Hiring the first warm body.

Not long ago I was on a call with a dentist who'd reached out for help finding the right associate.

Then they changed their mind.

Someone had walked through the front door the day before with a résumé and said they were available. So they hired them.

That's the most common mistake I see, and it's driven by fear.

Fear of not having someone producing. Fear of the numbers dipping. Fear of nobody answering the phone or checking patients in.

So owners grab the first live body that shows up — for an associate role, the front desk, an office manager, it doesn't matter.

And then, quite often, they spend months undoing the damage.

Being reactive feels like action. Being patient and thoughtful feels like inaction. It's the other way around.

The next time a seat opens up, before you hire whoever is available, ask one question:

Would I have chosen this person if I weren't scared?