Managing the Dental Team: Guidelines for Practice Success. American Dental Association

       It’s a good idea to approach recruiting from a methodical standpoint, just like you would initiate a clinical procedure.

      Hiring someone is more involved than meeting someone and liking them. The goal is for every new hire to “fit” the practice, both in terms of their ability to perform specific tasks and their ability to know when to work independently versus when to be a team player. While you may be anxious to fill a position quickly so the practice continues to run smoothly and efficiently, it’s a good idea to allow enough time to make the right decision. After all, this person could be part of your team for many years to come and you’ll be depending upon them to help you deliver quality patient care and maintain the practice according to your vision and mission.

      Dentists who are new to practice rarely have staff in all positions; they start out with very limited staff and then add other positions as the practice grows over time. The clinical positions most frequently found in new dental practices include the dentist, a hygienist and an assistant. If the practice can afford it, it’s also helpful to have non-clinical staff to manage scheduling, billing and financial coordination.

      As the practice grows and you think about adding more positions, you may want to consider conducting an informal job analysis. This can help you determine how many people, and in what roles, your practice needs. The analysis should be methodical and objective and based on what the practice really needs and can support rather than on what you want or what you think you should have. A Sample Job Analysis Worksheet is available as a resource to assist you in this process.

      You should also be aware of what personnel documents should be kept on file and which of those should be confidential. A Checklist: Confidentiality and Retention Schedule for Personnel Records is included as a resource to assist you.