So you've got an interview with a potential employer. How do you prepare and what sorts of questions will you be asked and what should you ask? Make sure you bring a printed copy of your own resume (maybe also some YELP reviews, and/or a production report from a residency), in case they're one of those really busy dentists who didn't have time to print any of your information out ahead of time.
Questions you may be asked: (taken from http://www.dentistrysbusinesssecrets.com/interview-questions/)
1. Why are you interested in this position?
2. Why did you get into this line of work?
3. What job experience do you have that would help you in this position?
4. Why are you looking to change jobs?
5. What are your strengths?
6. What are your weaknesses?
7. What do you find most frustrating at work?
8. What gives you the most enjoyment at work?
9. Are you willing to perform job duties that no one else wants to do?
10. Are you willing to do someone else’s job if they fail to do it?
11. Are you willing to work nontraditional hours?
12. Are you willing to stay late after office hours if emergency treatment requires you to do so?
13. Are you able to get along well with coworkers?
14. Would you harbor any negative feelings about coworkers who are getting paid more than you?
15. What are your ambitions within the field of dentistry?
16. What are your ambitions outside the field of dentistry?
17. What are your goals for the future?
Questions I've heard in interviews:
1) Tell me about yourself. Chances are they probably haven't studied your resume yet, so take this opportunity to give them a recap about where you grew up, where you went to school, where you are now, and why you're looking to take on this job.
2) Where do you see yourself in 5 or 10 years? They want to know if you plan to open your own practice. Sometimes a dentist wants to hold on to an associate for a long time. Sometimes they may want to help an associate find their feet and help them open their own practice in about 5 years. Every office is different. You choose what you want, and just be honest.
3) How would you rate yourself as a dentist? This is a hard question to answer for me. How can someone say that their dentistry is 100%? No one can promise that.
4) Where are you working now? They may know your other bosses, if you have others. But they're more interested in what days you're already taken.
5) Why did you leave your last position? Are you a hard person to work with? Was there a problem at the other office that may resurface again by working here? Be diplomatic on this one. You don't know if this dentist and the last one know each other at all, so don't bad mouth anyone here. You may just say that and the last dentist saw dentistry differently, or maybe they were selling the practice... just try to be honest without shooting the last horse.
6) What parts of dentistry do you like? What don't you like? Obviously, they want to see what procedures you can handle and what you'd rather refer out. Make sure you're both on the same page. And see if the dentist is willing to mentor you and help you reach that next notch in maturity as a dentist if there are procedures you aren't comfortable doing right now.
Questions you should ask:
1) How much will I be paid? Most I've seen has been 25% of production with base pay of $500 for an 8-hour day in the SF Bay Area. A couple exceptions: 1) I used to work 9-hour days for an office for $500/day; 2) Another office I worked 7-hour days with 30% of production with $450 base minimum.
2) What days and hours do you need me? Most offices will ask part time at the least liked hours of the week... Saturdays and evenings... some in the South Bay are asking for Sundays. You'll be lucky if you can land something during the day, and its almost impossible to find full-time, unless you're working for a large entity/corporation/group practice.
3) Is this position long-term or just temporary? For how long? Many older dentists who are thinking of retiring hire on an associate, and keep them stringing along until they're ready to jump the boat and transfer the patients. Some female dentists are having babies and need to take maternity leave, so they have temporary positions available... if they've just opened their practice or moved to a new one, maybe they're hiring for someone more long-term.
4) Have you ever had an associate before? Why did they leave? Would it be okay to ask your prior associate how they liked working here?
It helps if there's a history of an associate working there. This way patients aren't shocked when they see a new face treating them at their next appointment. I hear it's really hard to go from one main dentist to adding an associate, than it is to have one associate already and switch out that associate for another. It also helps to do a background check on the employer through the prior associate. Why did the associate leave? Only by talking to the associate will you get the truthful answer.
5) What procedures do you do here? What would you expect me to do? Do you refer anything out? Why or why not?
Craigslist will always post that they want dentists who can do molar endo and impacted thirds. Be honest if you can or cannot do these. Also, alarms should be screaming if you hear, "We don't refer anything out, and we make sure to keep everything in-house." If you're in a general dentist office, unless they're hiring specialists to come in part-time, be very skeptical if a dentist says they can do all dentistry. Do they do molar endo and use a scope? Do they extract all impacted thirds and provide IV anesthesia? Do they place all their own implants and take CTs? Do they do all their own perio surgeries? Is it ok if you refer out some procedures? Most employers may only ask you to start out with hygiene and operative, and slowly give you more and more complicated procedures. It's fine to start with hygiene too, that way you can get to know patients and see the dental work that has been done at the office.
6) What systems do you use? Practice management, implants, endo...
The most common software I've seen are Dentrix, Eaglesoft, and EasyDental. There's a super broad spectrum of implant systems out there, but the most common I've seen being used are NobelBiocare, Zimmer, and Hiossen. For endo, there's ProTaper, EndoSequence, and LightSpeedLSX. There are also dentists who use Tulsa Greater Taper (GT) files, and those who still do cold lateral compaction.
7) What is your policy on redos? How common are they? What is your policy for fillings and crowns?
Most of the time, fillings are covered by insurances every 2 years, and crowns are covered every 5 years by insurances. If the restoration breaks down before those time marks, or if the restoration was not done up to standard, ask how they tell patients a restoration should be redone. Sometimes the dentist will want you to run a crown redo by him/her before redoing it. Remember there's time involved, and quite possibly another lab fee.
8) Is there a dress code? Can I wear scrubs? Are there white coats or disposable gowns?
Follow the flow of the office. I personally prefer disposable gowns because they're cleaner, but sometimes you just have to see what everyone else is wearing to blend in. You wouldn't want to be the only one wearing something different.
9) How long has your staff been with you?
It's good to hear from the boss about how he or she thinks they keep a good staff. Staff retention is important, because it helps maintain the flow of the office. If a dentist is having problems retaining staff, that should be sending you red flags, because maybe they're really picky (good for quality of dentistry, bad for people?), or maybe they're unreasonable (bad for everyone).
10) What is your typical patient like?
Find out if the patients are down-to-earth or if they are extremely picky. Richer areas obviously tend to have patients with much higher expectations, and those areas out in the boonies tend to have patients who are more straight-forward and are appreciative for your services. See how the dentist answers this question... I've seen an employer take great pride in that his patients are really nice. "It says a lot about your practice who you allow through the door."
Now that you've landed a working interview, here are some tips to follow:
1) Bring your Malpractice Insurance declarations insert, CA Dental License, CA Driver's License, DEA License (if you have one), loupes, and a sack lunch! You don't know if you'll run late or if there's even fast food to grab nearby, so just be on the safe side and bring food and beverage with you!
2) Dress professionally (no miniskirts, no sweaters!), and bring a freshly ironed white coat (just in case). Don't wear scrubs until you later verify that it's okay with the employer to wear scrubs. Wear comfortable shoes, but no slippers. Definitely no open-toe shoes... completely unprofessional.
3) Make sure to sign a tax form before you leave at the end of the day. I've seen a range of W forms.
4) Talk to the staff when you find a free moment. Find out how they like working for the boss and how long they've been working there. If you do this in confidence, then you'll know they're telling the truth. Ask them what they know of the previous associate too. I've heard all sorts of crazy stories about how the staff hate their current boss and how they're changing careers because of their horrible situations. Examples: security cameras are put everywhere to deter assistants from idling around, minimum pay with long hours, having to be on call after hours for emergencies, not having a good place to park their car (cuz if they park in the parking lot, they've been threatened of being fired!).
5) Find out what labs they use, and take a look at the lab work that comes back.
---more to come---
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
Monday, October 10, 2011
Dental Professional Liability (aka Malpractice) Insurance
There are so many malpractice insurance companies out there. Here are the ones that I'm investigating:
1) Medical Protective (aka MedPro) - since 1899 - offers both OC and CM
2) TDIC (The Dentists Insurance Company) - since 1980 - offers only CM
3) Dentist's Advantage - over 50 yrs - offers both OC and CM
4) Mitchell and Mitchell (aka CNA, PPP) - since 1969 - offers only CM
5) Marsh (from Proliability.com, aka Liberty) - since 1871 - offers both OC and CM
First off... disclaimer, I'm not giving insurance or legal advice. I am only presenting my findings.
So what should you compare first off? Well there's basically two types of policies: Occurrence (OC) and Claims Made (CM). Some companies only offer CM, and some offer both OC and CM. What's the difference? OC insurance policies cover you as you are when the dental procedure happened, whereas CM insurance policies cover you as you are when the claim is filed. For example, you do a procedure in 2011, but in 2012 a patient files a claim. In OC, you are covered as you are in 2011, and in CM, you are covered as you are in 2012. Which is better? Here's my pro and cons list... and let me know if you think I'm leaving anything out.
CM:
-Pro - 1) cheaper; 2) insurance policies can change for the better
-Con - 1) may need to purchase tail insurance if you move to a different state, retire, become disabled, or die (tails can be 150-200% of your yearly premium, but is free after a certain number of years staying on with a company); 2) insurance policies can change for the worse
OC:
-Pro - 1) includes a built-in tail (meaning you never have to purchase your retroactive date, and the policy is permanent); 2) insurance policies can change for the worse, but that's ok because you were covered when the procedure occurred!
-Con - 1) more expensive; 2) your policy dies with the company if the insurance company sinks (so it better be a reputable long lasting company!)
When you really think about it, it really boils down to how you believe insurance companies change over the years. If your malpractice insurance policy is improving, then CM sounds like the better deal. But if your CM policy might not be renewed, and if your policy may suddenly have exclusions now that weren't there years ago, then OC sounds like the way to go instead.
Of course, there are some other things to consider when examining the various companies. I personally felt like I was battling between TDIC and MedPro... Mostly because I didn't know a whole lot about the others and hadn't heard anything from other dentists.
Articles to read to get yourself more familiar with OC vs. CM:
- http://www.apait.org/apait/products/professionalliability/faq/claimsmade.aspx
- http://www.piam.com/Insurance_Products/claimsmade.html
- http://www.hutchinsontraylor.com/files/Claims-Made_vs_Occurrence_Liability_Form.pdf
- http://businessinsure.about.com/od/typesofpolicies/f/claimsvocc.htm
**********
Features to look out for:
- Pure consent to settle - This means that the insurance company cannot settle without your consent. This is important because your reputation is on the line, and if the insurance company settles without your consent, it looks like you admitted fault to what you were being sued for. You have to report settlements and this can lead to future disciplinary action or problems with trying to get insurance coverage in other states if you move.
- Nationwide coverage - It's better to have a company that can move with you if you move to another state, than if you moved to a state that isn't covered. In that case, you'd have to purchase a tail, which can be 150-200% of your annual premium.
- Hammer clause - You don't want this. Basically if you are sued (e.g. a case worth $500,000) and your insurance policy determines it can settle at $50,000... and you end up losing the case, you're not stuck getting hammered with the remaining $450,000 to pay on your own.
- Binding arbitration clause - You don't want this. This prevents you from getting your day in court (which you usually want if you want to prove your innocence). If you and the insurance company can't agree, a third party makes the decision on whether to settle; and once the decision is made, there are no appeals.
**********
Here are some interesting features to the various plans that a friend of mine and I were looking at. Disclaimer: these are pieces of information not meant to slander or promote any company, but to just provide objective information gathered from speaking to various insurance agents and exploring their websites/flyers/literature/etc.
1) Medical Protective (aka MedPro) - since 1899 - offers both OC and CM
- MedPro's Advocacy for OC Insurance
- Anjali Singh's information on Malpractice Ins (advocacy for OC Insurance)
- http://www.medpro.com/claims-made-vs-occurrence
- Agents are typically super against CM, and are totally for OC policies.
- Insurance premiums (at matured rates ~5 yrs out) are much more expensive (at least 1.5x) compared to others. Premiums soar if you surgically place implants, extract impacted thirds, and work full time at a dental chain like Western Dental, Pacific Dental Services, etc.
- Offers "Stepping into Occurrence" which means you can pay for CM for 3 years and if claims-free, you can get OC.
- Free tail insurance at retirement (no age restriction)
- If you've been sued, depending on what the claim was for, your premium may or may not go up.
- Discounts: Part time counts as <8 hrs clinical dentistry (teaching doesn't count), Risk Management (7.5%), Punjabi Dental Society (10%)
- Includes "Pure consent to settle," "Nationwide coverage," and excludes "Hammer clause," "Binding arbitration clause"
- AM Best Rated: A++
2) TDIC (The Dentists Insurance Company) - since 1980 - offers only CM
- BENEFITS
- Brochure
- Known for being "insurance started by dentists, for dentists" - super friendly and has "great customer service" according to many older colleagues who have used them for years
- Requires tripartite membership: CDA ($690/yr), ADA ($528/yr), local dental society ($variable)
- Insurance premiums (at matured rates ~7 yrs out) are no more than $2500 throughout CA. These include surgically placing implants, and taking out impacted 3rds. Also cover you if you work for a dental chain like Western Dental, Pacific Dental Services, etc. without an increase in premium. Premium includes Dentist's Business Liability (aka "slip and fall insurance"). Policies go from July to July each year.
- You get 10% back from your premium in a check every year.
- Free tail insurance after 3 years of continuous practice up until "life changing event" (i.e. retirement, disability, death, etc.). Maternity leave and simply moving out of state don't count as life changing. No age restriction for retirement.
- Covers you wherever you practice (as long as it's in the U.S.) but officially only covers 10 states: Alaska | Arizona | California | Hawaii | Illinois | Minnesota | Nevada | New Jersey | North Dakota | Pennsylvania
- If you've been sued, premiums won't go up.
- Discounts: Risk Management (5% every two years), New Grad (3 yrs), Part time counts as <20 hrs
- AM Best Rated: A
- Online Application for New Grads: https://www.tdicsolutions.com/Business/ProfessionalLiability/NewGradPLApp.aspx
3) Dentist's Advantage - over 50 yrs - offers both OC and CM
- Doesn't offer "Pure consent to settle"
- Free tail insurance at retirement (not sure if age 50 or 55)
- Discounts: Part time counts as 20 hrs of clinical/teaching/consulting/etc
- AM Best Rated: A
4) Mitchell and Mitchell (aka CNA, Professional Protector Plan) - since 1969 - offers only CM
- CNA's Advocacy for CM Insurance
- First year annual premium for new grads is $50!
- Free tail insurance at retirement (age 55-60), permanent disability, or death (at which point tail would be applied to estate)
- Includes: "Pure consent to settle," "Nationwide coverage," and excludes "Hammer clause"
- AM Best Rated: A
5) Marsh (from Proliability.com, aka Liberty) - since 1871 - offers both OC and CM
- Free tail insurance at retirement (age restriction?), permanent disability, or death - as long as you were with company at least 5 years
- Includes: "Pure consent to settle," and excludes "Hammer clause"
**********
For those who are curious, I ended up choosing TDIC. I heard a lot of great things about them from dentists who have been around for many years, and the customer service was great. While I'm still not exactly sure if it was the best decision to go with Claims Made, TDIC made an argument that their policies are constantly improving, and not getting worse... so having a CM policy means that your coverage is up-to-date and always fresh. Plus, I don't plan on moving out of the state, since most of my family is in California, so I hope I won't ever need to buy Tail Insurance.
I think if finances weren't an issue at all, it would have been nice to go with MedPro. TDIC is charging me about $58 per month with a New Graduate discount, and MedPro would have been about $270 per month. The fact that MedPro has been established for so long (since 1899!!) is appealing, and also that they're nationwide, so they'll follow you regardless of what state your practicing in. TDIC said they will cover you if you're anywhere in the U.S., but if you're not living in one of their covered 10 states, then you'll need to buy Tail Insurance and find another company.
Once I decided on TDIC, the agent I spoke with sent me a 30-day Binder, with my starting date. This is to tide you over until you get your policy in the mail and are able to pay the first month's premium. The typical coverage is $1M/3M, which means your coverage is $1 million per claim and $3 million per year. Employers will typically ask for this type of coverage or better.
1) Medical Protective (aka MedPro) - since 1899 - offers both OC and CM
2) TDIC (The Dentists Insurance Company) - since 1980 - offers only CM
3) Dentist's Advantage - over 50 yrs - offers both OC and CM
4) Mitchell and Mitchell (aka CNA, PPP) - since 1969 - offers only CM
5) Marsh (from Proliability.com, aka Liberty) - since 1871 - offers both OC and CM
First off... disclaimer, I'm not giving insurance or legal advice. I am only presenting my findings.
So what should you compare first off? Well there's basically two types of policies: Occurrence (OC) and Claims Made (CM). Some companies only offer CM, and some offer both OC and CM. What's the difference? OC insurance policies cover you as you are when the dental procedure happened, whereas CM insurance policies cover you as you are when the claim is filed. For example, you do a procedure in 2011, but in 2012 a patient files a claim. In OC, you are covered as you are in 2011, and in CM, you are covered as you are in 2012. Which is better? Here's my pro and cons list... and let me know if you think I'm leaving anything out.
CM:
-Pro - 1) cheaper; 2) insurance policies can change for the better
-Con - 1) may need to purchase tail insurance if you move to a different state, retire, become disabled, or die (tails can be 150-200% of your yearly premium, but is free after a certain number of years staying on with a company); 2) insurance policies can change for the worse
OC:
-Pro - 1) includes a built-in tail (meaning you never have to purchase your retroactive date, and the policy is permanent); 2) insurance policies can change for the worse, but that's ok because you were covered when the procedure occurred!
-Con - 1) more expensive; 2) your policy dies with the company if the insurance company sinks (so it better be a reputable long lasting company!)
When you really think about it, it really boils down to how you believe insurance companies change over the years. If your malpractice insurance policy is improving, then CM sounds like the better deal. But if your CM policy might not be renewed, and if your policy may suddenly have exclusions now that weren't there years ago, then OC sounds like the way to go instead.
Of course, there are some other things to consider when examining the various companies. I personally felt like I was battling between TDIC and MedPro... Mostly because I didn't know a whole lot about the others and hadn't heard anything from other dentists.
Articles to read to get yourself more familiar with OC vs. CM:
- http://www.apait.org/apait/products/professionalliability/faq/claimsmade.aspx
- http://www.piam.com/Insurance_Products/claimsmade.html
- http://www.hutchinsontraylor.com/files/Claims-Made_vs_Occurrence_Liability_Form.pdf
- http://businessinsure.about.com/od/typesofpolicies/f/claimsvocc.htm
**********
Features to look out for:
- Pure consent to settle - This means that the insurance company cannot settle without your consent. This is important because your reputation is on the line, and if the insurance company settles without your consent, it looks like you admitted fault to what you were being sued for. You have to report settlements and this can lead to future disciplinary action or problems with trying to get insurance coverage in other states if you move.
- Nationwide coverage - It's better to have a company that can move with you if you move to another state, than if you moved to a state that isn't covered. In that case, you'd have to purchase a tail, which can be 150-200% of your annual premium.
- Hammer clause - You don't want this. Basically if you are sued (e.g. a case worth $500,000) and your insurance policy determines it can settle at $50,000... and you end up losing the case, you're not stuck getting hammered with the remaining $450,000 to pay on your own.
- Binding arbitration clause - You don't want this. This prevents you from getting your day in court (which you usually want if you want to prove your innocence). If you and the insurance company can't agree, a third party makes the decision on whether to settle; and once the decision is made, there are no appeals.
**********
Here are some interesting features to the various plans that a friend of mine and I were looking at. Disclaimer: these are pieces of information not meant to slander or promote any company, but to just provide objective information gathered from speaking to various insurance agents and exploring their websites/flyers/literature/etc.
1) Medical Protective (aka MedPro) - since 1899 - offers both OC and CM
- MedPro's Advocacy for OC Insurance
- Anjali Singh's information on Malpractice Ins (advocacy for OC Insurance)
- http://www.medpro.com/claims-made-vs-occurrence
- Agents are typically super against CM, and are totally for OC policies.
- Insurance premiums (at matured rates ~5 yrs out) are much more expensive (at least 1.5x) compared to others. Premiums soar if you surgically place implants, extract impacted thirds, and work full time at a dental chain like Western Dental, Pacific Dental Services, etc.
- Offers "Stepping into Occurrence" which means you can pay for CM for 3 years and if claims-free, you can get OC.
- Free tail insurance at retirement (no age restriction)
- If you've been sued, depending on what the claim was for, your premium may or may not go up.
- Discounts: Part time counts as <8 hrs clinical dentistry (teaching doesn't count), Risk Management (7.5%), Punjabi Dental Society (10%)
- Includes "Pure consent to settle," "Nationwide coverage," and excludes "Hammer clause," "Binding arbitration clause"
- AM Best Rated: A++
2) TDIC (The Dentists Insurance Company) - since 1980 - offers only CM
- BENEFITS
- Brochure
- Known for being "insurance started by dentists, for dentists" - super friendly and has "great customer service" according to many older colleagues who have used them for years
- Requires tripartite membership: CDA ($690/yr), ADA ($528/yr), local dental society ($variable)
- Insurance premiums (at matured rates ~7 yrs out) are no more than $2500 throughout CA. These include surgically placing implants, and taking out impacted 3rds. Also cover you if you work for a dental chain like Western Dental, Pacific Dental Services, etc. without an increase in premium. Premium includes Dentist's Business Liability (aka "slip and fall insurance"). Policies go from July to July each year.
- You get 10% back from your premium in a check every year.
- Free tail insurance after 3 years of continuous practice up until "life changing event" (i.e. retirement, disability, death, etc.). Maternity leave and simply moving out of state don't count as life changing. No age restriction for retirement.
- Covers you wherever you practice (as long as it's in the U.S.) but officially only covers 10 states: Alaska | Arizona | California | Hawaii | Illinois | Minnesota | Nevada | New Jersey | North Dakota | Pennsylvania
- If you've been sued, premiums won't go up.
- Discounts: Risk Management (5% every two years), New Grad (3 yrs), Part time counts as <20 hrs
- AM Best Rated: A
- Online Application for New Grads: https://www.tdicsolutions.com/Business/ProfessionalLiability/NewGradPLApp.aspx
3) Dentist's Advantage - over 50 yrs - offers both OC and CM
- Doesn't offer "Pure consent to settle"
- Free tail insurance at retirement (not sure if age 50 or 55)
- Discounts: Part time counts as 20 hrs of clinical/teaching/consulting/etc
- AM Best Rated: A
4) Mitchell and Mitchell (aka CNA, Professional Protector Plan) - since 1969 - offers only CM
- CNA's Advocacy for CM Insurance
- First year annual premium for new grads is $50!
- Free tail insurance at retirement (age 55-60), permanent disability, or death (at which point tail would be applied to estate)
- Includes: "Pure consent to settle," "Nationwide coverage," and excludes "Hammer clause"
- AM Best Rated: A
5) Marsh (from Proliability.com, aka Liberty) - since 1871 - offers both OC and CM
- Free tail insurance at retirement (age restriction?), permanent disability, or death - as long as you were with company at least 5 years
- Includes: "Pure consent to settle," and excludes "Hammer clause"
**********
For those who are curious, I ended up choosing TDIC. I heard a lot of great things about them from dentists who have been around for many years, and the customer service was great. While I'm still not exactly sure if it was the best decision to go with Claims Made, TDIC made an argument that their policies are constantly improving, and not getting worse... so having a CM policy means that your coverage is up-to-date and always fresh. Plus, I don't plan on moving out of the state, since most of my family is in California, so I hope I won't ever need to buy Tail Insurance.
I think if finances weren't an issue at all, it would have been nice to go with MedPro. TDIC is charging me about $58 per month with a New Graduate discount, and MedPro would have been about $270 per month. The fact that MedPro has been established for so long (since 1899!!) is appealing, and also that they're nationwide, so they'll follow you regardless of what state your practicing in. TDIC said they will cover you if you're anywhere in the U.S., but if you're not living in one of their covered 10 states, then you'll need to buy Tail Insurance and find another company.
Once I decided on TDIC, the agent I spoke with sent me a 30-day Binder, with my starting date. This is to tide you over until you get your policy in the mail and are able to pay the first month's premium. The typical coverage is $1M/3M, which means your coverage is $1 million per claim and $3 million per year. Employers will typically ask for this type of coverage or better.
Friday, August 5, 2011
Contact information
When you give potential future employers your contact info, you should already have a good phone number and email established so you can be easily reached, and you can keep track of your contacts with them well.
Gmail!
Just like you probably set up a separate account for dental application stuff, I'd set one up, (or even use the same one) for future dental leads. Gmail is awesome, and you can actually forward your new account's email to one you're already using, and have it pre-labelled something easy like "Dental" when it lands in your Inbox.
GoogleVoice!
I'm not being compensated in any way, shape, or form for promoting GoogleVoice, but if you're already familiar with Gmail, and have an account, I STRONGLY urge you to get a GoogleVoice account and link your cell phone to a new G-Voice number. I've been using my G-Voice number on my CV and my business cards. Major pluses: all your voicemails get transcribed, all calls are logged, you can call via internet hands-free from your computer (just get a headset or microphone), you can edit notes regarding each phone call, your contacts get synced with Gmail (as you add phone numbers to your contacts as you make calls; this is even more awesome if you have a smart phone like Android!), you can text other phone numbers via G-Voice instead of having to use your phone. Just make sure you call from your G-chat, using the "Call phone" icon, and have Internet handy. If you're not already on G-chat when you receive a phone call, you can set your account to forward the calls to your cell phone (or an additional phone if the first one doesn't pick up).
VistaPrint Business Cards!
I just recently ordered a quantity of 500 from VistaPrint for about $17 (with shipping and handling), and they just came in the mail! They have all sorts of designs, including those specific for dental. For safety, you should probably avoid putting your home address if you don't have a practice address yet, but I'd put at least your name, "General Dentistry", and email and phone number, so you have something to hand out in case someone is interested in contacting you in the future!
Website!
I've thought about purchasing a website domain specific for dental self-advertising, but am not really sure how I feel about this, especially when I plan on working in several different offices at the same time for a while. If I were to purchase a domain name, it would probably be from GoDaddy.com.
Gmail!
Just like you probably set up a separate account for dental application stuff, I'd set one up, (or even use the same one) for future dental leads. Gmail is awesome, and you can actually forward your new account's email to one you're already using, and have it pre-labelled something easy like "Dental" when it lands in your Inbox.
GoogleVoice!
I'm not being compensated in any way, shape, or form for promoting GoogleVoice, but if you're already familiar with Gmail, and have an account, I STRONGLY urge you to get a GoogleVoice account and link your cell phone to a new G-Voice number. I've been using my G-Voice number on my CV and my business cards. Major pluses: all your voicemails get transcribed, all calls are logged, you can call via internet hands-free from your computer (just get a headset or microphone), you can edit notes regarding each phone call, your contacts get synced with Gmail (as you add phone numbers to your contacts as you make calls; this is even more awesome if you have a smart phone like Android!), you can text other phone numbers via G-Voice instead of having to use your phone. Just make sure you call from your G-chat, using the "Call phone" icon, and have Internet handy. If you're not already on G-chat when you receive a phone call, you can set your account to forward the calls to your cell phone (or an additional phone if the first one doesn't pick up).
VistaPrint Business Cards!
I just recently ordered a quantity of 500 from VistaPrint for about $17 (with shipping and handling), and they just came in the mail! They have all sorts of designs, including those specific for dental. For safety, you should probably avoid putting your home address if you don't have a practice address yet, but I'd put at least your name, "General Dentistry", and email and phone number, so you have something to hand out in case someone is interested in contacting you in the future!
Website!
I've thought about purchasing a website domain specific for dental self-advertising, but am not really sure how I feel about this, especially when I plan on working in several different offices at the same time for a while. If I were to purchase a domain name, it would probably be from GoDaddy.com.
Associateship contracts
Some dentists think you should always always always have a contract before starting to work for someone. Sure, in an ideal world. After meeting over 20 dentists in the past year, I've only seen two contracts. Maybe most dentists don't even think about them, or maybe they don't care... but most of them never mentioned anything of a contract. One even said, "Why do we need a contract? Everything I say goes." But be careful, and tread lightly if you decide to go into a job without a contract.
If you don't have a contract, just make sure you have the following spelled out for you and agreed upon before you even start a working interview:
1) Compensation -- Ask if you'll be paid per diem (i.e. base rate per day), or by percentage of collection OR production. Often they'll promise a percentage of production, with a minimum base, so that at least you can be sure you'll be making at least a certain amount each day you work.
If paid strictly on a per diem basis, ask if there's a possibility in the future for an increase. You don't want to be stuck at base pay forever. For an 8-hour day in the SF Bay Area, I'd say $500 is pretty average for an associate starting out.
Being paid per collection is a pain because it's dependent on when and how money is collected, which is a lot of times hard to predict in a PPO office. Being paid on production is better because the day you do a procedure, a percentage of that procedure goes in your pocket the next times you get paid. It's not dependent on whether the front office collects the money or not. You did the procedure, you get paid. Be careful with percentages of production or collection, especially when you're in a group practice with multiple doctors. The front office can easily mistake who did what procedure, and then keeping track can get loosey-goosey. Average percentage I've seen for an associate starting out is 25%.
Also, when and how are you going to be paid? Have you filled out a tax form? By the way... most employers will count you as an "employee," subtract all your taxes, but they won't give you any benefits. I have yet to find a dentist who will provide benefits. They'll add you to their payroll and pay you twice a month. Sometimes you'll get compensated as an "independent contractor" and get a straight up check without anything subtracted from it. Keep in mind how much you collect as an independent contractor in a year, because if you don't report your taxes quarterly to Uncle Sam, you may get penalized with interest during tax season!
Also do you pay for labs? Or any materials? Or assistant salary? You'd be surprised, some offices will take these portions out from your paycheck! Don't worry though, most won't... just ask to be sure!
2) Schedule -- What days and hours do they expect?
3) Duration of the position -- Are they expecting long term? Or just temporary help? If you decide to leave, or if the doctor wants to fire you, what kind of notice are we looking at? Two weeks?
(Obviously, there are more things you should know, but I'll go into that in another post... these just seemed the most basic.)
If given a contract, make sure you read it really well. There was one office that told me that he wanted me to sign a contract binding myself to him for 3 years. He also wanted to include in the contract to move closer to the office. I live in the East Bay, and was commuting to San Jose during the working interview process. I never actually saw the contract, because he never showed it to me, but there were a couple red flags: 1) CA is an at-will employment, so there's no way an employer can enforce a 3-year term (unless your working for a corporation like WesternDental and will suffer a huge financial penalty for not finishing your promised term); 2) forcing me to move is extraneous to being able to do the dental work.
The one office I did sign a contract with, it was completely legit. Click here to view a blank copy.
Here's a more official look at what an associate contract should spell out according to Barry Josselson, a Professional Law Corporation. Click here to view.
This is another view on the importance of contracts, and also explains employee vs. independent contractor pickle that most dentists face when working for an employer. Click here to view.
Something else to consider, which may be written in the contract, is the ownership of patient records. Most dentists will write in the contract that if you leave for any reason, you cannot take their patients with you. You may not take any of their information with you and potentially "steal" them from the doctor. Granted, if patients find out that you are gone, some may want to seek you out. There's nothing you can really do about that. But to go back and solicit to the patients with the sole intention of taking them with you when you leave... obviously it's illegal if you sign in your contract that you wouldn't do that.
Here is an ADA section on Associateships, published in 2009, with lots of good tips as well.
If you don't have a contract, just make sure you have the following spelled out for you and agreed upon before you even start a working interview:
1) Compensation -- Ask if you'll be paid per diem (i.e. base rate per day), or by percentage of collection OR production. Often they'll promise a percentage of production, with a minimum base, so that at least you can be sure you'll be making at least a certain amount each day you work.
If paid strictly on a per diem basis, ask if there's a possibility in the future for an increase. You don't want to be stuck at base pay forever. For an 8-hour day in the SF Bay Area, I'd say $500 is pretty average for an associate starting out.
Being paid per collection is a pain because it's dependent on when and how money is collected, which is a lot of times hard to predict in a PPO office. Being paid on production is better because the day you do a procedure, a percentage of that procedure goes in your pocket the next times you get paid. It's not dependent on whether the front office collects the money or not. You did the procedure, you get paid. Be careful with percentages of production or collection, especially when you're in a group practice with multiple doctors. The front office can easily mistake who did what procedure, and then keeping track can get loosey-goosey. Average percentage I've seen for an associate starting out is 25%.
Also, when and how are you going to be paid? Have you filled out a tax form? By the way... most employers will count you as an "employee," subtract all your taxes, but they won't give you any benefits. I have yet to find a dentist who will provide benefits. They'll add you to their payroll and pay you twice a month. Sometimes you'll get compensated as an "independent contractor" and get a straight up check without anything subtracted from it. Keep in mind how much you collect as an independent contractor in a year, because if you don't report your taxes quarterly to Uncle Sam, you may get penalized with interest during tax season!
Also do you pay for labs? Or any materials? Or assistant salary? You'd be surprised, some offices will take these portions out from your paycheck! Don't worry though, most won't... just ask to be sure!
2) Schedule -- What days and hours do they expect?
3) Duration of the position -- Are they expecting long term? Or just temporary help? If you decide to leave, or if the doctor wants to fire you, what kind of notice are we looking at? Two weeks?
(Obviously, there are more things you should know, but I'll go into that in another post... these just seemed the most basic.)
If given a contract, make sure you read it really well. There was one office that told me that he wanted me to sign a contract binding myself to him for 3 years. He also wanted to include in the contract to move closer to the office. I live in the East Bay, and was commuting to San Jose during the working interview process. I never actually saw the contract, because he never showed it to me, but there were a couple red flags: 1) CA is an at-will employment, so there's no way an employer can enforce a 3-year term (unless your working for a corporation like WesternDental and will suffer a huge financial penalty for not finishing your promised term); 2) forcing me to move is extraneous to being able to do the dental work.
The one office I did sign a contract with, it was completely legit. Click here to view a blank copy.
Here's a more official look at what an associate contract should spell out according to Barry Josselson, a Professional Law Corporation. Click here to view.
This is another view on the importance of contracts, and also explains employee vs. independent contractor pickle that most dentists face when working for an employer. Click here to view.
Something else to consider, which may be written in the contract, is the ownership of patient records. Most dentists will write in the contract that if you leave for any reason, you cannot take their patients with you. You may not take any of their information with you and potentially "steal" them from the doctor. Granted, if patients find out that you are gone, some may want to seek you out. There's nothing you can really do about that. But to go back and solicit to the patients with the sole intention of taking them with you when you leave... obviously it's illegal if you sign in your contract that you wouldn't do that.
Here is an ADA section on Associateships, published in 2009, with lots of good tips as well.
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Licensure by residency - in California
So a couple years ago, there was a law that was passed that said that any graduated dentist who attended a one year post-grad residency (and didn't fail the WREBs board) could obtain their license to practice. This applied to both states of California and New York.
This was something that I decided to do. I knew I wanted to go to a GPR for the amazing experiences I would gain, but also because I wanted to avoid the wretched weekend of WREBs. So my GPR was done 6/30/11, and my co-residents and I were able to file our paperwork. We were able to submit our paperwork a little bit before the finish of the program, and received the license at the beginning of August. If you don't submit your paperwork until after June 30th, I'd tell potential future employers late August or early Sept is a good time to start working. You can go to the CA Dental Board's website to also look up your license verification status, to see if it has been approved, even before you receive it in the mail!
The CA Dental Board's website lists what you need, but it's not entirely intuitive. And just to be clear, this is what I sent in for 2011's cycle.
1) APPLICATION FOR DETERMINATION OF LICENSURE ELIGIBILITY (RESIDENCY)
This requires a passport photo of yourself. Costco rates are the cheapest around. Pretty sure I paid $4.99 for one pair of passport photos, and it takes 15 minutes. Well worth the trouble.
2) Application Fee of $100
A personal check payable to "CA Dental Board" will suffice.
3) Written proof from your dental school that you graduated
I had to fill out a documentation request form and mail this to UOP so that I could obtain a signed letter stating that I graduated with a DDS in 2010. It didn't come in a sealed envelope, so I just tore the thing open and included it in my application. Some friends of mine included a copy of their dental school diploma, which I guess couldn't hurt.
4) Certification of Clinical Residency Completion form
Your GPR or AEGD director may not sign these off until the very last day of your residency, which is usually 6/30. You should get a seal or verification on letterhead saying that you completed all the requirements.
5) Submission of your original NBDE scores from Parts 1 and 2
It's not enough to provide photocopies. They need to be the real deal. You can request them from ADA's website to be submitted directly to the CA Dental Board.
6) Written confirmation from WREB and $50 money order
It's not enough that you didn't take the WREB exam. You need to send a History of Dental Exam Request form and a $50 money order to the WREB so that they can verify to the CA Dental Board that you did not attempt and fail the WREB. Couldn't find the form online, but a friend of mine sent it to me and I posted it on GoogleDocs. I'm sure you could also request the form from the WREB.
7) Fingerprints - BEFORE YOUR PAPERWORK
You need to print out the Fingerprinting form specifically from the CA Dental Board's website, and bring it to a facility that can take your fingerprints. I went to the local Mail Services Etc. without an appointment, and not only was it extremely quick without a line, they offered LiveScan fingerprinting, which is digital. Even though the FBI gets your prints in a matter of days after they're submitted, I'd recommend getting this done as soon as you can before filing your paperwork. It cost me $71.00. Click here for a complete list of LiveScan Fingerprinting facilities in CA. I included a copy of my completed LiveScan Fingerprinting form with my application.
8) Completion of CA Law and Ethics Exam
This exam needs to be completed within 2 years of your filing for your license. Most dental schools will offer this in their senior year. I think UOP had us submit our results immediately to the CA Dental Board, since I didn't have to submit anything separate in my application to prove that I took and passed the Law and Ethics Exam. It's a multiple choice exam, and takes a couple hours to complete. Sadly, the CA Dental Board won't tell you if they have your results on file until your application has been submitted.
After you submit your paperwork, and make sure you send it CERTIFIED with DELIVERY CONFIRMATION, you'll have to wait about 4-6 weeks until you get the secondary application and a form explaining how to calculate your prorated license fee.
1) Application for Issuance of License and Registration of Place of Practice
This isn't online anywhere, and will be submitted to you as a secondary application after your app has been reviewed. You fill it out to the best of your ability, and if you don't have a place of practice, no worries. You can update that later once you have a job.
2) Prorated license fee
Every two years, your dental license needs to be renewed. For some reason, the CA Dental Board prorates this based on your birthday, and according to the year. So you have to calculate that according to the chart they provide, and submit a personal check with the correct amount. If you get confused, they provide a number for you to call.
Once the secondary portion of your application is submitted, also CERTIFIED with DELIVERY CONFIRMATION, it'll take 7-10 business days until you receive a letter receipt stating that your license has been processed and you'll get your license number! You'll get a pocket ID with your information (I'd recommend to have it laminated) as well as your formal licensing certificate. Frame that!
Congrats! You have your license... and can start practicing!
This was something that I decided to do. I knew I wanted to go to a GPR for the amazing experiences I would gain, but also because I wanted to avoid the wretched weekend of WREBs. So my GPR was done 6/30/11, and my co-residents and I were able to file our paperwork. We were able to submit our paperwork a little bit before the finish of the program, and received the license at the beginning of August. If you don't submit your paperwork until after June 30th, I'd tell potential future employers late August or early Sept is a good time to start working. You can go to the CA Dental Board's website to also look up your license verification status, to see if it has been approved, even before you receive it in the mail!
The CA Dental Board's website lists what you need, but it's not entirely intuitive. And just to be clear, this is what I sent in for 2011's cycle.
1) APPLICATION FOR DETERMINATION OF LICENSURE ELIGIBILITY (RESIDENCY)
This requires a passport photo of yourself. Costco rates are the cheapest around. Pretty sure I paid $4.99 for one pair of passport photos, and it takes 15 minutes. Well worth the trouble.
2) Application Fee of $100
A personal check payable to "CA Dental Board" will suffice.
3) Written proof from your dental school that you graduated
I had to fill out a documentation request form and mail this to UOP so that I could obtain a signed letter stating that I graduated with a DDS in 2010. It didn't come in a sealed envelope, so I just tore the thing open and included it in my application. Some friends of mine included a copy of their dental school diploma, which I guess couldn't hurt.
4) Certification of Clinical Residency Completion form
Your GPR or AEGD director may not sign these off until the very last day of your residency, which is usually 6/30. You should get a seal or verification on letterhead saying that you completed all the requirements.
5) Submission of your original NBDE scores from Parts 1 and 2
It's not enough to provide photocopies. They need to be the real deal. You can request them from ADA's website to be submitted directly to the CA Dental Board.
6) Written confirmation from WREB and $50 money order
It's not enough that you didn't take the WREB exam. You need to send a History of Dental Exam Request form and a $50 money order to the WREB so that they can verify to the CA Dental Board that you did not attempt and fail the WREB. Couldn't find the form online, but a friend of mine sent it to me and I posted it on GoogleDocs. I'm sure you could also request the form from the WREB.
7) Fingerprints - BEFORE YOUR PAPERWORK
You need to print out the Fingerprinting form specifically from the CA Dental Board's website, and bring it to a facility that can take your fingerprints. I went to the local Mail Services Etc. without an appointment, and not only was it extremely quick without a line, they offered LiveScan fingerprinting, which is digital. Even though the FBI gets your prints in a matter of days after they're submitted, I'd recommend getting this done as soon as you can before filing your paperwork. It cost me $71.00. Click here for a complete list of LiveScan Fingerprinting facilities in CA. I included a copy of my completed LiveScan Fingerprinting form with my application.
8) Completion of CA Law and Ethics Exam
This exam needs to be completed within 2 years of your filing for your license. Most dental schools will offer this in their senior year. I think UOP had us submit our results immediately to the CA Dental Board, since I didn't have to submit anything separate in my application to prove that I took and passed the Law and Ethics Exam. It's a multiple choice exam, and takes a couple hours to complete. Sadly, the CA Dental Board won't tell you if they have your results on file until your application has been submitted.
After you submit your paperwork, and make sure you send it CERTIFIED with DELIVERY CONFIRMATION, you'll have to wait about 4-6 weeks until you get the secondary application and a form explaining how to calculate your prorated license fee.
1) Application for Issuance of License and Registration of Place of Practice
This isn't online anywhere, and will be submitted to you as a secondary application after your app has been reviewed. You fill it out to the best of your ability, and if you don't have a place of practice, no worries. You can update that later once you have a job.
2) Prorated license fee
Every two years, your dental license needs to be renewed. For some reason, the CA Dental Board prorates this based on your birthday, and according to the year. So you have to calculate that according to the chart they provide, and submit a personal check with the correct amount. If you get confused, they provide a number for you to call.
Once the secondary portion of your application is submitted, also CERTIFIED with DELIVERY CONFIRMATION, it'll take 7-10 business days until you receive a letter receipt stating that your license has been processed and you'll get your license number! You'll get a pocket ID with your information (I'd recommend to have it laminated) as well as your formal licensing certificate. Frame that!
Congrats! You have your license... and can start practicing!
Where to look for associateships?
You'd be surprised what you can find on craigslist.org. New ads appear almost every day for dentists around the SF Bay Area. Just go to the "Medical/Health" section under "Jobs" and type in "dentist"... voila! A neat trick you can do to find out where the office is located, in case they don't list their address, is to Google search their phone number or fax number! Works every time! It's also helpful to search for the doctor on Yelp.com so that you can find their practice website and try to see if that practice is something you'd find worth apply to!
Being a Californian, it's helpful to also look at CDA's list of Employment opportunities. You don't need to be a paid member to browse their postings for Associateships, as well as Practices for Sale.
Pacific Dugoni Alumni's website also posts job positions and available practices. Although, beware, many of these postings can be quickly outdated, as the ads are sometimes left there for months at a time.
Yelp is a very powerful tool. If you know where you want to practice, one way you can get in touch with doctors is to seek out dentists working in the city you're looking, and send them your resume with a cover letter expressing interest in associateships. As a mentor once told me, most dentists who are thinking of retiring are pretty wishy washy about it. If they happen to see the opportunity to have an associate arise, they might be more willing to take it, than to actually go out of their way to post an ad and interview a bunch of candidates for an associate position. So I call this the mass mail approach. Some dentists are actually more than happy to offer their two cents on how they got started as a new grad and even if they aren't looking for an associate, they might recommend someone they do know who is looking.
Go to your local dental society's websites and let the society know that you're looking for employment. Whether it's San Mateo, Mid-Peninsula, San Francisco, Santa Clara, or others... many societies keep Employment Lists and may accept your resume, so there's a place for dentists to look first in case they're interested in an associate. Go to the society meetings too, so you can start to get to know the dentists in your area!
Another tried and true way is to simply spread the word by talking to your friends, family, even your own dentist, that you're looking for a job. You'll need all the connections you can get.
Another tip is to bring a copy of your production report to your interview, so that your potential future employer can see how many dentures you did, or extractions or implants... etc.
Any other suggestions for where you think you might find associateships?
Being a Californian, it's helpful to also look at CDA's list of Employment opportunities. You don't need to be a paid member to browse their postings for Associateships, as well as Practices for Sale.
Pacific Dugoni Alumni's website also posts job positions and available practices. Although, beware, many of these postings can be quickly outdated, as the ads are sometimes left there for months at a time.
Yelp is a very powerful tool. If you know where you want to practice, one way you can get in touch with doctors is to seek out dentists working in the city you're looking, and send them your resume with a cover letter expressing interest in associateships. As a mentor once told me, most dentists who are thinking of retiring are pretty wishy washy about it. If they happen to see the opportunity to have an associate arise, they might be more willing to take it, than to actually go out of their way to post an ad and interview a bunch of candidates for an associate position. So I call this the mass mail approach. Some dentists are actually more than happy to offer their two cents on how they got started as a new grad and even if they aren't looking for an associate, they might recommend someone they do know who is looking.
Go to your local dental society's websites and let the society know that you're looking for employment. Whether it's San Mateo, Mid-Peninsula, San Francisco, Santa Clara, or others... many societies keep Employment Lists and may accept your resume, so there's a place for dentists to look first in case they're interested in an associate. Go to the society meetings too, so you can start to get to know the dentists in your area!
Another tried and true way is to simply spread the word by talking to your friends, family, even your own dentist, that you're looking for a job. You'll need all the connections you can get.
Another tip is to bring a copy of your production report to your interview, so that your potential future employer can see how many dentures you did, or extractions or implants... etc.
Any other suggestions for where you think you might find associateships?
My motivation
I graduated in 2010 from the University of the Pacific Dugoni School of Dentistry, and afterwards, had the privilege of completing a one-year General Practice Residency at the VA Medical Center in Long Beach, CA. Both parts of my dental education were amazing, and I've learned so much clinically and also about myself as a clinician. And yet, I've so much to learn when it comes to the other side of dentistry... the business side!
I've now moved back to the SF Bay Area, which I will always call home, and am happy to be starting my life as a new dentist... in what we call "the real world." The reason I felt compelled to start this blog is that there are so many questions a new dentist will have when they first start out, and while I KNOW that there is no way for me to conquer them all alone, I can share what I discover and hope others will benefit from the notes I take while on this pathway.
I will try to refrain from discussing as much clinical aspects of dentistry as possible, and solely focus on the new employment adventure that my classmates, colleagues, and I are about to embark upon!
And no... I'm not affiliated at all with TheNewDentist although I do think they really are a great resource!
I've now moved back to the SF Bay Area, which I will always call home, and am happy to be starting my life as a new dentist... in what we call "the real world." The reason I felt compelled to start this blog is that there are so many questions a new dentist will have when they first start out, and while I KNOW that there is no way for me to conquer them all alone, I can share what I discover and hope others will benefit from the notes I take while on this pathway.
I will try to refrain from discussing as much clinical aspects of dentistry as possible, and solely focus on the new employment adventure that my classmates, colleagues, and I are about to embark upon!
And no... I'm not affiliated at all with TheNewDentist although I do think they really are a great resource!
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