Statistically, at least 40% of all (if not more), dental practices will be the victim of employee embezzlement. Employee embezzlement has an enormous financial and operational impact on a dental practice. However, there are many signs that employee embezzlement may be taking place. Here are some of the most common warning signs of employee embezzlement: • An employee is having financial difficulty • An employee’s changes in personality • An employee with newfound wealth • An employee is always first to arrive and last to leave • An employee who is very controlling • An employee who is taking work home • An employee who is resistant to change • An employee is constantly working overtime without sufficient reason • An employee who never takes vacation/sick/personal days • An increase in past due accounts or a decrease in collections • Co-worker complaints about a specific staff member • Inconsistent financial records Employee embezzlement can be very difficult to discover. Therefore, it is important to look for several warning signs regarding an employee’s behavior.
