Associates

This category is one of the few in which I take a different approach. Here, instead of trying to save on payments you should concentrate on increasing the production! Doing so indirectly, reduce your overhead. As you know, whenever your production goes up without an increase in expenses, your overhead percentage goes down.

Of course, as with any other employee, you want to find the best for the lowest salary possible. However, do not let salary be your sole deciding factor. A diligent associate with a solid business sense can increase your production significantly. Look for people who agree on pay formulas involving commission (these are usually people with business sense).

Another important element to take into consideration is the image your associate will portray. In the Image section you learned that you are sending messages to your patients during their entire visit to your office. Your associate should share the same vision you have for your practice and implement approaches similar to yours in treatment planning and treatment techniques.

The pay rates vary among different areas of the country. Daily pay can range anywhere from $350 to $550, or is calculated using percentage formulas of 20% to 33% or even 50%. The amount you pay is not as important as whom you pick, but be sure to use some business sense. Again the lower the better, as long as quality is not compromised.

Another issue that needs frequent evaluation is the quality of the work itself. It is a delicate issue and needs to be dealt with without damaging your professional relationship with your associate. But it is important, especially in the beginning of your cooperation.

Remember, most of your associates will eventually leave, but you will be left with the result of what they have done. So, if you come across a new associate who is twice as fast as his predecessor, be excited, but make sure you won't be redoing his work in the future!

One problem that I have observed in many offices is the lack of marketing and business training for associates. We assume because they are dentists, they know about the business end of running a practice. Even though this would be nice, most associates who are new to dentistry are as unfamiliar with its business aspects as we were when we first started!

Like the rest of your staff, new associates must be trained on all the major policies in the office, how you present a treatment plan, and how you treat your patients and staff, etc. Obviously you need to do this in a professional manner, and explain that a uniform approach throughout the entire office is vital to the success of the practice.

A number of new associates have been out of school for only a short time. Some also lack the knowledge that can be gained only by having your own practice. Their views of the real world may be very different from what you have learned over years of experience. It is your responsibility to delicately (consider their ego at all times) explain why your ideas and approaches are more effective and productive. Just imagine what you could accomplish if there were two of you! So, train one like yourself!