Category: Prosperident Newsletters

Embezzlement News #96 July 2020

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Dental Embezzlement News from Prosperident
Issue #96 — July 2020
Webinars Are Back!
We promised a return of our wildly popular webinar series return this month.
And we meant it! Wendy, Amber and David will be back on July 15 at 8:00 pm Eastern Time (5:00 pm Pacific).
And the topic is a humdinger — Steal and Conceal; What Serial Embezzlers Can Teach Us. The gang is going deep into our case files to show you some of the most voracious embezzlers we have encountered.
To register click HERE. If you want to catch up on our previous webinars (we had some great topics like Forensic Hiring and Reconcile or Reckless), you can access them at THIS LINK.
CE credit through PACE is available.
We look forward to having you back in our audience!
Hear From an Embezzlement Victim
Several of our clients generously agreed to be interviewed about their experience being embezzled. Here is part of Amber Weber’s interview with Dr. Dominique Backus, where Dominique talks about the emotions she experienced.
Did you miss a previous newsletter? We archive them HERE.
The Danger of “References”
A client of ours recently asked us this question:
I have an interviewee and I would like to talk to her past employers. She’s been at a local restaurant for the last 4 years, but it closed in April.
What would you recommend to do to check employment?
She listed 3 references from the restaurant with their contact info. Would you recommend to contact them?
Our client is someone who makes every effort to run his practice properly, and his dilemma forces us to deal with a seminal issue in background checking – who should we be speaking with?
We often have dentists say that they ask for “references” or that they check “references.” Normally they are doing this to show that they are careful about who they hire.
Something to Talk About…
I’m thrilled that, after a two-month hiatus, I will be doing another webinar with my delightful co-hosts, Amber Weber and Wendy Askins.
Doing webinars was Amber’s idea, when COVID provided dentists with a dollop of unexpected downtime. Our Power Hours were successful beyond what we ever imagined, with audience size approaching 3,000 people.
After six episodes in the next six weeks, it was time for us to take a break. There are a lot of hours that go into preparing for a webinar, and doing it weekly is definitely a challenge. At a time when the priority of many dentists was getting back to work and adjusting to practicing in the COVID era, we signed off with a promise to make a return in July.
So it’s July, and our preparations for our July 15 webinar are moving along nicely. We have a topic that I am really excited about, and as usual we will be offering lots of useful pearls for our audience. You can register using THIS LINK, and we look forward to “seeing” you in a couple of weeks.
Sincerely,
David Harris
We are Prosperident, Dentistry’s Embezzlement Experts

Embezzlement News #94 – June 2020

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Dental Embezzlement News from Prosperident
Issue #94 — May 2020
Prosperident Power Hour Webinar Series Will Return
One of our team suggested that we should do a webinar. That webinar evolved into a series of six episodes that ran in April and May.
Our objective was to take advantage of enforced downtime to give dentists vital knowledge for running their practices. We also gave away plenty of toolbox items.
The series was a smashing success, with an audience exceeding 3,000 people.
It also became a true team effort. In addition to our on-camera hosts, Amber Weber, Wendy Askins and David Harris, 15 other team members at Prosperident were involved at some level.
We covered some great topics and were able to bring the unique perspective of Dentistry’s Embezzlement Experts.
If you missed a webinar, recordings of all of them are available on our website. Click on the links below to get there.
If you were part of our audience, we would like to thank you for being part of a great experience.
If you missed out on any of the toolbox items that were mentioned in a webinar, ask us nicely HERE, and we will probably feel sorry for you and help you out.
As dentists everywhere focus on getting their practices reopened and adjusting to the new normal, we have taken a hiatus from webinars, but we are planning a return in July.
Stay tuned — we will have more details in the coming weeks.
Reconcile or Reckless?

Amber Weber, David Harris and Wendy Askins

When someone wants to embezzle from you, their approach is predictable. They begin by asking themselves whether the reconciliation process used in your practice is thorough and complete.
By “reconciliation” we are referring to the oversight by practice owners of the daily and monthly balancing done by staff. In its simplest form, reconciliation is the process of ensuring that the money that your practice management software says you received actually got deposited to your bank.
If a thief realizes that your reconciliation process is flawed (which is probably the case in 75% of practices), this realization bestows a particular blessing on that thief. He or she can steal by simply “shorting” the deposit; in other words, they can steal without needing to tamper with individual patient accounts to conceal it. Stealing in this way does not require high intellect or any in-depth understanding of your practice management software.
On the other hand, if a would-be thief believes that a deficient deposit would be noticed (in other words that the reconciliation process has integrity), in order to steal, he or she is faced with a much greater challenge.
Something to Talk About…
Over the past few weeks, I have increasingly been hearing some wonderful words.
Those words are often said almost apologetically and are along the lines of “I need to postpone our meeting because right now, I am really busy reopening my practice.”
If this is your situation, there is no need for contrition. Each dentist returning to practice represents a milestone in our society awakening from its hibernation, and hearing a dentist declare that they are back in business is a sweet sound indeed.
While the “new normal” has its share of complications like PPE, facility modifications for many, and patients waiting in their cars for appointments, we are thrilled to see you regaining your ability to do what you trained to do, and once again begin earning a living.
We at Prosperident are rejoicing in this hard-won victory against Covid-19, and we are here for you when you need us.
As our way of giving back to the dental community, until June 30, we are waiving our normal $139 fee for our Embezzlement Risk Assessment Questionnaire — please email us at requests@prosperident.com to take us up on this offer.
Sincerely,
David Harris
Did you miss a previous newsletter? We archive them HERE.
We are Prosperident, Dentistry’s Embezzlement Experts

Embezzlement News #93 April 2020

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Dental Embezzlement News from Prosperident
Issue #93 — April 2020
April 8 webinar – The COVID Crisis: Use Downtime to Prevent Chaos
Join Prosperident’s David Harris and Amber Weber as they outline strategies for making use of enforced downtime to improve protection and enhance your practice’s financial well-being.
Amber Weber
April 8 at 3:00 pm Eastern / Noon Pacific
Want to make your meeting captivating?
This is a different type of captivity, as one of our embezzlers gets put in handcuffs.


Our presentations are not “theory” from someone who has read about embezzlement. We give you the gritty details from speakers who have experienced them.

The coronavirus has forced cancelation of many Spring speaking events, but we would love to speak for you in the fall or winter of 2020.
May 9 Smile Source Exchange, Atlanta GA
Jul 3 University of the West Indies, Jamaica
Sep 1 Greater Long Island Dental Meeting,
Oct 17 Southern Association of Orthodontists, Nashville TN
2021
Feb 25 Chicago Dental Society Mid-Winter Meeting, Chicago IL
Mar 11 Canadian Dental Association / Pacific Dental Conference, Vancouver BC
Apr 16 East Texas Dental Society, Bullard TX
May 8 Ontario Dental Association, Toronto ON
To book a speaker, or for more information, click HERE or call us at 888-398-2327.
Want to make good use of your downtime? Our CEO’s book is available on AMAZON.
How is Embezzlement Detected?
The American Dental Association’s Council on Dental Practice recently released the results of a survey completed last year on embezzlement.
One of the questions on the survey addressed the question of behaviors exhibited by embezzlers. The answers were enlightening.
Something to Talk About…
When I wrote last month about the impending storm coming from the Coronavirus, I don’t think I realized the full impact it would have on me personally.
I’ve never suffered from triskaidekaphobia, but that may change. In the month ending on March 13, I did four speaking engagements, which necessitated crossing the continent three times, with a total of 18 airplane rides.
What is significant about March 13? I arrived home from speaking in California at midnight of March 12. The next morning, I was in my office and felt slightly unwell. I looked online at the symptoms of COVID-19, and realized that they were consistent with how I was feeling. I called Public Health, and based on my symptoms and travel schedule, they sent me for testing right away. The next evening I got the call telling me that results were positive and that I was Nova Scotia’s first confirmed case (which is not how I wanted to enter the history books!).
Last week, after quarantining myself and with symptoms gone, I was retested. This test showed no coronavirus, so I also became my province’s first “recovered” patient.
For me, the symptoms were exceedingly mild, and not enough to even want to make me stay home from work. I’m so grateful that, after checking with the people I encountered before I had my first test, I do not seem to have infected a single person. I was particularly worried because I had sat with my octogenarian father at a basketball game, and had contact with several other seniors as well. Fortunately, all of them are well.
With a vaccine still some distance off, and infection rates climbing in the US and Canada despite the efforts of the authorities, the carnage from this disease is far from over. I’m thankful that my own COVID experience was unremarkable, but I do fear for humanity on this one.
I wish for your continued health and safety.
Sincerely,
David Harris
Did you miss a previous newsletter? We archive them HERE.
We are Prosperident, Dentistry’s Embezzlement Experts

Embezzlement News #92 March 2020

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Dental Embezzlement News from Prosperident
Issue #92 — March 2020
Article Series
Part 2 of the articles David Harris is doing with Jean Patterson, CFE, CPA and Sandy Baird MBA on DentistryIQ on embezzlement is available HERE.
Want to make your meeting captivating?
This week, we got to see one of our favorite sights. This is an embezzler who we caught being led away in handcuffs.


Our presentations are not “theory” from someone who has read about embezzlement. From us you get the gritty details from speakers who have lived it.
Here are some places where we will be speaking soon:
Mar 9 Cloud9 User Group Meeting, Atlanta GA
Mar 11 Schulman Group, Laguna Beach CA
Mar 30 Cirrus Group, Halifax NS
April 1 Greater Long Island Dental Meeting, Melville NY
Apr 23 Richardson & Associates, Plano TX
Apr 24 East Texas Study Club, Bullard TX
May 9 Smile Source Exchange, Atlanta GA
Jul 3 University of the West Indies, Jamaica
Oct 17 Southern Association of Orthodontists, Nashville TN
2021
Feb 25 Chicago Dental Society Mid-Winter Meeting, Chicago IL
Mar 11 Canadian Dental Association / Pacific Dental Conference, Vancouver BC
May 8 Ontario Dental Association, Toronto ON
For more information, click HERE or call us at 888-398-2327.
The ADA Says Embezzlement is Increasing
The American Dental Association’s Council on Dental Practice recently released the results of a survey completed last year on embezzlement.
There are some interesting results, and they generally do not constitute good news for the dental profession.
Something to Talk About…
The coronavirus has been dominating the headlines lately, particularly as the virus appears to now have gained a foothold in North America. The oceans that once prevented intercontinental transmission of diseases seem unlikely to protect us in our very mobile 21st Century society.
One of the worst epidemics in history was the Spanish Flu epidemic of 1918-1919. This flu spread quickly between soldiers existing in crowded conditions in Europe, and then was disseminated broadly when those soldiers returned home after the end of World War 1, which probably represented the biggest mass migration of people to that point. Eventually, Spanish Flu affected 27% of the world’s population, with a mortality rate of close to 10%.
The spread of coronavirus has had far-reaching effects, including sudden concerns about the US economy that have had the markets in free-fall over the past week. The Tokyo Olympics seem to be in some jeopardy, and the demand for protective masks by people has put the mask supply for dental practices in jeopardy.
Hopefully, the intervention of modern medicine will make the mortality rate far less than what happened a century ago, along with developing a vaccine to protect the population. In the meantime, as someone who spends a lot of time on airplanes and in venues with large concentrations of people such as dental conferences, I am acutely aware of my vulnerability.
While I hesitate to draw any kind of comparison between a potentially deadly disease and embezzlement, some recent information released by the ADA confirms that we have a pandemic of our own taking place. Embezzlement numbers are up significantly from a decade ago, and the data suggest that close to 100% of dentists will be afflicted sooner or later.
Although embezzlement does not present the same kind of danger to society as the coronavirus does, to a victim the consequences can be devastating. So just like we wash our hands to protect ourselves from pathogens, when it comes to embezzlement the cure is vastly preferable to the disease.
I wish you both physical and financial well-being.
Sincerely,
David Harris
Did you miss a previous newsletter? We archive them HERE.
We are Prosperident, Dentistry’s Embezzlement Experts

Embezzlement News #91 February 2020

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Dental Embezzlement News from Prosperident
Issue #91 — February 2020
Article Series
David Harris is collaborating with fraud investigator Jean Patterson, CFE, CPA and consultant Sandy Baird MBA on a series of articles for Dentistry iQ. The theme is how to use the financial information in your practice more effectively.
The first article is HERE.
Want to make your meeting captivating?
Did you hear the one about the ex-nun accused of embezzling a million dollars from a dentist?
This sounds like the first line of a bad joke, but it’s very real. See our story HERE.
If you want an inside look at embezzlement, we would love to speak at your group or study club.
Here are some places where we will be speaking soon:
Jan 31 The Ohio State University, Columbus OH
Feb 19 Kamloops and District Dental Society, Kamloops BC
Feb 20 Dr. Wilson Kwong study club, Vancouver BC
Feb 27 Ortho2 User Group Meeting, San Diego CA
Mar 9 Cloud9 User Group Meeting, Atlanta GA
Mar 11 Schulman Group, Laguna Beach CA
April 1 Greater Long Island Dental Meeting, Melville NY
Apr 23 Richardson & Associates, Plano TX
Apr 24 East Texas Study Club, Bullard TX
May 9 Smile Source Exchange, Atlanta GA
Jul 3 University of the West Indies, Jamaica
Oct 17 Southern Association of Orthodontists, Nashville TN
2021
Feb 25 Chicago Dental Society Mid-Winter Meeting, Chicago IL
For more information, click HERE or call us at 888-398-2327.
The Art of the Day End
Everyone knows that daily balancing is a key safeguard for your practice’s finances, but there is very little information available to a dentist on how to do it properly. So here’s a recipe:
  1. Which reports should be looked at? Most software can produce a lot of different reports. Most software has a report specifically designed for day-end review. It may be called a “daily summary”, “day-end report” or “daysheet”, or it may have a different name in your software. For purposes of this discussion, I will refer to it as the “daysheet”. The daysheet will normally show procedures performed, fees associated with the procedures, payments received and…
Something to Talk About…
I’m writing this shortly after Kobe Bryant’s tragic death in a helicopter crash was announced.
Whether you are a basketball fan or not, it was hard not to be impressed by Kobe’s skill, intensity, and his ability to win over the city of Los Angeles in a way that few celebrities have.
Basketball was never my sport growing up, but as the very proud father of a son who is a national-level basketball player, I’ve come to love the sport as an adult.
My son and I were fortunate to see Kobe play a couple of times, including one of his very last games in his home arena, the Staples Center in LA in 2016. He was battling a nagging ankle injury, and it was questionable whether he would be able to play.
Demonstrating the grit that made him such a decorated player, the 37-year-old shrugged off his injury and played. Kobe certainly gave 100% that night, scoring more than 20 points to the thunderous adoration of the crowd.
Kobe’s success extended well beyond basketball. He spoke several languages, was an accomplished musician, successful in business, was an Academy Award winner, and a devoted father to his four children, one of who perished in the crash with him.
The world is poorer today. RIP, Kobe.
Sincerely,
David Harris
Did you miss a previous newsletter? We archive them HERE.
We are Prosperident, Dentistry’s Embezzlement Experts

Embezzlement News #90 — January 2020

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Dental Embezzlement News from Prosperident
Issue #90 — January 2020
Podcast
David Harris was honored to be a guest on his friend Dr. Len Tau’s podcast. Check it out HERE.
Tired of the same old stuff at meetings?
Did you know that there are some topics that we will ONLY discuss at closed-door, live events?
linda-gregg
Caren Irsuto pled guilty to embezzling over $600k from her dentist.
We would love to speak at your meeting or study club!
Here are some places where we will be speaking soon:
Jan 31 The Ohio State University, Columbus OH
Feb 19 Kamloops and District Dental Society, Kamloops BC
Feb 20 Dr. Wilson Kwong study club, Vancouver BC
Feb 27 Ortho2 User Group Meeting, San Diego CA
Mar 9 Cloud9 User Group Meeting, Atlanta GA
Mar 11 Schulman Group, Laguna Beach CA
April 1 Greater Long Island Dental Meeting, Melville NY
Apr 24 East Texas Study Club, Bullard TX
May 9 Smile Source Exchange, Atlanta GA
Jul 3 University of the West Indies, Jamaica
2021
Feb 25 Chicago Dental Society Mid-Winter Meeting, Chicago IL
For more information, click HERE or call us at 888-398-2327.
Did you miss a previous newsletter? We archive them HERE.
Software Can Lie
It’s something that we read over and over. A dentist in a Facebook forum states that embezzlement cannot be happening in his or her practice because they “check their daysheet every single day.”

Broadly, there are two types of embezzlement. The first takes place when the balancing process (in other words the daily and monthly comparison between practice management software and financial accounts) is unsupervised or incomplete. In this situation, stealing is easy because a thief can enter all payments into the practice management software and then simply “short” the deposit. This leaves patient accounts balances accurate. This is important to prevent patients from complaining about their balances, repeated occurrences of which might get an embezzler caught.
But what if the balancing process is done with integrity, which means that it is complete and supervised? Does this mean that it is impossible to steal? Not by a long shot. It takes a bit more planning than pilfering from the deposit, but it is something that most would-be embezzlers can master.
Something to Talk About…
Welcome to 2020!
With decorations put away and offices open again after the holiday shutdown, today is the day when many of us turn our minds back to business.
2019 was a good year for embezzlers; a booming economy and lots of “how to” information on the internet created plenty of opportunity for them to ply their craft.
While many were caught (and you can read about these people in our Hall of Shame), plenty are still getting away with it.
Everybody knows that Prosperident can (stealthily) audit practices for embezzlement, but did you know that we also can help you improve your systems to protect you against being a victim?
Let’s make 2020 the year to stop these thieves in their tracks!
Sincerely,
David Harris
We are Prosperident, Dentistry’s Embezzlement Experts

Embezzlement News #89 – December 2019

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Dental Embezzlement News from Prosperident
Issue #89 — December 2019
Podcast
The terrific folks at Productive Dental Academy recently did great a podcast with David Harris. You can listen HERE.
Want an Engaging Speaker?
Did you know that there are some topics that we will ONLY discuss at closed-door, live events?
linda-gregg
This is Jennifer Leslie. She was recently convicted of stealing $420k. Hear her story, and many more.
See us live if you want the full story on embezzlement.
Here are some places where we will be speaking soon:
2020
Feb 19 Kamloops and District Dental Society, Kamloops BC
Feb 27 Ortho2 User Group Meeting, San Diego CA
Mar 9 Cloud9 User Group Meeting, Atlanta GA
Mar 11 Schulman Group, Laguna Beach CA
Apr 24 East Texas Study Club, Bullard TX
May 9 Smile Source Exchange, Atlanta GA
2021
Feb 25 Chicago Dental Society Mid-Winter Meeting, Chicago IL
To book us for your meeting or study club, click HERE or call us at 888-398-2327.
Did you miss a previous newsletter? We archive them HERE.

Stuck on what to get your Favorite Dentist for Christmas?
We are probably a bit biased, but we think our CEO’s book makes a great gift. It’s available both in paperback and Kindle formats, and it’s been getting great reviews on Amazon.
The Amazon link is HERE.
Guest Post – Be Aware Of Your “New Dental Plans”
There are some twists and turns in the world of insurance reimbursement that are not well understood by dentists. We asked our friend Chris Tayler of Cobalt Analytics to shed some light. He gave us some excellent information.
Navigating the world of dental plan contracts and reimbursements can be like reading legal documents written in Sanskrit through a tinted glass window. And yet the results can make a big difference in your write-offs and subsequent take home pay.
This is particularly true with companies that act as administrators/lessors and/or “networks” of dental plans. In essence these administrator networks sell and sometimes administer other dental plans.
The big question is which fee schedule the dentist will be paid from. This question arises because administrator networks and the dental plans which they sell have their own distinct fee schedules and often reimburse at vastly different rates.
Something to Talk About…
Thanksgiving is over, and the frenzied rush towards Christmas is now upon us. Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and, just when your credit cards have had enough, Boxing Day, have become the media events of the season.
It’s not hard to get the idea that rampant consumerism has displaced more traditional forms of Christmas celebration. I can only imagine the pressure that sale flyers and ads can exert on embezzlers.
Since this is our last newsletter of 2019, on behalf of everyone at Prosperident, I’d like to that you for allowing us to be a part of your community, and to wish you a wonderful holiday season.
Sincerely,
David Harris
We are Prosperident, Dentistry’s Embezzlement Experts

Embezzlement News # 88 – November 2019

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Dental Embezzlement News from Prosperident
Issue #88 — November 2019
Podcast
Hear Davy Clay, one of the nicest guys in dentistry, of Dental Claims Support interview David Harris on his podcast HERE.
Learn from the Experts!
Did you know that there are some topics that we will ONLY discuss at closed-door, live events?
linda-gregg
Can you believe that this woman embezzled from her father’s practice?
See us live if you want the full story on embezzlement.
Here are some places where we will be speaking soon:
Nov 19 Memphis Dental Society, Memphis TN
2020
Feb 27 Ortho2 User Group Meeting, San Diego CA
Mar 9 Cloud9 User Group Meeting, Atlanta GA
Mar 11 Schulman Group, Laguna Beach CA
Apr 24 East Texas Study Club, Bullard TX
May 9 Smile Source Exchange, Atlanta GA
2021
Feb 25 Chicago Dental Society Mid-Winter Meeting, Chicago IL
To book us for your meeting or study club, click HERE or call us at 888-398-2327.
Did you miss a previous newsletter? We archive them HERE.
We Wrote the Book on Embezzlement — Literally!
Our CEO, David Harris’ book was released this month, and is now available in paperback and kindle formats on Amazon (the Amazon link is HERE).
Stuck on what to get as a Christmas present for your favorite dentist? Look no further.Laughing
This Month’s Question

If embezzlement was happening in my practice, my accountant would find it, right?

Probably not. Picture someone planning on starting a new business saying this to their (less than tactful) accountant:
“George, I have fantastic news. I’m about to start a new business. And I’m so excited because I’m planning to have one piece of software keep track of revenue, and a totally different software account for my expenses. And here is the best part … these two pieces of software won’t ever communicate with each other!”
Something to Talk About…
With Thanksgiving soon to be upon us, it is time for me to identify the thinks I am grateful for.
Someone recently said that I have the coolest job in dentistry. I get to protect dentists, who constitute the nicest group of people I have ever met, from those who have decided that stealing money is preferable to earning it. This work is both important and meaningful.
Because of what we do, when dentists approach us it is often at a fairly dark time in their careers. There are few things more upsetting than having a suspicion that a trusted staff member is stealing.
We endeavor to meet these concerned dentists in a way that is kind, empathetic, and not the least bit judgmental. By assuming the burden of resolving their uncertainty, we help them return to productivity. For us, this is a tremendously satisfying activity.
I am also lucky to have an amazing group of colleagues. From our management team to our cadre of fraud examiners to our admin team, our people undertake challenging work with enthusiasm and professionalism, and I am appreciative of their immense contribution to our reputation and success.
Most of all, I am grateful to have a job where, every morning, I wake up and can’t wait to go to work. Thank you, colleagues, clients, and the dental profession. I really am the luckiest guy in the world!
Sincerely,
David Harris
We are Prosperident, Dentistry’s Embezzlement Experts

Embezzlement News #86, September 2019

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Dental Embezzlement News from Prosperident
Issue #86 — September 2019
Podcast
Hear CPA (and former NYPD Lieutenant) Craig Cody interview David Harris on his podcast HERE.
Learn from the Experts!
Did you know that there are some topics that we will ONLY discuss at closed-door, live events?
linda-gregg
Hear about how Prosperident’s Mindy Salzman caught Colorado’s Layla Masset embezzling.
See us live if you want the full story on embezzlement.
Here are some places where we will be speaking soon:
Sep 5
Edison Lakes Oral Surgery, Mishawaka IN
Sep 12 Dr. Maheeb Jaouni Study Club, Dallas, TX
Sep 14 Orthopreneurs Summit, Dallas TX
Sep 19 Dr. Brad Crump Study Club, Dallas TX
Sep 21 Dr. Tommy Murph Dallas Dental Symposium, Dallas TX
Sep 27 ADSO Partnering for Growth, Orlando FL
Sep 27 BEST for Dentistry Summit, Portland OR
Oct 7 Colorado Prosthodontic Society, Denver CO
Oct 18 Drs. Savage, Sabol & Visser, Virginia Beach VA
Oct 24 Panoramic Study Club, Toronto ON
Nov 11 Thunderbird Study Club, El Paso TX
Nov 19 Memphis Dental Society, Memphis TN
2020
Feb 27 Ortho2 User Group Meeting, San Diego CA
Apr 24 East Texas Study Club, Bullard TX
To book us for your meeting or study club, click HERE or call us at 888-398-2327.
Did you miss a previous newsletter? We archive them HERE.
How do Serial Embezzlers Get Hired?
This is Unique Wells, although she has used other names. She is currently looking for work in Nevada and Arizona. She has a lengthy criminal record, and several former employers report missing money. You can read about Unique in our Hall of Shame HERE.
Also, you can see her resume, and learn to spot some red flags from it HERE.
This Month’s Question

I just hired someone and then got notice that their wages are garnished. Should I fire them?

It isn’t necessarily an issue, but requires a bit more investigation.
Garnishees can come from a lot of different things — unpaid parking tickets might be an example of something causing a garnishee where there might not be an employment implication. It could also be a financial dispute with an ex-spouse. It could also be an unpaid fine for a criminal conviction, which is obviously more concerning.
It is important for the dentist to understand WHY the employee’s wages are being seized,
Something to Talk About…
As I write this at the end of August, kids are back to school or about to be, and Labor Day is rushing at us. Summer, that pleasant interruption to our regular routines, is almost over.
So for most of us, this time of the year is one where we turn our focus back to our business.
We had a fairly busy summer at Prosperident. In June we brought our entire team to our head office for meetings, and in August we celebrated our 30th anniversary in business.
And lighter clinical schedules allowed more than a few dentists the time to give us a call to discuss concerns about their practices.
I hope that you aren’t in that position, but if you are, we are always available to listen, and to offer our knowledge and experience without judgement. The ways to reach us are HERE.
It’s been an honor and a privilege to have been a trusted advisor to the dental profession for the past three decades, and my team and I very much look forward to serving you in future.
David Harris
We are Prosperident, Dentistry’s Embezzlement Experts

Embezzlement News # 85 – August 2019

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Dental Embezzlement News from Prosperident
Issue #85 — August 2019
Podcast
What a catchy title! Hear us on the Millionaire Dentist podcast HERE.
Learn from the Experts!
Did you know that there are some topics that we will ONLY discuss at closed-door, live events?
linda-gregg

Hear about how Prosperident’s Wendy Askins put this woman away for 12 years.

See us live if you want the full story on embezzlement.
Here are some places where we will be speaking soon:
Sep 5
Edison Lakes Oral Surgery, Mishawaka IN
Sep 12 Dr. Maheeb Jaouni Study Club, Dallas, TX
Sep 13 Texas Study Club, Carrolton TX
Sep 14 Orthopreneurs Summit, Dallas TX
Sep 19 Dr. Brad Crump Study Club, Dallas TX
Sep 21 Dr. Tommy Murph Dallas Dental Symposium, Dallas TX
Sep 27 ADSO Partnering for Growth, Orlando FL
Sep 27 BEST for Dentistry Summit, Portland OR
Oct 7 Colorado Prosthodontic Society, Denver CO
Oct 18 Drs. Savage, Sabol & Visser, Virginia Beach VA
Oct 24 Panoramic Study Club, Toronto ON
Nov 11 Thunderbird Study Club, El Paso TX
Nov 19 Memphis Dental Society, Memphis TN
2020
Feb 27 Ortho2 User Group Meeting, San Diego CA
Apr 24 East Texas Study Club, Bullard TX
To book us for your meeting or study club, click HERE or call us at 888-398-2327.
Did you miss a previous newsletter? We archive them HERE.
 
A Milestone!
This month, Prosperident celebrates a major milestone. Thirty years ago, our founder, David Harris, started us on our path of providing specialized services to dentists. A lot has changed since then (including our name — we didn’t become Prosperident until 2006), but the basic principles David established in 1989 still govern us. We look forward to the next thirty years!
This Month’s Question

“My Day-end Report Balances to my Deposit, so I Must Be Safe From Embezzlement”

Not true.
At the core of your practice management software is a concept called “double-entry accounting”. This means that a transaction mandatorily affects two different “accounts” maintained by your software.
Something to Talk About…
I love summer; I always have. I love the way that life slows down just a bit. There is a historic cemetery across the street from our Head Office. Most of the time I just pass by without giving it a thought.
But last week, on a particularly sunny day, I took a few minutes to explore. A plaque told me that 12,000 of my city’s first citizens are buried there, and that less than 10% of their graves are marked.
In this bucolic place, it was easy to feel a sense of history, and to be able to imagine the voices of these early settlers and the noise that their shoes made on cobblestoned streets.
Prosperident’s 30-year history is insignificant in comparison, but I am also conscious of how much has changed since 1989 in our world, from investigating “pegboard” offices, to working with those clunky computer systems that replaced them, to the way the internet has revolutionized what we do. It’s been a thoroughly amazing three decades, and I’m proud to have been a part of it and privileged to be able to serve your noble profession.
Enjoy the rest of your summer!
David Harris
 
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