There are many different career paths in the dental field today. Choices include a wide range of positions, such as: hygienist, assisting, and lab technician.
Yet perhaps no other career in the dental profession is more accessible and exciting than that of the office manager. The dental office manager works much like the conductor of a large orchestra -- his/her job is to organize the many different aspects of a dental practice into one cohesive unit. This person serves both the patient and the dentist, and is able to juggle both responsibilities equally well.
The dental office manager is usually the first and last person to meet and greet the patient. He/she registers patients, arranges laboratory and hospital services, schedules appointments, verifies payment information, protects patient privacy, and even processes insurance claims. Serving as the face of the practice and being actively involved in the healthcare of others is one of the most enjoyable facets of this line of work.
A dental office manager also enjoys the opportunity to assist the dentist(s) in maintaining a well-organized, cost-effective practice by handling the day-to-day operation of running an office. He/she may oversee personnel issues, handle payment and billing duties, maintain accurate and complete patient records, as well as, an equipment and supply inventory. Helping an office to run smoothly and effortlessly in order that all staff can perform their job well can be a rich and satisfying experience.
Choosing a career in dental office management provides many opportunities to use a cross-section of skills, such as, effective multitasking, communicating with diverse groups of people, and team leadership. Entering this field can be a quick and easy mission with the right training and assistance from a qualified learning institution.
Get ahead of the game by choosing dental office management today. Most entry-level positions enjoy salaries that start around 23,000 and a job growth that continues to rise at a steady rate. There's never been a better time than now to explore a rewarding career in dental office management.
Cathy Warschaw, Director of the Warschaw Learning Institute provides an online multicultural dental front office course, HIPAA, telephone training and eBooks on team building, managerial, customer service, and marketing at www.WarschawLearningInstitute.com (c) 2006
