Anita Jupp Dental Practice Management Articles


What is a Treatment Coordinator?
Written by: Anita Jupp
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In a 'nutshell' a Treatment Coordinator is someone in the practice who is available to spend time with the patients to answer questions related to treatment and fees. Someone who is responsible to ensure that patients leave well informed, with all their questions answered about treatment options, with alternatives and fees introduced.

Do You Need A Treatment Coordinator?

If you are just doing basic maintenance/restorative dentistry, then you will not utilize a Treatment Coordinator. If you are offering patients not just the maintenance dental care they need, but also introducing more aesthetic and elective dental options, then you could benefit from introducing a Treatment Coordinator into your practice.

Most dental practices today are very busy and often the entire team feel like they need more time to talk to patients about their dental care. Many dental professionals complain that there is no time to follow up with treatment pending and/or incomplete. This of course is so important for case acceptance and patient relations. The duties of a Treatment Coordinator can vary depending on the size of the practice and what duties are delegated to other team members. I would say that 90% of the time this can be considered is a full time position.

What Does A 'Treatment Coordinator' Do?

The duties would include:

These duties do of course vary with each practice. It is important that this person must be a team player, possess excellent organizational skills, advanced communication skills, clinical knowledge and be confident when presenting treatment. The dentist must trust this person to give patients correct information, in an enthusiastic way.

Does A Treatment Coordinator Work At The Front Desk?

The ideal situation is for the Treatment Coordinator to have access to an office where the fees and treatment can be discussed in private without interruption; taking as much time as is needed to answer all patient questions. The Treatment Coordinator will need a computer, a phone, fax, e-mail and visual tools such as models, power point presentations and photos from the patients' data base of before and after treatments etc... You can be very creative and make this an amazing opportunity for the right person.

Benefits

1. You will find that patients will refer more new patients to your practice as a result, because they will enjoy the attention they receive and will leave well informed.

2. There will be less stress when the entire team knows that there is someone who they can direct their patients to for an estimate and to discuss fees.

3. Your case acceptance will also increase when patients, learn more about the advantages of the treatment.

4. Your schedule will be more productive and less stressed. Case acceptance will also improve when there are longer appointments scheduled.

Causes Of Lost Revenue

If you are planning on taking your practice to the next level of success, can you really afford not to have a Treatment Coordinator?