Whether you can’t keep up with demand or you’re beginning to slow down and transition to retirement, the right associate can help you grow your practice and ensure patients are well cared for now and into the future.
However, bringing in an associate can be intimidating. You’ve built your practice’s reputation on a certain style of care. You may have known some of your patients (and their families) for decades. You want to know that Mrs. Smith is going to get the same quality and level of care she’s come to expect, regardless of which dentist she sees in your office.
So what makes an associate “right” for your practice and patients? How do you decide the appropriate level of training needed to be successful in your practice?
Every week in my role at ADA Practice Transitions (ADAPT), I speak with owners looking to hire an associate or sell their practice. Many of these owners insist that any associate coming to work for them have a minimum of two to five years of experience. Too often, this means that they refuse to even consider a candidate who would otherwise be a perfect fit.