism is easy. Instead, offer suggestions

as an alternative to behavior that needs changing.

3. Emphasize what each team member must do to succeed. Again, written

job descriptions need to describe accurately and understandably what is

expected for outstanding team participation.

4. Get a full commitment to improve where it is needed including acknowl-

edgement of a problem. Conflict happens even in the best of circumstances.

When it does, those team members involved must “own” their part in the

conflict and commit to necessary changes to

resolve the conflict.

5. Give clear directions for improvement.

As the team leader, you must decide what

is needed for your teamwork to improve. At

that point, you must clearly communicate

what you are mandating to all mem-

bers of the team.

6. Get feedback from your

team in a non-threatening

environment. Your cowork-

ers will often have great ideas to

improve the team. As the leader, you

must provide an opportunity for them to

share their thoughts in a comfortable

setting so they feel free to share. Take

time to listen and thank them for their

input and concern. Give credit for ideas you implement and explain why

you reject others.

7. Discuss solutions to problems with the team. You do not have to disclose

everything to your team. There are reasons why you should not in certain

situations. But the more secretive you are, the more you are perceived as

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dictatorial. You will greatly benefit from transparency with your team.

8. Be prepared for non-cooperation with a measured response. Sometimes

things just don’t work out. When that happens, be decisive about the resolu-

tion. Prepare for that moment ahead of time. Document all directives and any

non-compliance with those directives.

9. Demonstrate leadership courage. Firing a team member is never easy. But

there are occasions when it must be done. When your directions are not fol-

lowed and you have given proper opportunity for resolution, then quickly cut

ties. Delay only makes it more difficult.

10. Continue to give and get encouraging feedback. Even after a difficult

episode with your team, continue to lead well. Explain briefly why any

changes were made and then be positive about moving forward.

Working with your team may be the most difficult part of a dental practice.

With an almost infinite number of personality combinations and personal

circumstances, there are many moving parts. But it is critical to the health of

your practice that you do your best to make your team a well-oiled machine.

Very often, an objective observer can help you when you are having trouble

identifying team problems and implementing needed teamwork solutions.

Consider hiring a consultant to help. You will be glad you did!

BOBBY HANEY, DDS

Dr. Haney has recently retired from private dental practice in Waxahachie, Texas, after 32 years. He is the founder and leader of practicegrowthcoach.com and president of 1Twenty2 Minis-tries, and he and lives with his team (wife and daughter) at their ranch in Bristol, Texas. He can be contacted via his website, by email at drbobby@PracticeGrowthCoach.com, or by phone at 469-843-0119.

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Chapter 4 Are You Required to Pay Out or

Roll Over Unused PTO?

Around the end of each year, I get asked by at least a dozen dentists

how they’re legally required to handle unused employee paid time

off (PTO). Must you roll it over or pay it out? If an employee quits

or is terminated, can you declare the PTO forfeit? Depending on where your

practice is located, you may have different options and obligations that impact

your PTO policy.

There are two things to consider here: legal ramifications and employee/

team morale. The morale issue is the same for all employers since it feels unfair,

as an employee, to earn PTO and then have it taken away, unused and unpaid.

However, the legal issues vary state by state. In fact, federal law does not

require PTO, so your options depend entirely on what is required by the labor

laws for your particular state.

As a New York employer, for instance, you would not be required to provide

(paid or unpaid) vacation time. If you did provide PTO, you could choose not to

allow rollover, and you could elect not to pay out unused vacation time at termina-

tion. But remember, this is just one example. Many other states work differently!

Before taking action on a current issue, examine any PTO policies you already

have in place and understand how they relate to your state law requirements. In

New York, if you have not given employees written notice of forfeiture and the

conditions that govern it, paid vacation must be paid out.

Also, PTO aside, remember that an increasing number of states and even

cities now require many employers to provide paid or unpaid sick time. Most

New York City employers, for example, also face specific requirements for pro-

viding and rolling over paid sick time.

You can see how this can get complicated fast!

Look closely at your PTO policies. Whatever your state, your policy language

should be explicit and detailed. You will need to abide by your own written or

implied promises regarding vacation time. If a dispute arises, or after a termina-

tion, anything left unclear or unaddressed will be ruled in your employee’s favor.

If your employee handbook does not specifically discuss eligibility, how time

is earned or accrued, and how time may or may not be rolled over (or how only

a percentage can roll over), or if it has any other irregularities, I would err on the

side of paying for unused time this year. I would then get expert help rewriting

all relevant sections of your employee handbook so you know your policies are

comprehensive, up to date, and legally compliant. That way, next year you’re set.

Make sure to have a detailed discussion with that expert while he or she is

crafting policies such as this one for you. Your PTO policies must comply with

all laws that apply in your state to businesses of your size, and they should be

tailored to the individual needs of your practice within the bounds of those

laws. Finally, you need to understand what your policies do—and when you

put them in place, you’ll need to have your employees sign to acknowledge that

they understand them, too.

PAUL EDWARDS CEDR SOLUTIONS

Mr. Edwards is the CEO and cofounder of CEDR Solutions. Since 2006, CEDR has been the nation’s leading provider of individually customized dental employee handbooks and HR solu-tions, helping dentists successfully handle employee issues and safely navigate the complex and ever-changing employment law landscape. For more information or a free employee handbook evaluation, visit www.cedrsolutions.com.

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Chapter 5 How to Promote Female Talent in Your Office

To help companies recruit, retain, and promote female talent—and

to help these women crack the glass ceiling themselves—founder

Jennifer Owens of the Working Mother Research Institute revealed

key trends of successful companies uncovered by the National Association for

Female Executives (NAFE).

“There’s no single recipe for what works,” said Owens. “If there were, we

wouldn’t be here.”

Each year, NAFE’s Top 50 Companies for Executive Women report asks

businesses to complete a 250-question survey asking them about female repre-

sentation at all levels, particularly among corporate officers and profit-and-loss

leadership. It also tracks access to programs and policies that encourage female

advancement, as well as manager training and accountability for that progress.

According to Owens, the companies that offer the best environments for

working women share 4 characteristics: career development programs, man-

ager training, CEO engagement, and a focus on health and wellness. For exam-

ple, CEOs need to support efforts to encourage career growth among their

female employees, conducting meetings to assess progress towards these goals,

and even tying pay to achieving them.

“We believe what gets measured gets done,” said Owens.

Health and wellness benefits also are vital, as they can affect employee

productivity, absenteeism, and turnover, all of which have an effect on the

business’ bottom line, too. With this in mind, NAFE reports that a third of the

companies it surveyed offer nap rooms for women who, for instance, have just

returned from maternity leave.

“Can you have an onsite nap room? Probably not,” Owens said. “But it’s

important to know what the big companies are doing and then picking up

what you can use in your own small business.”

Dentists who have their own practices can apply many of these traits and

techniques to their offices, Owens said. Dentists can begin by communicating

to their employees that they have careers, not just jobs. They also should back

that up by investing in developing the skills of those employees. Dentists then

should mind how they present themselves as the leader of the team, which

impacts job satisfaction too.

“That satisfaction is what will keep them there,” Owens said. “And if you’ve

invested in them, because we all invest in our employees, you want to keep them

because you don’t want that investment to walk out the door.”

Still, many businesses still present obstacles for female employees to over-

come. Owens noted that workplaces in general are built on a model where one

spouse stays home to take care of the family, while the other can be an ideal

employee elsewhere. As a result, workplaces aren’t set up for complicated lives

with dual careers, child care, elder care, chronic illnesses, or more.

Also, there are fewer women at the top, so many women simply don’t see

themselves as potential leaders. Bias continues as well, Owens said, via micro-in-

equalities, mommy tracks, and other less overt practices. So for women, oppor-

tunities are lagging. While women represented 51% of the employees at the

companies surveyed, Owens said, they only received 45% of the promotions.

“It’s clicking up one percentage point, 2 percentage points,” Owens said. “But

when it comes to representation or participation, it’s always slow.”

Yet women aren’t powerless. NAFE also examined 5 traits that successful

women share: a prowess for persuasiveness, a focus to set and reach goals, a tal-

ent for team building, a strong sense of self, and the courage to break the rules.

And while companies may not have a specific checklist of these qualities to use

during interviews, they do value them.

“I think that companies innately look for them,” Owens said. “I think the

women who have them are doing well.”