Veros Dental

With the end of the year approaching us (it’s practically here, right?!), now is a great time to ensure you have the right team in place.  Whether you are a new start-up practice, have just acquired a practice, or have been in practice for several years — do you feel like you have the right people on your team?

It’s very easy to say that the team you have “works” because you don’t want to take the time to interview new advisors or employees, gather documents required for any new people, interview them, train them, etc.  And maybe the team you have is “comfortable” and they know you.  But make sure they not only know you, but also know your industry.

Whether you are looking to add a new operatory, buy a piece of equipment, find new space for your practice, start a retirement plan, or even add a team member, it’s key that the people on your team understand your industry.

When working with your professional advisors, the more they know about your industry, the better they can advise you.  For example, space needed for a dental practice is very specific.  If your commercial real estate broker knows dentistry, they are not going to recommend a space that would be better suited for a restaurant.  If you are a general dentist, they are going to spend time to see who are the referring specialty dentists as well as other surrounding healthcare professionals.  They are going to ensure that the space you select is going to fit the number and size of operatories you need, as well as factoring in a patient consult room, break room, etc.

When looking to add to your team, make sure the person you are looking for has the skill set you need.  The front desk is one of the most difficult positions to fill and maintain.  I have heard too many times that the practice’s front desk was pleasant and represented the practice well, but didn’t know anything about insurance or have a dental background.  This can be very difficult because it can slow down the process of receiving insurance payments and keeping your collections afloat.  We have also seen where the accounts receivable may start to sit steady in the 90+ days area due to insurance not being submitted timely and correctly.  Again, the key is having someone in a position who knows your industry.

We have also heard the opposite happen – the front desk person knew everything about insurance and dentistry but lacked people skills and the practice was losing patients because of it.  It’s definitely tough to feel that you need a new team member and are having a hard time filling the position, but you absolutely must not settle for someone who is not the right fit all around.  Take your time in the hiring process.  We have seen the best success with hiring when employers determine several months prior to absolutely needing that next hire and begin the search process at that time.  That way they are able to take the time they need to really interview everyone, see if that person is going to be the right fit and do proper training.  If you find that right person, it may sound risky to hire prematurely, even if the practice is not ready for it, but you dont’ want to let a good person go if they meet all of your criteria.  Don’t just hire a warm body to ease a short-term problem.

Take your time and hire the right people for your team and don’t forget to also engage yourself in your team!  Don’t be afraid to re-evaluate the relationship as they will be a big part of the success of your practice!