You Think Someone on Your Team Is Stealing. Now What?
That suspicion — the one that's been quietly eating at you — is one of the worst feelings a practice owner can have. You built your practice. Whether it’s your office manager, a billing coordinator, or a front desk team member, trust has been broken. You trusted these people. And now something doesn't add up.
You are not alone. Studies consistently show that more than 70% of dentists will experience employee theft at some point in their careers. The average embezzler steals $109,000 before being caught, and the typical scheme runs undetected for nearly two years. The financial damage is real — but so is the emotional toll.
This is exactly the moment to call Prosperident.
Dental Embezzlement Investigation: Why This Is Not a DIY Problem
When you suspect that a staff member — your office manager, a front desk employee, or perhaps someone you have trusted for years — is stealing from your practice, the instinct to investigate yourself is understandable. But a self-guided investigation carries serious risks:
- Tipping off the suspect can cause evidence to disappear and money to be moved.
- A wrongful accusation without documented proof exposes you to significant legal liability.
- An incomplete investigation leaves you not knowing the full scope of what was taken, by whom, or for how long.
- Improper termination without a properly documented investigation can result in wrongful dismissal claims.
Prosperident's forensic investigators have conducted dental embezzlement investigations since 1989. We know exactly what to look for, where to look, and — critically — how to do it without alerting anyone in your practice that we are involved.
What Our Dental Forensic Investigation Involves
Every engagement begins with a confidential consultation. We listen, ask the right questions, and help you understand what the next steps look like before you commit to anything. From there, a Prosperident certified fraud examiner takes ownership of your case.
Our forensic audit of your dental practice typically includes:
Transaction-Level Data Analysis We perform a comprehensive forensic accounting review of your practice management software — whether you use Dentrix, Eaglesoft, Open Dental, Curve Dental, Softdent, or another platform. We examine financial transactions, adjustment logs, deleted entries, payment records, and deposit histories to identify discrepancies that point to internal theft.
Reconciliation and Collections Review We compare what your practice should have collected against what was actually deposited, identifying the gap that embezzlers rely on going unnoticed.
Pattern and Behavioral Analysis Our examiners — all of whom have worked inside dental practices before joining Prosperident — know the specific methods dental staff use to manipulate practice management software, skim cash, redirect insurance payments, and exploit the structural gaps that exist in most dental offices. We recognize these patterns because we have seen them hundreds of times.
Documentation for Legal and Insurance Purposes Our investigation produces a detailed written report that documents what was stolen, how, and by whom. This report is specifically designed to support employee termination, police reports, insurance claims, civil recovery proceedings, and — when warranted — criminal prosecution.
Recommendations to Prevent Recurrence Every investigation concludes with specific, actionable recommendations to close the vulnerabilities in your practice systems that allowed the theft to occur. We do not just find the problem — we help you make sure it cannot happen again.
Complete Discretion: Your Staff Will Not Know We Are Involved
One of the most common concerns practice owners raise is this: "What if my staff finds out I'm investigating them?"
Our investigations are designed to be entirely covert. We work remotely, using data you provide us, and we do not enter your practice or interact with your team. Your staff — including the individual you suspect — will have no indication that a forensic investigation is underway. This protects the integrity of the evidence and eliminates the risk of confrontation or retaliation before you are ready to act.
What Happens After the Investigation?
Once our forensic audit is complete, we walk with you through every step of what comes next:
- Terminating the employee in a legally defensible manner
- Filing a police report and working with law enforcement
- Engaging your employee dishonesty insurance carrier to pursue recovery
- Pursuing civil remedies to recover stolen funds
- Implementing the internal controls necessary to protect your practice going forward
You will not be navigating this alone. Prosperident has guided hundreds of dentists through this process, and we know what works and what does not.
Why Dentists Across North America Choose Prosperident
35+ years of exclusive focus. Prosperident has worked exclusively in dental embezzlement since 1989. We do not split our attention between industries — every case, every examiner, every process is built around the specific way dental practices operate.
The largest dedicated dental fraud investigation team in existence. Our team of more than twenty U.S. and Canadian fraud examiners, investigators, and support professionals, investigators, and support professionals, investigators, and support professionals all have prior careers inside dental practices. They understand your software, your workflows, and the specific methods dental embezzlers use — because they have encountered them across hundreds of cases.
Quality control you won't find elsewhere
Every Prosperident investigation report that identifies embezzlement is personally reviewed by our CEO before it is delivered to you. Not reviewed by a senior examiner. Not spot-checked by a manager.
That commitment exists because the consequences of our work are serious — for you, for the legal proceedings that may follow, and for the employee whose conduct is being documented. The report we deliver may be used in a criminal proceeding, a civil action, or an employment termination. Its accuracy and defensibility are not optional.
Our CEO has reviewed hundreds of these reports over more than three decades. When he signs off, you have the benefit of that entire body of experience behind your investigation.
Fast engagement. We can typically begin work on your case within one business day of being retained. When you suspect theft is ongoing, speed matters.
Endorsed by state dental associations. Prosperident is the endorsed dental embezzlement investigation firm for dental associations in Michigan, South Carolina, Connecticut, Wisconsin, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Louisiana — organizations that vet their endorsed partners carefully.
You May Be Wondering…
"What if I'm wrong and no one is stealing?" A finding of no embezzlement is a genuinely good outcome. You gain documented peace of mind, and we will still identify any vulnerabilities in your systems that, left unaddressed, could make you a future target. Many of our clients tell us the investigation was worth it for that alone.
"Will this cost me a lot?" The cost of an investigation is almost always a fraction of what has been stolen. And the longer theft continues undetected, the greater the loss — and the harder recovery becomes. The average embezzler steals $1$109,000 over nearly two years. The cost of delay is typically far higher than the cost of investigation.
"Can I just confront my employee myself?" We strongly advise against this. Confrontation without documented evidence typically causes the suspect to destroy records, return stolen funds in ways that make recovery impossible, or file a claim against you for wrongful accusation. Let us build the case first.
Take the First Step
The fact that you are reading this page means your instincts are already telling you something is wrong. Trust them — and let Prosperident take it from here.
A confidential, no-obligation conversation with one of our dental embezzlement investigators costs you nothing. We will listen, tell you honestly what we see, and explain what your options are. There is no pressure and no commitment required.
Not certain whether a full investigation is the right first step? Our First Look service provides a fast, discreet review of your practice records to determine whether red flags justify going further. If your practice has been affected and you want to ensure it never happens again, Owner Proactive Strategies (OPS) puts the oversight systems in place to protect you going forward.
We will walk with you through the next critical steps to confirm what is happening, ensure that legal employee termination, maximum recovery of stolen funds, and proper entry into the justice system take place. As part of our investigation, we help you understand the details of what happened and how the embezzlement occurred.
And most important, our forensic audits for dentists are stealthy, which means that no one but you needs to know we are on the job.
We will also make both verbal and written recommendations for you to put in place to minimize any further damage and lessen the likelihood of being victimized again in the future.
What Should I Do — and Not Do — Before I Call?
The most important thing you can do right now is nothing that could alert the person you suspect.
Do not confront the employee. Do not move money, freeze accounts, or change passwords. Do not pull reports yourself or ask other staff to look into anything. Do not mention your suspicions to anyone at the practice. Each of these actions can cause evidence to disappear, trigger a legal liability, or give the suspect time to cover their tracks.
What you should do: write down what you have noticed and when. Keep that note somewhere private, not at the office. Then call us.
The call is confidential, there is no obligation, and we will tell you exactly what the appropriate next steps are for your specific situation.
What Does a Forensic Investigation Cost?
Every practice is different, and the scope of an investigation depends on factors like the size of the practice, the time period under review, and the complexity of what we find. For that reason, we provide a specific cost estimate after an initial consultation — not before.
What we can tell you is that the cost of an investigation is almost always a fraction of what has already been stolen. The average dental embezzler takes $109,000 over nearly two years. The longer a scheme continues undetected, the larger that number grows. Delay is typically far more expensive than the investigation itself.
We are also transparent about costs before you commit to anything. There are no surprises.
How Long Does an Investigation Take?
It depends on the scope, but most investigations are completed within eight to ten weeks of engagement. Larger practices, longer time periods under review, or more complex schemes will take longer.
What we can commit to is starting quickly. We can typically begin work on your case within one business day of being retained — because when theft may be ongoing, speed matters.
We keep you informed throughout the process and will give you a realistic timeline at the start of your engagement based on your specific situation.
What Do I Do About the Employee While You're Investigating?
In most cases, the right answer is: nothing different. Continue operating as normal until the investigation is complete and you have documented findings in hand.
Changing the employee's access, altering their responsibilities, or behaving differently toward them before you have evidence can tip them off, accelerate asset concealment, or create legal exposure for you. We will advise you on any specific steps worth taking once we understand your situation — but the default is to keep things as they are until we are done.
Once the investigation is complete and findings are confirmed, we will walk you through termination in a legally defensible way, including how to handle the conversation, what documentation to have ready, and what to do immediately after.
If Theft Is Confirmed, What Are My Options?
You will have more options than most people expect, and we will help you navigate all of them.
The investigation report we produce is specifically designed to support four possible paths — and most clients pursue more than one simultaneously:
Termination. We guide you through ending the employment relationship in a legally defensible way that minimizes your exposure to wrongful dismissal claims.
Police report and criminal prosecution. Our report is structured to meet the evidentiary standards that support a criminal complaint. We can help you understand what law enforcement will need and what to expect from the process.
Insurance recovery. Most dental practices carry employee dishonesty coverage, and many dentists don't realize it until they need it. Our documentation is designed to support an insurance claim and maximize the likelihood of recovery.
Civil recovery. Beyond insurance, you may have the right to pursue the employee directly for the stolen funds. We can connect you with attorneys who specialize in this area.
We will lay out all of your options and give you our honest assessment of each, based on the specifics of your case.
Does Insurance Cover Embezzlement — and Does It Cover the Investigation?
Many dental practices carry employee dishonesty insurance (sometimes called crime coverage or fidelity coverage) as part of their business owner's policy, though most dentists have never had reason to look closely at what it says. If theft is confirmed, that coverage may allow you to recover a significant portion of what was stolen.
The investigation cost itself is generally not covered by insurance — it is a professional services engagement. However, the report Prosperident produces is specifically structured to support an insurance claim, and the cost of the investigation is typically recovered many times over through the claim process.
We recommend reviewing your policy before or shortly after engaging us. If you are not sure what coverage you have, your insurance broker can tell you quickly. We can also help you understand what documentation your carrier will need.
Who Conducts the Investigation — and What Are Their Qualifications?
Many of our examiners hold the Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) designation issued by the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners, and a number also hold accounting designations.
What sets our team apart from generalist fraud examiners is that every one of them has a prior career working inside dental practices. They have been office managers, billing coordinators, and practice administrators. They understand the software, the workflows, and the specific methods dental staff use to manipulate records — not from reading about it, but from having done those jobs themselves.
Our team includes more than twenty U.S. and Canadian examiners. Every investigation report that identifies embezzlement is reviewed by our CEO before it is delivered to you — a quality control step that no other firm in this space offers.
What If the Investigation Finds No Embezzlement?
A clean result is a genuinely good outcome — not a wasted investment.
If our investigation finds no evidence of theft, you gain something valuable: documented peace of mind. You have professional confirmation that your suspicion, while reasonable, did not reflect ongoing theft. That is worth knowing.
We will also identify any vulnerabilities in your practice systems that could make you a target in the future, even if no one is exploiting them now. Many clients tell us this part of the engagement alone was worth the cost — they discovered gaps in their oversight they had no idea existed.
What Does Prosperident Need From Me — And How Does the Handoff Work?
To conduct your investigation, we obtain the data we need directly from your practice management software. You do not need to run reports, export files, or prepare anything in advance. All we need from you is access — we handle the rest.
No one needs to visit your office. No one on your staff needs to know anything is happening. The entire process is designed around the reality that the person you’re concerned about may still be at work while we’re looking.
When you call us, we’ll walk you through exactly how access works for your specific platform. Prosperident works with every practice management software used in North American dentistry — there is no system we have not worked with.