Managing the Dental Team: Guidelines for Practice Success. American Dental Association

and accounts payable

      • acting as the liaison between insurance companies and the dental office for submitting claims

      • submitting balance sheets and profit/loss reports to the dentist

      • processing payroll

      • collecting reports together for the accountant and ensuring that the business’ taxes are paid

Business Manager

      

General duties include:

      • administering the day-to-day activities of the business office

      • scheduling of patients

      • interviewing job applicants

      • dismissing staff members as authorized by the dentist

      • supervising accounts receivable and payable

      • managing inventory control

      • managing patient recall

      • knowing and supporting the practice mission, long-term business plan and short-terms goals

      • assisting the dentist with other tasks assigned

Financial Coordinator General duties include:

      

General duties include:

      • managing office financial transactions using practice management software

      • verifying plan coverage and benefits

      • securing preauthorization of proposed treatment plans when necessary

      • working with patients to develop payment plans and schedules that meet patient needs

      • following up on past due payments

      • submitting claims to insurance companies/third-party payers for timely reimbursement

      • acting as the office’s dental coding resource by staying up to date on CDT changes

      • acting as the office’s medical coding resource by staying up to date with relevant diagnostic codes and CPT codes.

Marketing and Communications Coordinator

      

General duties include:

      • creating and coordinating the practice’s marketing, advertising and promotional activities, including all internal and external communications

      • working independently, or with direction from the office manager, to develop all patient correspondence and marketing communications

      • maintaining, monitoring and updating the practice’s website and social media presence

      • representing the practice at business networking and community events

      • increasing the patient base by building brand awareness through strategic marketing initiatives and creative and inventive strategies

      • creating and maintaining a reporting system to track the effectiveness of new campaigns

      • developing and managing patient referral programs

      • designing marketing and promotional materials

      • coordinating other activities such as conference travel, volunteering, mentoring programs, community outreach, etc.

Office Manager

      

General duties include:

      • administering the day-to-day activities of the business office, including patient and employee relations

      • interviewing and dismissing staff

      • managing the practice’s marketing and communications efforts

      • ensuring regulatory compliance

      • overseeing staff training and motivation

      • managing compliance with OSHA and other relevant state and federal regulations

      • knowing and following the office contingency plan

      • staying up-to-date on trends, legislation and regulations impacting the dental profession

      • managing patient financial accounts

      • managing the hiring and ongoing performance of staff

      • managing and updating office computer systems as necessary

Practice Administrator

      

General duties include:

      • maintaining the dental practice’s budget

      • tracking profitability

      • specifying the use of practice communication tools

      • ensuring that everyone is aware of new or updated information, such as changes in staffing, duties, procedures, protocols, etc.

      • emphasizing communication with information

      • ensuring that the entire dental team is regularly trained through the appropriate programs and evaluations

      • developing and maintaining relationships with dental practice team members and doctors

      • evaluating patient flow to identify marketing needs

      • identifying areas of practice improvement

      • improving patient services by coaching team members and focusing on patient advocacy

      • proactively leading the team by assuming leadership responsibility for suggesting and implementing various activities and initiatives throughout the practice

Managing the Dental Team

       Staffing

      The ultimate goal in staffing the practice is to maximize the patient experience and efficiency by coordinating the members of the dental team. This can be a challenging task for new dentists, established practitioners and those seeking to transition out of active practice.

      It’s a good idea to approach recruiting from a methodical standpoint, just like you would initiate a clinical procedure. Begin by recognizing when it’s time to expand staff by adding new positions. The next steps are to identify how and where to find the best candidates, know how to effectively screen and interview applicants, and then how and when to conduct background and/or reference checks.

       It’s a good idea to approach recruiting from a methodical standpoint, just like you would initiate a clinical procedure.

      Hiring someone is more involved than meeting someone and liking them. The goal is for every new hire to “fit” the practice, both in terms of their ability