Dental Receptionist Job Description

The National Dental Nurses Association

Most dental practices expect good grades in the core subjects of English and Maths if you have a good education. A lot of people like the idea of becoming a dental receptionist and then becoming a dental nurse, which is a nice variety for them. If you want to become a dental nurse, there are two routes to take, the NVQ or the national certificate.

The website can be found at www.nebdn.org. It is important for receptionists to keep a well-organised filing system so that they can quickly and easily retrieve any documents that need to be done. The dental practice has a lot of administrative duties, but the practice manager handles a lot of them.

A Computerized Approach to Dental Office Management

A dental receptionist has responsibilities that include courteous communication with patients. Since most dental offices have a fast-paced environment that continuously serves patients, you must have strong multi-tasking and organizational skills so dentists, hygienists and patients stay on a tight appointment schedule. As a dental receptionist, you won't prescribe care for patients, so you can focus on administrative tasks.

A dental receptionist is on the phone and in person to schedule and cancel appointments. An electronic or paper calendar can be used to keep track of appointments. When patients arrive in the dental office, you must greet them and let them know when they arrive.

If the dentist or hygienist doesn't take patients from the waiting room, you have to take them to the appropriate room for dental care. It is necessary to schedule follow-up appointments. A dental receptionist issues a bill after services are rendered.

If a patient has dental insurance, you must determine how much the patient must pay up-front from the insurance card or insurance agency. Accounting software and credit card terminals are used by dental receptionists. If you have current contact information for all patients, you can always make a bad check.

The dental receptionist is responsible for maintaining and updating patient records even though dentists are responsible for documenting patient care and recording procedures. Most dental offices have an electronic or paper filing system that is easy to use. Patient files contain contact information, allergies, medications, procedures, treatments, long-term dental care plans, X-rays, copies of insurance cards and dates of service.

Dental Assistants

Patients run out of patience very quickly after an appointment. The Dental Receptionist is responsible for keeping the front of house organized. Answering and managing incoming calls, greeting patients, assisting in the completion of forms and telling patients of procedures and policy are just some of the duties of a Dental Receptionist.

Recording every last detail is important in a professional business. Dental receptionists need to be careful and attentive to ensure that the practice is running smoothly. Although dental receptionist duties don't include handling a drill or needle, it's beneficial for you to learn as much as possible about procedures, products and infections to provide further information and support to patients.

Knowing what treatment a patient needs is important information. Dental assisting may be just the ticket for individuals who want to be hands-on. Dental assistants are responsible for preparing treatment rooms, patients, instruments and materials in surgeries and routine maintenance procedures.

Dental Office Assistants: A Job Description

There are many people who think dental reception is more difficult than answering the phone, collecting money, and scheduling patients. It is true that the basic tasks of the position are, but to be an excellent dental receptionist, one needs to fully embody various roles. You need a high school diploma or GED to be a dental office receptionist.

Communication skills and the ability to provide services and information respectfully and confidently are required since you deal directly with patients. Employees who work with patients should wear surgical scrubs. The dental receptionist dress code is important when you are working at the front desk.

It means no jeans or casual wear, being conservative with the use of cosmetics, perfume, or jewelry. A great dental receptionist is calm under pressure, can juggle competing priorities and enjoys communicating with patients. That means skills like time management, communication, data management, customer service and adaptability.

There is a high demand for healthcare and that makes it a good job for dental receptionists. It is important to have experience in work that relates to the dental receptionist job. There will be demand for those who have expertise in dental scheduling and billing.

You can get dentistry experience through internship, volunteering, shadowing, and summer research programs, all of which are great ways to learn more about the profession. Shadowing or dental internships can help you understand the pros and cons of working as a dentist. Tell the doctor that the receptionist has been rude.

Dental Office Administrators

A dental receptionist is in the dentist's office. They are responsible for greeting patients when they visit the dentist. They make client appointments and keep track of patient accounts.

They help manage the dentist's schedule and bill clients. They also do other duties like sorting mail and updating client records. The dental receptionists rate in Ontario is $26 per hour and an average salary of $54,600 per year.

The entry position administrators make an average of $44,850 per year, while the experienced receptionists make up to $73,125 annually. The rates vary across the country depending on the size of the office, the number of clients, tasks assigned, and the level of experience. The dentistry industry is growing and there is a demand for dental office receptionists.

An administrator is needed in the smallest dentist's office. Most employers prefer to hire people with previous work experience. It's hard for self-starters to get their heads in the door frame and learn.

If you don't have an educational background, volunteering and internship is the best way to get into dental office reception careers. Flexibility to change and cope in other careers is another advantage of working as a dental office administrator. You can work in hospital reception, fast food restaurants, and as a hotel lobby receptionist if you have the experience.

A Sample Job Description for a Dental Office Receptionist

The receptionist in a dental office is responsible for scheduling appointments for clients to see the dentist at different times with regards to the doctor's availability, and ensuring that clients are attended to on time, without keeping them waiting on long lines. The receptionist has to keep client information confidential and handle them with care to ensure that they don't fall into the hands of unauthorized persons. The receptionist is responsible for keeping the files of patients in a private area, arranging them in a way that makes it easy to access them, and making them available to the doctor when they are needed.