I was helping an orthodontist with his practice when he called one day worried about his insurance collections.

“I have a staffing problem,” he said. “My insurance is not getting submitted on time and I think I need to hire an insurance person.”

Knowing that the answer to my next question should b...

“I just can’t take it anymore!  I’ve been putting up with that difficult assistant for too long and it’s time for her to go!  But how can I do it without upsetting the others?  And how do I do it without having to pay unemployment?”

When you decide it’s time to terminate an employee, there are seve...

During our first year in practice, my business partner and I purchased a retiring orthodontist’s practice, inheriting a receptionist who worked in his satellite office.  When I say she “worked” in the satellite office, I’m being generous.  She frustrated both of us from day one.

 The problems were ...

Many years ago, two chairside assistants, Linda and Melody, were both hired at the same time and at the same hourly rate. 

Five years later, though, Linda was being paid 50% more than Melody.  Same position, same seniority, same number of hours, but vastly different compensation.  How did it happen...