Aspen Dental: Hiring, Background Check & Employment Verification FAQs

Aspen Dental was founded in 1998 in East Syracuse, New York, formed through the combination of two upstate New York dental groups. The support organization behind the brand, Aspen Dental Management, Inc., is a subsidiary of TAG, The Aspen Group, which is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois and also maintains a large support center in East Syracuse. The company relocated its primary corporate headquarters to Chicago in 2021 as part of a broader rebranding of the parent organization.

The business model matters for job seekers. Aspen Dental Management is a dental support organization, which means it provides business and administrative services such as scheduling, marketing, supply chain, human resources support, facilities, and technology to dental practices that are independently owned and operated by licensed dentists. Clinical care and clinical judgment remain with the treating dentists. Company materials describe support for roughly 1,100 Aspen Dental branded offices nationwide, and TAG has described supporting more than 20,000 healthcare professionals and team members across a wider set of health and wellness locations spanning several brands.

Aspen Dental offices provide general dentistry along with dentures, implants, and related restorative services, and the brand has built much of its positioning around access to care, extended hours, and financing options for patients without dental insurance. The workforce in a typical office includes dentists, dental hygienists, dental assistants, lab technicians who work on dentures and appliances, patient service representatives who handle scheduling and intake, office managers, and regional support staff. Corporate and support center roles cover marketing, finance, information technology, human resources, data, and operations.

Company culture and employee programs:

Because practices are independently owned while the support organization employs many non-clinical and support staff, the entity that hires a given candidate can differ by role and by office, and that detail should be confirmed on the offer letter. Aspen Dental recruiting materials emphasize clinical training, mentorship for early-career dentists and hygienists, continuing education, and career pathways from assistant to office leadership. Benefits, compensation, incentive plans, and schedules vary by role, practice ownership, and location, so candidates should confirm specifics with the recruiter or practice they are speaking with.

Yes. Employers in the dental and healthcare industry, including Aspen Dental practices and the support organization behind them, are legally permitted to conduct pre-employment background checks on job candidates as long as they follow applicable federal, state, and local law. In the United States, employment screening is governed by the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), which requires a standalone disclosure, written candidate authorization, and a defined adverse action process. Healthcare employers may also be subject to state laws requiring criminal history checks or registry screening for staff who provide patient care.

Aspen Dental is generally reported to conduct background checks as part of its hiring process, which is standard practice in dentistry and healthcare more broadly. Dental staff work directly with patients, handle protected health information, and in many roles have access to controlled substances or to patient payment data. The scope of an Aspen Dental background check may vary by role, by the practice doing the hiring, and by the state where the office is located, with clinical positions commonly subject to license verification that non-clinical roles do not require.

The Aspen Dental hiring process typically begins with an online application through the brand's careers site. A recruiter usually conducts an initial phone screen covering experience, licensure or certification status, and availability. Candidates who advance generally interview with an office manager, lead dentist, or regional leader, and clinical candidates may complete a working interview or skills assessment in the office. Applicants who receive a conditional offer are usually asked to authorize a background check and to provide documentation of licenses, certifications, immunizations, and any state-required health screening before a start date and onboarding are scheduled.

Turnaround depends on the searches ordered and how quickly courts, licensing boards, schools, and previous employers respond. Many reports return within a few business days. Clinical hires often take longer because primary source license verification and credential checks depend on state board processing, and education verification can add time when a school registrar is slow to respond. Candidates who want a clearer picture of what drives these windows can review background check turnaround times.

The employer decides the scope. For a dental office role, a background check may include some or all of the following:

Candidates should read the disclosure and consent forms they receive to see which searches apply to their specific role.

The lookback window depends on the search type and the state. Under the FCRA, consumer reporting agencies are generally limited from reporting most adverse information older than seven years, with exceptions for criminal convictions and for positions above a defined salary threshold. Some states impose tighter limits, particularly on non-conviction records. Healthcare is also a field where state licensing law can reach further back than consumer reporting rules, since disciplinary history with a state board stays part of a licensee's record independent of the seven-year framework.

There is no single published policy, and because practices are independently owned these decisions are generally made locally and case by case. Employers typically weigh the nature and severity of the offense, how long ago it occurred, evidence of rehabilitation, and how the record relates to patient care duties. Healthcare adds two extra layers: some states bar individuals with specific convictions from working in direct patient care roles, and state licensing boards apply their own character and fitness standards to clinical credentials. Many states and cities have adopted "ban-the-box" laws that limit when criminal history can be raised during hiring. Candidates with a record should answer application questions honestly and ask about the rules that apply in their state.

Candidates are typically asked to sign a disclosure and authorization form before screening begins. Applicants should be ready to supply accurate personal information, including full legal name, date of birth, Social Security number, and a complete address history. Clinical candidates should also expect to provide license or certification numbers, the issuing state, graduation details, and in many cases immunization records or proof of CPR certification. Complete and accurate information helps ensure searches run in the right jurisdictions and prevents avoidable delays.

The Fair Credit Reporting Act is the US federal law that governs how consumer reporting agencies collect, use, and share background check information. It requires an employer to obtain written consent before ordering a report, to provide a copy of the report and a summary of rights before taking adverse action, and to give the candidate an opportunity to dispute inaccurate information before a final decision is made. For more on how the FCRA works alongside Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) guidance, see Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA).

Dentists, dental hygienists, and in many states dental assistants and radiology technicians must hold an active credential issued by a state board. Employers generally confirm that credential with the issuing board rather than relying on a copy supplied by the candidate, and the check typically covers whether the license is active, when it expires, and whether any disciplinary action is on record. Requirements differ meaningfully from state to state, especially for assistants, and a credential earned in one state does not always transfer automatically to another. Candidates moving across state lines should confirm the licensing path with the relevant board before accepting an offer.

Running a personal background check with Checkr lets you preview what Aspen Dental may see and helps you identify potential inaccuracies before they affect your job application. In one secure report you can review:

Create your report in minutes at Checkr Personal Background Checks. To showcase verified credentials proactively, build a free Checkr Profile you can share with recruiters, hiring managers, or potential employers.

Check your report status in the Candidate Portal. Or, visit the Checkr Help Center for FAQs, dispute steps, and to contact support.

The resources and information provided here are for educational and informational purposes only and do not constitute legal advice. Always consult your own counsel for up-to-date legal advice and guidance related to your practices, needs, and compliance with applicable laws.