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Should I hire a practice manager when I open my own practice, or try
handling the business on my own? If hiring a practice manager is
recommended, how should I go about finding one?
The business of dentistry is so complex that I’d hire a manager if
I were starting out from scratch. You will need to interview
several management firms and select the one that shares
your similar values, ethics and goals. With regard to finding
a practice manager, often a dentist will ask a good friend
or spouse to serve as a practice manager. This could go either way.
I'd make sure he or she has a business degree and encourage them to
attend any dental practice management CE courses available. If this is
not an option for you, I'd use the advertisements in the Pennsylvania
Dental Journal to choose a practice management firm or talk
with colleagues at a local dental society meeting to get other
ideas.
If you decide that a management team is not for you, the ADA has a wealth of information about practice
management that would be a great place to start.
Wade Newman, DDS
Dr. Newman is a 2000 graduate of
West Virginia University. He is a solo practitioner at Bellefonte Family
Dentistry in Bellefonte. You can contact Dr.
Newman if you wish to inquire with
him further.
As a dentist who does not currently employ a practice
manager, but would like to have one, I hope I can provide some
additional insight into this question. There are, without a doubt, many
factors to consider. Will your practice be large enough
to sustain a practice manager fiscally? What role are you planning
for the practice manager - financial aspects, clinical aspects or
both? How will staff react to suddenly being under the command
of a practice manager? All of these questions have created
obstacles for me. I didn't build a new practice, but
instead purchased one that had very low staff turnover. Many
of my staff members have been in place for 25-30
years. I'm not sure how they would react to a second in
command.
A practice manager can make the doctor's life easier in
that he or she can be the eyes of the doctor. It can be
very difficult, when you are focused on patient care, to make sure
everything is in order in all aspects of the practice. However,
the issue of trust lingers - Can you find one person that you
can wholeheartedly trust with the important aspects of the
practice?
I've really had to do a considerable amout of thinking regarding this
decision, and as you can see, I have yet to decide whether hiring a
practice manager would be the right move for my practice. It will
depend on a number of things; you'll just have to weigh the pros and
cons before making your decision. Don't hesitate to contact a mentor or local
colleague for advice. The dental community is here to
assist you!
Brian Miller, DMD
Dr. Miller is a 2000 graduate of the
University of Pittsburgh and finished an Orthodontics program in 2003.
He is a solo practitioner at Waterfront Orthodontics in Plains. You can
contact Dr.
Miller if you’d like to
inquire with him further.
| question of the month, NDC, new dentist committee, practice manager, management |
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