Hire Slowly to Hire Correctly

The key to team building is hiring the right people to begin with. Most dentists and dental office managers have little experience in the hiring (and firing) process. An accepted fact is that it costs the doctor one year's salary to replace and train a new team member"that's a huge investment...and if it's the wrong person a huge loss. Here are some tactics that will help:

• Prior to hiring, you must have a written job description for this position (and hopefully each position in the office). This job description includes the tasks and expectation for fulfilling the responsibilities of the position.
  
   
• Have a personnel policy in place prior to hiring.
  
   
• Interview over the telephone first and in the office second. Narrow the list down to 2 to 3 candidates. Invite them in, individually, to observe the office for a few hours. Consider inviting 1 to 2 back for a working interview and team interaction (perhaps attend a team meeting).
  
   
• Be sure to review the job description at the working interview.
  
   
• Ask for and check references.
  
   
• Training is very important: Assign a mentor to the new hire to do the teaching or to delegate teaching.
  
   
• Mentors check in daily to see what went well and what was challenging.
  
   
• The doctor or office manager must check in weekly, at a minimum.

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