Dental Hygiene Coordinator – General Dentistry
About Us
We are a locally owned general dental group practice that has proudly served the Kennewick, Pasco, Richland, and West Richland communities for over 40 years. Our mission is to provide exceptional patient care while creating an outstanding experience from the moment patients walk through our doors. We believe in integrity, teamwork, accountability, and helping patients achieve healthy, confident smiles.
We are seeking an experienced Dental Hygiene Coordinator who is passionate about patient care, preventive dentistry, and creating a seamless experience for our hygiene patients. This individual will play a vital role in keeping our hygiene department productive while ensuring patients remain on schedule with their preventive care.
Position Overview
The Dental Hygiene Coordinator serves as the primary point of contact for our hygiene patients and is responsible for maintaining an efficient, productive hygiene schedule. This role requires someone with strong dental insurance knowledge who can accurately verify benefits, educate patients on preventive coverage, coordinate treatment with the clinical team, and help maximize hygiene production through effective scheduling and patient communication.
The ideal candidate is highly organized, proactive, personable, and thrives in a fast-paced environment. They understand the importance of preventive care and are committed to helping patients maintain lifelong oral health while supporting the success of the hygiene department.
Key Responsibilities
- Manage and maintain productive hygiene schedules while minimizing openings and downtime.
- Schedule hygiene appointments according to patient needs, doctor recommendations, and recall intervals.
- Monitor and manage overdue hygiene recall lists through phone calls, text messages, and email outreach.
- Verify dental insurance benefits prior to patient appointments.
- Accurately explain preventive insurance benefits, frequencies, deductibles, limitations, and patient financial responsibility.
- Create accurate treatment estimates for hygiene-related procedures.
- Coordinate hygiene appointments with restorative treatment and doctor examinations.
- Work closely with hygienists, doctors, and front office staff to ensure efficient patient flow.
- Monitor daily schedule opportunities and proactively fill cancellations.
- Assist with patient check-in and check-out when needed.
- Maintain accurate patient records and insurance documentation within Open Dental.
- Identify opportunities to improve patient retention and hygiene reappointment rates.
- Assist patients with financial arrangements and third-party financing when appropriate.
- Support practice production goals through effective scheduling and outstanding customer service.
- Maintain professionalism while delivering an exceptional patient experience.
Minimum Qualifications
- Minimum of 2 years of dental front office or dental reception experience required.
- Minimum of 2 years of dental insurance verification experience required.
- Strong understanding of PPO dental insurance benefits, frequencies, limitations, deductibles, coordination of benefits, and benefit breakdowns.
- Excellent scheduling and organizational skills.
- Strong attention to detail and accuracy.
- Outstanding verbal and written communication skills.
- Ability to multitask in a fast-paced dental office.
- Professional, dependable, positive, and team-oriented.
- Experience using Open Dental is preferred but not required.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience coordinating multiple hygiene providers.
- Experience working in a busy general dentistry practice.
- Knowledge of periodontal maintenance protocols and preventive treatment scheduling.
- Experience with CareCredit, Sunbit, or other patient financing platforms.
- Strong understanding of production goals and schedule optimization.
- Demonstrated ability to build trust and long-term relationships with patients.
- Experience with patient recall systems and reactivation campaigns.
Schedule and Pay
- $23.00–$29.00 per hour, depending on experience and qualifications.
- Performance-based bonus opportunities.
- Full-time position.
- Four 10-hour shifts.
- Occasional Saturday availability required (approximately one Saturday per month).
Office Hours
Monday–Friday: 7:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Saturday: 8:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Benefits
- Competitive compensation with performance incentives.
- Health insurance with HSA.
- 401(k) with employer matching.
- Amazing in-house dental benefits.
- Paid time off.
- Paid holidays.
- Birthday bonus.
- Ongoing training and professional development.
- Opportunities for career advancement within our growing organization.
- Supportive, collaborative, and team-oriented culture.
What Success Looks Like
The ideal Dental Hygiene Coordinator understands that preventive care is the foundation of lifelong oral health. They take ownership of the hygiene schedule, ensuring patients stay on track with their routine care while maximizing provider productivity. They communicate confidently about insurance benefits, proactively fill openings, maintain outstanding patient retention, and consistently create an exceptional experience that keeps patients returning year after year. Their organization, urgency, and commitment to excellent customer service directly contribute to the growth and success of the practice.
