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Painful start-up lessons

Sinkhole: Employees driving for work-related activities

Transitions Roundtable

Transitions Roundtable

What questions should you ask when interviewing for an associate position?

Content Dam De En Articles Print Volume 109 Issue 1 Practice Reference Check Essentials Helping You Master Your Hiring Process Leftcolumn Article Thumbnailimage File

Reference-check essentials: Helping you master your hiring process

Here are the essential steps dental practices should follow when checking references to avoid a fraudulent employee.

The truth about meal and rest breaks

The laws for meals and rest breaks differ from state to state. If your state has laws regarding meal and rest breaks, it’s important to know them because if you don’t follow them in your dental practice, the consequences can be steep.

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Should I hire an associate?

Dentists often give many of the same reasons when it comes to whether or not they think they should hire an associate. Many of these reasons do not warrant the expense of hiring another person. It’s important to weigh many factors before taking such a big step for your practice.

The case for Roth contributions

With the new tax law, here are five smart ways dentists can participate in Roth contributions: Roth 401(k), Roth IRA, backdoor Roth IRA, mega backdoor Roth, and Roth conversion.

The PPO Goliath

What can one practice do against the PPO Goliath? Dental Economics’ Chief Editor Dr. Chris Salierno says: “We can fight. Together. We can choose to no longer accept the shrugs and groans of indifference from our defeated colleagues. We can choose to play by new rules. We can leverage our combined strengths. We can fight for the rights of our patients.”

Canceling hygiene

This dentist has historically cancelled hygiene appointments when the dental hygienist is absent. He believes patients prefer their usual hygienist. But Dianne Watterson encourages him to take a different approach, and reminds the dentist of the income he’s losing when he reschedules patients.

Utilizing learning styles in your training program

When dentists prepare to teach new methods to team members, they should be aware of the four different learning styles in order for their teaching to be most effective. Here’s a brief summary of the VARK learning styles.

Reaching the right patients: Uninsured small-business owners and employees

There’s a large untapped group that is ready for your services—uninsured people who work for or own small businesses. By attracting them and retaining them with the right packages, you can develop patients for life.

Should I outsource? If I do, to whom should I outsource?

Every dental practice is different. Some are successful at outsourcing while others can handle most things in house. What can help you decide whether or not to outsource or what to outsource in your practice? Here are some common guidelines.

Transitions Roundtable

This dentist is bringing in a new associate and is concerned about getting a fair price for the sale of his practice when he sells it to the associate many years later.