Job Description: Dental Receptionist 

Reports To:Dental Director

Status: Full-time, Non-Exempt

Position Summary: Works with the Dental Director, staff dentist, and dental assistant. The dental receptionist handles all phone and front desk activity including scheduling, intake and registration, payments, patient education, referrals, follow-ups, management of patient records, handling of financial aspects of services rendered, data entry, statistics, and written correspondence with patients, providers, and payor source.

Duties & Responsibilities:

• Prepare area for opening and closing the department daily
• Schedule and confirm appointment, manage schedules so that dentists see a required number of patients each day
• Schedule appropriately based on dentist and patient needs and dentist needs
• Maintain dentist schedules daily, and update schedules on a timely basis
• Answer and manage telephone calls: collect information from patients or other callers, and provide information about our services, programs, insurance, billing, fees, payment plans, and dental education
• Determine patients’ specific dental concerns and inform dentist of these concerns, and of any medical conditions
• Register and do intake on each patient. Help patients’ complete registration and medical histories, including obtaining information from other providers
• Prepare, maintain, file, and update patient records
• Identify patient insurance benefits, payor source, and determine patient’s financial responsibility for services to be rendered
• Collect fees, create treatment fee estimates and arrange payment schedules in a confidential manner. Work with dental director and finance department to ensure payment of accounts
• Track and follow-up monthly on unpaid accounts and both self-pay and pending insurance claims
• Prepare pre-authorizations and review insurance claims
• Close the daily batch (day’s production and superbill pack)
• Compile statistical data as required by contracts or as directed by Dental Director
• Perform monthly follow-up of patients who have been referred to other providers, are due for follow
• Prepare letters to patients and other providers
• Work with the Dental Director, Assistant, and Staff Dentist to ensure smooth functioning of the department
• Provide support to on-call staff
• Maintain inventory and complete purchase orders for front desk and business supplies
• Process incoming mail daily, including insurance follow-ups and referrals
• Provide basic patient education
• Cross-train and serve as a back-up for clinical procedures, such as charting, preparation and clean-up of treatment rooms, and light sterilization duties
• Perform related job duties as requested by the Dental Director

Required Qualifications, Knowledge & Abilities:

• Demonstrate proficiency with typing, general bookkeeping, and dental billing
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Working knowledge of dental terminology
• Previous dental office experience or training preferred
• Understanding and compassion for Native American culture
• High School Diploma or GED is required
• Spanish Speaking a Plus
• Strong motivation to learn dental front desk and cross-training for light clinical duties is needed