Receptionist

About the role

Primarily responsible for ensuring patients understand and schedule necessary treatment. This role coordinates communications between doctors and patients, helps build and maintain the doctor/hygiene schedule, assists with patient inquiries (including insurance questions), organizes and presents patient treatment plans with financial obligations, and secures patient agreement. May also assist with general front office duties.

Responsibilities

• Consultation Management
  • Conduct patient consultations
  • Calculate fees for treatment based on various fee schedules
  • Assist patients with financing options, insurance questions, and treatment concerns
  • Maintain and use tickler file and delayed treatment file
  • Notify patients when pre-estimates return and schedule appointments after making proper financial arrangements
  • Prepare treatment consent forms (surgical, endodontic, and general) in advance
  • Record chart entries from phone or in-person conversations when appropriate
  • Manage doctor charts for treatment plans, treatment conferences, letters, and phone calls
  • Prepare financial treatment plans and present plan options to patients at the end of their appointment
  • Assist with consultation appointments as directed by the doctor (e.g., be present in the room for all or part of the consultation)
  • Make all financial arrangements with the patient after the doctor has left the consultation room
• Patient Management
  • Schedule appointments for patients with specialists or general dentists if indicated
  • Coordinate with specialists’ or general dentists’ offices; send explanatory letters, X-rays, study models, etc.
  • Track patient progress in the system (e.g., scheduled treatment, specialist visits, deferred treatment, next steps)
  • Schedule patients for treatment after specialist or general dentist has completed their work
  • Handle phone calls from patients or specialists with treatment questions
  • Meet with the doctor daily to review the schedule, significant information, and systems needing attention
• Insurance
  • Update insurance information for all patients
  • Organize supporting materials for claim forms (e.g., radiographs, written narratives) as directed by the doctor
  • Assist the insurance coordinator with posting correct treatment codes for billing
  • Verify patient benefit eligibility and dental treatment history as needed
• Inventory Management
  • Monitor and ensure all dental office equipment is working properly
• Office Participation
  • Actively participate in staff meetings
  • Perform other tasks as assigned by the office manager

Requirements

• High school diploma
• Legible handwriting for communications
• Knowledge of dental software (a plus)
• Office experience (desired)

Skills

• Good interpersonal skills to maintain effective rapport with patients, dentists, staff, and the community
• Effective verbal communication with patients and staff
• Team player
• Able to adapt to office policy improvements
• Conflict resolution experience
• Customer service or patient relations experience
• Quick and accurate data entry
• Communicate all concerns to the Office Manager

Pay

Guaranteed hourly rate: $18–$23 (DOE)

Benefits

• Paid vacation and paid holidays
• 401k program with matching contributions
• Competitive health, dental, and vision plans (offered at 30+ hours per week)
• Life insurance and disability insurance