Summary
The Dental Assistant / Front Desk Coordinator fulfills a dual role supporting both clinical and administrative operations. This position assists the dentist during procedures, prepares treatment rooms, and ensures patient comfort while also managing front desk responsibilities such as scheduling, billing coordination, and patient communication.
Essential Functions
Reasonable accommodations will be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
All employees of Pediatric Dental and Orthodontic Associates are expected to maintain strict confidentiality, ensure compliance with policies and procedures, and uphold the safety and well-being of our patients.
Clinical Responsibilities
● Assist the dentist during procedures by handing them instruments and anticipating the Dentists needs throughout the appointment
● Update and maintain patient’s dental records
● Take and process x-rays
● Complete lab work under the direction of the dentist
● Set up for patient’s treatment using correct instruments needed according to procedure
● Stabilizing/keeping patient’s calm during procedures
● Sterilizing instruments
● Communicating to parents any concerns or follow up instructions
● Must understand potential risks and be able to be in the presence of N20
Administrative Responsibilities
● Greet and check in patients in a friendly and timely manner, notifying the team of the patient's arrival and any information that needs to be relayed.
● Checking the scheduled appointments have the correct procedures assigned according to the appointment description.
● Gather any data needed or information that is being requested per notes associated with the appointment, updating insurance information, collecting copays, deductibles, balances, etc.
● Accurately update patient’s demographics according to their updates or new patient paperwork, scan all documents presented into the patient’s document center
● Schedule appointments to optimize the providers and staff’s schedule
● Answer phones promptly, in a clear and professional manner
● Answer questions and assist parents and patients to feel comfortable before, during and after office visits
● Staying two days ahead of the schedule. Tasks would include; sending out updates and new patient paperwork prior to the patient’s appointment, confirming treatment plans have been signed, communicating with the office’s billers about balances, aged claims and any other billing related needs.
● Present treatment plan options to parents including payment totals
● Efficiency with dental software used at the office.
● Other duties as assigned.
Required Education and Experience
· High school diploma or equivalent required
· 1 year dental office experience preferred
· Knowledge of dental terminology required
· X-ray certification preferred
· Experience with dental software preferred
· Strong interpersonal and communication skills
· Must possess a high level of flexibility and tolerance to adjust to changes in work loads and assignments
· Must understand potential risks and be able to be in the presence of N20
· Valid driver’s license required
Physical Demands and Work Environment
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the job. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to:
- Communicate and converse with employees, patients, and insurance company personnel
- Must have fine hand coordination, and ability to communicate and follow written and verbal instructions
- Must possess sight/hearing senses or use prosthetics that will enable these senses to function adequately so that the requirements of this position can be fully met.
- Position requires reaching, bending, stooping, and handling objects with hands and/or fingers, talking and/or hearing, and seeing for extended periods
- While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit, talk, hear, and type. The employee is frequently required to walk and stand.
- Must understand potential risks and be able to be in the presence of N20
- Must be able to take and process x-rays
- Must have consistent attendance
- Travel less than 100 miles – 25% of time.
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- Dental insurance
- Health insurance
- Paid time off
- Vision insurance
Work Location: In person
