The Dentist's Network #37, Dental Practice Management, Orthodontic Practice Consulting, Team Building, Business Consulting, New Dental Practice Startup Consulting, Practice Appraisals, Transitions


	Background Checks Computer Networks

Sally McKenzie, CEO
McKenzie Management
Printer Friendly Version

Hire the Really Bad Employee … Or Do a Background Check Instead

It happens all too often. You’re poised to hire a new employee; her resume looks good, she interviews fairly well, and you’re willing to put a few minor shortcomings and your own lingering doubts aside. After all, you need to fill the position, and fast. You throw caution to the wind, offer her the job, and within a few months the words “you’re hired” are synonymous with “your nightmare.” How could you have been so wrong?

There’s no crystal ball when it comes to hiring and, understandably, dentists have long relied on a resume and an interview as their only tools in making these major practice decisions. But they’ve been burned time and again. Sadly many dental teams are finding that today’s applicants are doing more than just “enhancing” their resumes. In some cases they’re falsifying credentials, concealing critical information, and lying about past experiences.

Mike Moore is Human Resources Director for McKenzie Management and author of Employment Policy and Handbook. He notes that dental practices need to follow step with other employers and make applicant background checks a routine part of the hiring process.

While there are no guarantees when bringing on new staff, dentists can go a long way in protecting themselves and their practices from an unscrupulous employee, starting with the employment application. “Many applicants are lying about themselves. Job candidates claim to have certification that doesn’t exist or do not reveal that they’ve been convicted of a crime,” says Mike, “Candidates should be asked either during the interview or on the application if they have been convicted of a felony or any crime that involves deception of qualifications. And any applicant you plan to hire should be subject to a thorough background check,” he emphasizes.

Several reputable companies in the marketplace conduct background checks for a nominal fee. The practice can receive a credit report, a report on criminal history, and a verification of previous employment. However, before the check can be conducted, the practice must have the candidate under consideration sign a release form that complies with the Federal Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). The form documents that the applicant gives the dentist the authority to conduct a background check under the FCRA. In addition, the practice must treat all applicants alike. One candidate cannot be subject to a background check and while another is not.

“If this employee is going to handle money, checks, or have access to any financial information, you really want to know if this person has filed for bankruptcy or has a spotty credit rating – anything in their history that could indicate future problems in handling money,” explains Mike. Typically, a background check is conducted only on the person the practice plans to hire. Just as some companies make offers contingent to an individual passing a medical exam or drug test, a dentist may make a conditional offer of employment contingent upon the candidate successfully passing the background check.

The cost of a background check costs about $90-$150 and it is one of the best investments a practice can make. “You want to know this information about the person you are considering bringing on your team. For example, if you discover an applicant to have multiple DUIs, it may indicate substance abuse problems. Moreover, if this person is under the influence and driving during business hours for business purposes and has an accident the practice can be held liable. You want to know if the applicant had problems in their last position and what was the nature of those problems.”

If a dentist chooses to withdraw an offer because of information learned during a background check, the dentist is required by law to give the individual an opportunity to dispute and correct the findings. The applicant should be given a letter explaining that the practice is withdrawing its offer because of the findings. In addition, supply a copy of the background check and a Summary of Your Rights document to the candidate.

The most effective aspect of background checks is simply the threat of one, notes Mike, “Chances are that as soon as you hand an applicant a release form to conduct a background check they are going to spill the beans on their past or withdraw their application. It’s an excellent deterrent to the bad hire.”

For further information on human resources issues such as this contact Mike Moore at 888-777-6151 or email at HRSolutions@mckenziemgmt.com.

Sally McKenzie is CEO of McKenzie Management. A nationwide dental management, practice development and educational consulting firm. Working “on-site” with dentists since 1980, McKenzie Management provides knowledge, guidance and personalized systems that have propelled thousands of general and specialty practices to realize their potential. Sally can be reached directly at 1.877.777.6151
Interested in speaking to Sally McKenzie about your management concerns? Email her at Sally@thedentistsnetwork.net

Interested in having Joel speak to your dental society or study club? Click Here

Dr. Lorne Lavine
Dental Technology Consultants
Printer Friendly Version

Computer Network in Operatories A Wired, Wired World

I have discussed many times, in previous TDN articles, the need to have computers in the operatories. Besides being mandatory to use high-end digital systems like intraoral cameras and digital radiography, they also allow the office to become more decentralized by permitting many functions to be completed chairside, such as scheduling and insurance submissions. The underlying assumption in these scenarios, of course, is that all of the computers are connected together. The challenge, though, is deciding how to accomplish this.

It’s a Wired, Wired World
The typical method of connecting computers together is through use of Ethernet cabling, also known as network cables. The industry-standard cabling is known as Category 5, often referred to as Cat5. The actual cables that have been in use for many years are Cat5e. What’s the difference? Well, CAT 5 cable will support 10/100 Ethernet. That is, Ethernet (10 MB/s) and Fast Ethernet (100 MB/s). CAT 5e cable will support Ethernet, Fast Ethernet, and Gigabit Ethernet (1000 MB/s). CAT 5e Cable is completely backwards compatible, and can be used in any application in which you would normally use CAT 5 cable.

If you want to ensure that your network is ready for future speeds, then I would suggest investing in Cat 6. However, there are many components to a network and all of them must be rated for the higher speed:

Network Interface card, or NIC. Look for a NIC that is rated 10/100/1000. Almost all computers that are now available come with 10/100/1000 NICs as standard equipment.
Cat5e or Cat6 cabling.
A gigabit switch.

While some people still refer to switches as hubs, this is not technically correct. A hub is a less intelligent device that passes information requests to every computer in the network. A switch, on the other hand, is a “smarter” hub in that requests from a workstation to the server, for example, go directly to the server and back. While the first gigabit switches were very expensive, you can now find 16-port gigabit switches for under $200.

Cutting the Cord
In many offices, wiring computers is either not practical or impossible. Many older buildings do not have drop ceiling or proper conduits run, and doing so would not be cost effective for the office. Also, many dentists want the ability to use a laptop or Tablet PC throughout the office. In these cases, the best solution is to consider a wireless network.

Wireless networking has improved dramatically in the past few years. The devices used to setup a network, either a wireless router or wireless access point, have become very user friendly to the point that even people with no technical expertise can still set up a wireless network. While wireless is certainly an option for any office, there are reasons why I prefer wired over wireless:

Speed. The first wireless networks accepted mainstream were Wi-Fi, also called 802.11b. The speed was a maximum of 11 MB/s. Those have been replaced in the past few years with 802.11g, which has a maximum speed of 54 MB/s; real world speed is closer to 20 MB/s. The newest standard, 802.11n, will run closer to 100 MB/s, but there is no official standard yet and there may not be one until 2009.
Cost. Once the network cables are in place, the cost to add computers is very low. For wireless networks, each computer will require a wireless adapter. While many notebooks come with wireless adapters built-in, most desktop computers do not and you’ll need to add either a PCI or USB adapter to each system.
Security. With a wired network, someone must be physically plugged into the network in order to access it. With wireless, due to their 150 foot range, anyone driving in the neighborhood can access your network. Most wireless systems allow for a high-level of security. You can set up WPA, a type of wireless encryption, employ filtering that only allows computers you designate to connect, and turn off the broadcasting of the wireless network. The problem, though, is that all wireless systems come with security turned off by default, and many people are either too intimated or don’t know how to set up the proper security.

Dentists should consider the pros and cons of the different types of networks, and work with a network specialist if they are not sure, to properly install what will be the backbone of their entire technology system.

Lorne Lavine, DMD is the Founder and President of Dental Technology Consultants. Dr. Lavine holds two prestigious certifications, the A+ Certified Technician designation and the Network+ Certified Professional. These designations demonstrate proficiency in computer repair, operating systems, network design and installation. Dental Technology Consultants provide dentists a full range of services relating to the implementation of technology.

Dr. Lavine can be reached directly at 1.866.204.3398.