Communicate effectively.
Use Medical Terminologies for better understanding
Address Pharmaceutical issues.
Follow the Medical Office Procedures.
Manage billing.
Also known as the dental receptionist, the dental business assistant, or the dental administrator, the dental office administrator is the individual who manages the daily flow of the dental office through control and maintenance of the front office and administrative functions in the dental office. The dental office administrator is a member of the dental team who performs administrative procedures in the dental office.
The dental office administrator holds one of the most important positions in the dental office. Below are described in detail the duties, responsibilities, and expectations of this position. As the book progresses, you will begin to realize the comprehensiveness of this very important position.
Characteristics of a Successful Dental Office Administrator
Making the decision to enter the dental profession means that you have decided to enter one of the most challenging and exciting professions. Becoming a dental administrator means becoming a professional in the dental industry.
How you dress, talk, act, and work determines whether you are a professional. In the dental profession, there is great emphasis on the importance of professionalism. Your overall attitude toward yourself and the work that you do represents your level of professionalism. When you demonstrate professionalism, you treat patients and colleagues with respect at all times and show pride in the work that you do by arriving promptly every day and by doing your absolute best work every day. Your coworkers and the patients will show their appreciation for this professional attitude, and you will become a valued member of the dental team. Your role as a dental administrator is key in the development and maintenance of the image of the dental office you work in.
There are many legal concepts that you will become familiar with as you progress through your academic and practical education as a dental office administrator. Some of those legal concepts are presented in this chapter and cover concepts such as contracts and consent, types of law, negligence, fraud, malpractice, litigation, and invasion of privacy, all of which affect the dental office and your practice as a dental office administrator.
Every business and profession is affected by laws. Law refers to a system or body of rules of conduct in society enforced through a set of institutions. Laws in the United States consist of federal laws, state laws, and common law. Box 1 outlines examples of these laws and how they apply to dentistry. The dental office is bound by the laws of the state and the laws set out in its state Dental Practice Act. For this reason, laws relating to the practice of dentistry may vary from state to state.
