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Dental Practice Management Articles The Importance of Job Descriptions Written by: Anita Jupp © Copyright. ADEI. All rights reserved. |
As we experience the economic crunch, more and more dentists are far more concerned about the financial success of their practices. I believe that dentists will not have a problem as long as they have all their business systems in place, and, most of all, improved customer service with a strong focus on patient education.
Patients may be hesitant to invest in comprehensive dentistry if they are concerned about their job or might be losing their dental benefits. It is imperative that you make sure patients are aware of the treatment options and the advantages of the treatment. If they want to postpone treatment, then it is important to have an excellent tracking system.
Keeping track of treatment pending and postponed can be a problem if there are several people at the front desk and no consistency in your practice. Below is a job description for business team members. If there is more than one person at your desk, the duties would be divided so there is accountability and consistency and little duplication of duties. Often, if there are several people at a business desk, they may assume someone else took care of the tracking. Ensure that your practice has clear job descriptions for person on the business team.
Here are some guidelines to help you create your own job descriptions:
Full Time Dental Business Assistant, Daily Responsibilities
- Makes copies of the daily schedule.
- Joins the team 15 minutes early for a brief morning meeting.
- Finds out where emergency patients can be scheduled.
- Ensures that all lab cases will be delivered before the patient arrives.
- Greets incoming patients with a warm, friendly smile
- Obtains information and inform patients of office policies
- Gets updated information re: address, phone, and dental benefit changes.
- Engineers the dentist's and hygienist's schedule
- Answers all incoming phone lines.
- Takes care of patient payments, insurance and pre-determinations as required.
- Makes all computer entries promptly.
- Pulls all patient charts for the next day for confirmation and check for outstanding account balances.
- Makes sure pre-medicated patients have their medication.
- Posts treatment on computer, reappoint and collect the fees for today.
- Follows-up letter to patients, with applicable patient education information enclosed
- Follows up on patients who need to come in for a hygiene appointment, patients who have failed appointments or those who need to reschedule
- Confirms appointments
- Records treatment not scheduled.
- Informs dentist and hygienist of changes in the schedule.
- Screens all incoming calls for staff members to call back during the lunch break.
- Discusses and collect fees.
- Is responsible for giving patients estimates and pre-determination.
- Balances the day's receipts with cheques, cash, and credit card remittance. Prepare bank deposits.
- Posts payments and back up the day's transactions
- Makes sure that the desk is clean and all charts are put away before leaving for the evening
The Treatment Coordinator's Role (duties may vary by practice)
- New patient interviews.
- Patient education.
- Reviewing and discussing treatment plans.
- Discussing the phases of proposed treatments.
- Answering patients' questions relating to treatment.
- Fee presentation, financial arrangements and insurance.
- Promoting the practice's infection control procedures.
- Follow-up with patient letters and phone calls.
- Discussing the benefits of new services and technology.
- Give patients treatment options
- Track patients that postpone treatment and follow up
- Make sure you have a solid recare system and tracking unscheduled patients
- Have financial options for patients
- Understand patients concerns
- Offer added valued service, give patient more than they expect
- Promote your perio program and treatment urgently required
- Make sure all duties on the job descriptions are completed 100%