Familia Dental: Hiring, Background Check & Employment Verification FAQs

According to its website, Familia Dental has served communities since 2008, with a stated mission of removing barriers to dental care. The company's home page lists 35 locations across Illinois, Indiana, New Mexico, Texas, and Wisconsin, and says walk-ins are welcome, Medicaid and most major insurance plans are accepted, and Spanish is spoken in its offices.

Familia Dental's service pages describe general dentistry such as cleanings and emergency dental care, orthodontics including braces, and restorative care such as dental implants and dentures. The company's story page says its teams are made up of people who live and work locally, and that for more than 15 years it has partnered with schools, daycares, community centers, and nonprofit organizations to bring dental education and preventive care into neighborhoods, working with more than 300 community partners.

Familia Dental's careers page carries Vivid Smiles branding, and openings are posted through an online recruiting portal titled Familia Dental - Vivid Smiles, which suggests the two practices share a recruiting team. The careers pages describe separate paths for dentists and dental assistants. The dentist page says the company's operations team handles administrative, marketing, quality, financial, and operations tasks for its offices so that dentists can focus on patient care, and the dental assistant page describes school-trained, on-site trained, and on-the-job trained assistants working in its offices.

Company culture and employee programs: Familia Dental's careers page lists benefits that include medical, dental, and vision insurance, a medical flexible spending account, company-paid life insurance, paid time off, performance bonus potential, referral bonuses, employee discounts on general dentistry and orthodontic care, paid training, and reimbursement for licenses and certifications on positions that require them. The dentist page adds a continuing education stipend, mentorship, and malpractice insurance. Benefits and pay typically vary by role, location, and employment status.

Yes. Employers in the dental and healthcare industry, including Familia Dental, are legally permitted to conduct pre-employment background checks, provided they follow federal, state, and local laws. In the United States, the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) governs how third-party background reports are used, including consent, disclosure, and adverse action steps. Because Familia Dental operates in several states, local rules on when criminal history can be considered may vary by office location.

Familia Dental is generally reported to conduct background checks as part of its hiring process, which is consistent with standard practice in dental and healthcare settings. Dental offices treat children and other vulnerable patients, handle patient information, and employ licensed clinicians, so employers typically verify identity, licensure, and criminal history. The scope of the Familia Dental background check may vary by role, state, and whether a position requires a professional license.

The Familia Dental hiring process typically starts with an online application through the recruiting portal linked from its careers page, which offers separate information for dentists and dental assistants. Candidates generally complete interviews with an office or regional hiring team, and clinical candidates may be asked to provide license and certification details. Candidates who receive a conditional offer are usually asked to consent to a background check and other pre-employment requirements before starting. The careers page describes training for new team members as paid.

A Familia Dental background check typically takes a few business days, though some searches take longer. Timing depends on the searches ordered, the states where the candidate has lived or worked, and how quickly courts, licensing boards, and former employers respond. Candidates who want more detail can review background check turnaround times.

The specific components of a background check are determined by the employer. For a clinical or office role at a dental organization like Familia Dental, a check may include some or all of the following:

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

Familia Dental may require a drug test for certain roles, but it does not publish a company-wide drug-testing policy on its careers pages. Dental and healthcare employers sometimes include drug screening in pre-employment checks, particularly for clinical positions, and requirements may vary by role, state, and office. Candidates can confirm what applies to their position with the recruiter or in their offer paperwork.

The lookback period for a background check depends on the type of search and the laws of the state or country where the candidate lives or worked. In the United States, the FCRA generally limits consumer reporting agencies from reporting most negative information older than seven years, with certain exceptions for higher-salary positions and specific record types such as convictions. Some states have stricter limits. Candidates with records in multiple jurisdictions may see different lookback windows applied to different searches within the same report.

Familia Dental's policies on candidates with criminal records are not published in detail, and decisions are typically made case by case. Because dental teams treat children and other vulnerable patients and may hold professional licenses, factors that may matter include the type of offense, how much time has passed, licensing board rules, and the duties of the role. Many states and cities have enacted "ban-the-box" laws that limit when employers can ask about criminal history. For example, the Illinois Job Opportunities for Qualified Applicants Act generally restricts criminal history questions until later in the hiring process for covered employers, and the rules vary by state and employer size.

Candidates for Familia Dental roles will typically be asked to provide written consent before a background check begins. Applicants should be ready to supply their full legal name, date of birth, address history, and Social Security number. Clinical candidates should also have license numbers, certification details, and work history ready, since dental licensing is handled state by state. Accurate information helps searches run in the right jurisdictions and can prevent delays.

The Fair Credit Reporting Act is a US federal law that governs how consumer reporting agencies collect, use, and share background check information. Under the FCRA, employers must obtain written consent before running a background check, provide a copy of the report and a summary of rights if they intend to take adverse action based on the results, and allow the candidate an opportunity to dispute inaccurate information before a final decision is made. For a detailed overview of how the FCRA applies to background checks, visit Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA).

Dentists and dental assistants typically need to show valid state credentials, and the background check usually focuses on identity, criminal history, and license standing. The Familia Dental careers pages describe separate paths for dentists and dental assistants, and the assistant page notes that school-trained and on-the-job trained assistants both work in its offices. Requirements for registration, certification, and radiography duties vary by state, so candidates should confirm what applies in the state where they plan to work. Employers may also review prior employment and any licensing board actions.

Running a personal background check with Checkr lets you preview what Familia Dental may see and help 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.