Dental Office Manager

This guy is the cheapest doctor I have ever worked for, not to mention the most disrespectful to his employees. He yells at his staff, belittles his staff in front of eachother and his patients. He fired one of his employees and then offered her her job back for $5.00 less pay. He had me doing data entry to set up his new computer system, (he was working out of a book) demanded that everything be set up pronto, interrupted me consistantly, wouldn't allow me enough time to go back and check my work, and then was furious when my entries were slightly incorrect (all fixable mistakes, that could have been avoided if him and his wife would have stopped talking to me). I got fired after 7 days for not being "perfect" in my data entry and not able to run his practice efficently by myself wwhich is a two person job, but he's two cheap to hire someone new. To top it off, he fired me over the weekend BY EMAIL!!!!
I am warning you, do not work for him, he is horrible and will make your life miserable! If you don't take my advice, I bet you'll be back on this site in a week.

I have been seriously considering writing a book called " I HAVE WORKED FOR THE CREAM OF THE CRAP OF DENTISTS"

Your experience is so common it scares me.

Debbie

Debbie in Baltimore, Maryland said: I have been seriously considering writing a book called " I HAVE WORKED FOR THE CREAM OF THE CRAP OF DENTISTS"

Your experience is so common it scares me.

Debbie

I too have considered writing a book about "The Dysfunctonal Dentist". It's a shame Dentistry can be fun, unfortunately you have to have a Dentist to do dentistry!

Who is the dentist?

stilllooking in Tustin, California said: This guy is the cheapest doctor I have ever worked for, not to mention the most disrespectful to his employees. He yells at his staff, belittles his staff in front of eachother and his patients. He fired one of his employees and then offered her her job back for $5.00 less pay. He had me doing data entry to set up his new computer system, (he was working out of a book) demanded that everything be set up pronto, interrupted me consistantly, wouldn't allow me enough time to go back and check my work, and then was furious when my entries were slightly incorrect (all fixable mistakes, that could have been avoided if him and his wife would have stopped talking to me). I got fired after 7 days for not being "perfect" in my data entry and not able to run his practice efficently by myself wwhich is a two person job, but he's two cheap to hire someone new. To top it off, he fired me over the weekend BY EMAIL!!!!
I am warning you, do not work for him, he is horrible and will make your life miserable! If you don't take my advice, I bet you'll be back on this site in a week.[/QU
hello, May I ask who is the Dentist?

You guys crack me up!! I was beginning to think it was just me. What the heck is up with these CRAZY dentists??

I have been on the hygienists forum as I am one, and I come to this site and BINGO! You took the words right out of my mouth!! They're nuts for sure. AND CHEAP is an understatement.

stilllooking in Tustin, California said: This guy is the cheapest doctor I have ever worked for, not to mention the most disrespectful to his employees. He yells at his staff, belittles his staff in front of eachother and his patients. He fired one of his employees and then offered her her job back for $5.00 less pay. He had me doing data entry to set up his new computer system, (he was working out of a book) demanded that everything be set up pronto, interrupted me consistantly, wouldn't allow me enough time to go back and check my work, and then was furious when my entries were slightly incorrect (all fixable mistakes, that could have been avoided if him and his wife would have stopped talking to me). I got fired after 7 days for not being "perfect" in my data entry and not able to run his practice efficently by myself wwhich is a two person job, but he's two cheap to hire someone new. To top it off, he fired me over the weekend BY EMAIL!!!!
I am warning you, do not work for him, he is horrible and will make your life miserable! If you don't take my advice, I bet you'll be back on this site in a week.

I think I worked for this guy...he is now in Valley Springs.....

It's not just dentists. It's all sole practitioners. THEY got the student loans, THEY went to college, THEY did all the studying and testing, and THEY had all the stress.

For most sole practitioners, the only value a particular employee has is his need for that person at that particular moment - something like having a good waitress.

Mary inTampa in Tampa, Florida said: It's not just dentists. It's all sole practitioners. THEY got the student loans, THEY went to college, THEY did all the studying and testing, and THEY had all the stress.

For most sole practitioners, the only value a particular employee has is his need for that person at that particular moment - something like having a good waitress.

Well it does happen everywhere. I worked for this DDS for 5 years, cleaned up the mess that the last lady left after she was fired for stealing.. But also helped him make more money than he ever had and i was there for 5 years (collections @ 101%) and he fired me because I went and picked up my new car after 5:30 on a day I called in sick???? (He said I called in sick to car shop all day) I bought the car the saturday before and was going to pick it up Thursday but they called a day early, I just drove there and straight back.. I'm in shock!!!! 5 years I dedicated myself and just like that it's gone???

I'm not an OM, I'm a hygienist. But in my opinion, you need an attorney. If you prove you bought the vehicle the Saturday before you may be able to win a wrongful termination suit. He's so typical of most of the dds' I've worked for too. No respect for staff. Don't they realize many pt's are there because of the polite front desk or the smiling and friendly faces of the assts or hygienist? Just like you, collections at 101%. Fantastic! And he let you go? No respect.

Thanks Suzanne, I thought the same thing!! maybe after the shock wears off!! I want a dentist to work for me!!! I know I can run a office and I would pay him/her well!!! :)

Keep your head up and find someone who deserves your effort and skills! Just today at work an asst who was literally on the verge of tears stated she'd like for once to put the dds in her shoes. I laughed and said it's a good thing we can't or it could look like the older movie "Nine to Five". Ha-ha. Good luck!!

:) thanks again!!! I'm busting the internet up and sending out lot's of resumes but I have not received 1 call back??? That's scarey!! I have been told I am a bit over qualified??? I hope that's not what I run into!!! Again thanks!!!

stilllooking in Tustin, California said: This guy is the cheapest doctor I have ever worked for, not to mention the most disrespectful to his employees. He yells at his staff, belittles his staff in front of eachother and his patients. He fired one of his employees and then offered her her job back for $5.00 less pay. He had me doing data entry to set up his new computer system, (he was working out of a book) demanded that everything be set up pronto, interrupted me consistantly, wouldn't allow me enough time to go back and check my work, and then was furious when my entries were slightly incorrect (all fixable mistakes, that could have been avoided if him and his wife would have stopped talking to me). I got fired after 7 days for not being "perfect" in my data entry and not able to run his practice efficently by myself wwhich is a two person job, but he's two cheap to hire someone new. To top it off, he fired me over the weekend BY EMAIL!!!!
I am warning you, do not work for him, he is horrible and will make your life miserable! If you don't take my advice, I bet you'll be back on this site in a week.

I am a dentist and I am on this board so that I can understand my team better.However maybe if you had an explanation you would have better understanding. I am not condoning the behavior just hoping to give you a better understanding. Most dentist who have bad attitudes have been burned before by less than mediocre team members.These are team members ,who come to office meetings every week where grievences can be brought to the table and dealt with openly and honestly without possiblity of termination, and they say they have no issues everything is fine then walk out with no notice then trash our name in the community.I do not disrespect my team members and this is how I get treated. So it goes both ways.

Debbie in Baltimore, Maryland said: I have been seriously considering writing a book called " I HAVE WORKED FOR THE CREAM OF THE CRAP OF DENTISTS"

Your experience is so common it scares me.

Debbie

I am a dentist and I am on this board to try to understand my team better and to be a better boss/team player.Please Debbie, Tell me some characteristics of the ideal dentist to work for. I surely do not want to be a "crappy dentist" and would like to have people knocking down my door to work for me. I've been working on this for about 9 years now and obviously I do not know what to do to close my rotating door. I do not disrespect my team.I pay them on time.I am very understanding when children are sick allowing the mom to stay home with no grief from me. I even check on the kids throughout the day!!I do have a busy office and mediocrity is unacceptable.I beg my team every week to do their job and think outside the box and I empower them to make decisions so that I do not have to micromanage(I hate to micromanage) and still people walk out on me or they turn in notices and lie about why they are leaving. I always ask so that I can correct whatever happend.Please tell me what I am doing wrong.

try reading the book..."how to win friends and influence people" Many great ideas to persuade people and how to get your point across without pissing the other one off! Just an idea...i live by that book and my co-workers and I get along great!

Lynn in Huntsville, Alabama said: I am a dentist and I am on this board to try to understand my team better and to be a better boss/team player.Please Debbie, Tell me some characteristics of the ideal dentist to work for. I surely do not want to be a "crappy dentist" and would like to have people knocking down my door to work for me. I've been working on this for about 9 years now and obviously I do not know what to do to close my rotating door. I do not disrespect my team.I pay them on time.I am very understanding when children are sick allowing the mom to stay home with no grief from me. I even check on the kids throughout the day!!I do have a busy office and mediocrity is unacceptable.I beg my team every week to do their job and think outside the box and I empower them to make decisions so that I do not have to micromanage(I hate to micromanage) and still people walk out on me or they turn in notices and lie about why they are leaving. I always ask so that I can correct whatever happend.Please tell me what I am doing wrong.

Just the fact that you are on this forum trying to figure out what you can do to be a better employer is HUGE! 26 years in dental dentistry, has unfortunately been more on the negative than the positive, at least from the employee perspective. My wage is low, I have no benefits, have not had a raise in over three years and the last raise I got was .50 per hour. I commute 45 min. each way ($60+ a week in gas) and get no appreciation whatsoever. The dentist I work for (for the last 10 years) expects far too much for the $25 he pays me. Then has the nerve to constantly complain to me about how insurance companies are cheap and don't allow enough for fee increases, how much his overhead is, how patient's are cheap, blah, blah blah! Last year produced $2 mil. I (solely) collected 98.8% of it and still no $ my way whatsoever not even a thanks.

These are the things you do not want to do!

me again! My advice? evaluate your salaries, benefits, bonuses etc. make sure they are where they should. Offer bonuses based on production, you know incentives to do better that are like rewards or pats on the back! Say thank you when it's due, don't worry about attitudes so much but demand positive attitudes ( including from yourself)around and towards patients. Remember, most dental staff are women - we think slightly different than men! Yes, it's true and everyone knows it! And bottom line...remember, your staff does not have and most likely never will have the same level of dedication to "your" practice because they are "employees". Their interest is and will always be a weekly paycheck, no matter what. You won't be giving them a share of your practice if you closed the doors and sold it right? try to always keep that in mind and do what you can to keep them as interested as possible.

Dito to Kim's comments, but I'd like to add some things. Some staff members are better workers than others. Demand the same from all employees. Take the binders off and either make them work harder or get rid of the ones that need to go. None of us like to work hard everyday and see others taking advantage of the doctor. Nothing worse than giving a poor staff member the same bonus as a hard working one.. Just adding from experience. There are many people out there that want to work hard for their employers.

ok, I re-read the post from the dentist trying to be a better boss.. What you need is a strong office manager. Those are the thing we take care of. It is up to the office manager to handle the problems in the office not the doctor. A strong office manager is the most positive thing a dentist can do, oh and a very strick office policy and procedure. If a person wants to work and work for you then there are rules to be followed and the office manager makes sure the staff follows them..
I have started my own consulting and have none very well by training office managers to be strong and stick to the office policy... If it is written and every staff member has read and understand the rules, well it just makes things so easy..
I wish I could help you. You sound like you really do care for you staff and want your office to run smooth.
Good luck, Robin

I worked for a DDS for almost 4 years as a dental receptionist this DDS was so rude and inconsiderate. He would micromanage everyone and if a patient refused a tx plan,this guy would go on and on about look at his car etc, he can afford to have tx...I stayed at this office for the patients and the girls I worked with.
I did approach him about taking courses to become an office manager and he says..no my wife is the office manager (just on paper) as we hardly ever see his wife...but this guy was so controlling..I was starting to not enjoy getting up in the morning
so I knew I had to leave on my own..but I had the last laugh as I gave him my 2 weeks notice the day before he was leaving for a 1 week holiday, so I know he did not have a good trip, as he was stressing about everything. I know that all DDS are not jerks,we just have to screen them better at our job interviews too.

I worked for a DDS for almost 4 years as a dental receptionist this DDS was so rude and inconsiderate. He would micromanage everyone and if a patient refused a tx plan,this guy would go on and on about look at his car etc, he can afford to have tx...I stayed at this office for the patients and the girls I worked with.
I did approach him about taking courses to become an office manager and he says..no my wife is the office manager (just on paper) as we hardly ever see his wife...but this guy was so controlling..I was starting to not enjoy getting up in the morning
so I knew I had to leave on my own..but I had the last laugh as I gave him my 2 weeks notice the day before he was leaving for a 1 week holiday, so I know he did not have a good trip, as he was stressing about everything. I know that all DDS are not jerks,we just have to screen them better at our job interviews too.

I have been working as an "office manager" for a few years now at this office. Since I have been hired we have added double drs. to our schedule and also hygenist several days a week. So I have double drs's and double hyg. where before there would be only one dr. and one hgy. We are very busy and I am expected to run the front desk with little or no help. They hired someone then let them go with no notice. Put an add in the paper but never hired anyone. Dr. doesnt have a clue as to what gets done and how long things take! I have offered for them to sit up with me but that has never happened. Dont know what to do! I have been looking for another job, but there is nothing out there!

I am an OM with the same problems as most of you here. This is my first job in the dental field and it is crazy how disrespectful and unappreciative the dentist's are to the employee's. I have been looking for something else also but there is nothing there. He just moved his practice and told us that if we started hitting a certain $$ then we could all look forward to bonuses, etc. Well I have well surpassed that number and still waiting!!! If the front desk has a problem or a question he is always rolling his eyes and huffing at us. It is so ridiculous! Sad to say but I'm glad I'm not the only one out here with a dentist with a "bad attitude".. Of course its only to his staff!!!