Barry Lyon, DDS, dental director for Main Street Children’s Dentistry and Orthodontics and Dental Care Alliance, recently spoke with Becker’s about some of the things dental recruiters should look out for when hiring dentists.
Editor’s note: This Q&A is part of a weekly series featuring Dr. Lyon focused on topics in the dental industry and DSO field. The views expressed are those of Dr. Lyon and do not necessarily reflect those of Main Street Children’s Dentistry and Orthodontics or Dental Care Alliance.
This response was lightly edited for clarity and length.
Dr. Barry Lyon:
Be aware of red flags when hiring dentists. There may be many. Let’s look at a few notable ones:
One of the easiest to spot is gaps in employment history. Often, this is a weak attempt to conceal what would otherwise be a poor recommendation from a previous employer, or possibly a dental board sanction. On the other hand, multiple positions over a short period of time can indicate a “job hopper” who has been unable to sustain employment for one reason or another.
There’s a sweet spot when it comes to employment contract negotiations. Most candidates have at least a few questions, but there’s a red flag when a candidate has an inordinate number of concerns. A candidate that pushes back strongly on standard clauses without discussion and refuses reasonable noncompete or notice terms may be one that is high maintenance and will be difficult to deal with.
In my experience, the greatest red flag of all is the candidate that assures you he or she will be the biggest producer you’ve ever hired. This screams aggressiveness and a likelihood that the candidate’s focus is money and not patient care. This candidate is fixated only on compensation and percentage, on high-production procedures and avoidance of bread-and-butter dentistry, has little interest in long-term patient relationships, and pushes for high-volume scheduling without regard to quality. Not only do these doctors jeopardize the practice’s reputation, but they can also be culture killers within the office.
