Job Description
Job Description
BASIC FUNCTION:
To perform all aspects of Front Office Dental Support Systems, including Receptionist, Appointment Scheduling, Financial Assistant, Correspondence Clerk, Hygiene Recall Assistant, Lab Case Manager, Prior Authorization Tracking, Dental Specialist Referral Tracking, and Electronic Dental Record Support/Maintenance/Data Entry.
All employees of FCHC must ensure service standards are delivered, including:
FCHC Core
• Demonstrates a commitment to FCHC mission and vision.
• Demonstrates a positive attitude towards patients, employees, role, and the health center.
• Demonstrates FCHC core values (accountability, courtesy, excellence, flexibility, integrity, respect).
Customer Service and Professionalism
• Smiles and makes appropriate contact, greets individuals upon entry into building and space.
• Is customer service oriented to both internal (colleagues) and external (patients, clients, vendors, etc.)
Customers. Treats patients, customers and colleagues with dignity and respect.
• Provides timely response to requests, tasks, and inquiries. Demonstrates good service turnaround.
• Demonstrates good communication skills and communicates in a tactful manner.
• Exhibits conflict resolution skills in order to foster effective working relationships and embraces a team
approach.
• Adheres to FCHC’s dress code policies. Employee appearance and grooming appropriate.
Show(s)
• Consistently shows commitment to position and team performance (i.e., attendance and punctuality).
• Consideration and acceptance of cultural differences of others; works well with individuals of diverse
backgrounds, supporting a culture of justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion.
• Participates in training and professional development and completes required trainings in a timely manner.
Safety
• Adheres to and promotes a culture of safety and cleanliness.
• Adheres to HIPPA/Confidentiality standards.
• Respectful of FCHC property, properly and safely uses Health Center Equipment.
II. INTRADEPARTMENTAL RELATIONSHIPS:
Department Director: Interim Chief Dental Officer
Reports to: Interim Chief Dental Officer and/or Associate Dental Director
Works Closely With: Dental Assistants, Dental Hygienists, and Dentists
JOB DESCRIPTION
DEPARTMENT: DENTAL SERVICES
JOB TITLE: DENTAL RECEPTIONIST
DENTAL RECEPTIONIST
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III. PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES:
A) Telephone Receptionist:
1. Handles all telephone system changes, ie. Phone numbers, changing voice-mail messages, etc., as well as, acting as system troubleshooter.
2. Receives incoming telephone calls. Continually monitors the voicemail indicator and checks all voicemails in a timely fashion. This involves taking any messages and dispersing messages appropriately to the providers and staff.
3. Screens incoming calls to determine if a situation can be handled without interrupting the provider or if it necessary to pull the chart and inform the provider of the call or leave a message with the chart on the provider’s desk, ie. a) Pharmacy calls for a DEA #, after verification of Pharmacy it is acceptable for the receptionist to give the DEA # so the provider does not need to be bothered; b) a patient recently seen by a Dentist is having trouble with the tooth worked on, receptionist can put the patient in any open ER slots for that provider or if no slots open, the receptionist can take a message for the provider and attach it to the chart and leave on the provider’s desk.
4. Orients new staff to the telephone system.
5. Performs other duties as assigned.
B) Receptionist:
1. Receives incoming patients with verification of appointment time.
2. Collects appropriate co-pay(s) at beginning of appointment and giving receipt to patient.
3. Checks patient’s socio-demographic information and update as needed both on computer and on hard copy, if necessary, according to FCHC’s policy.
4. Checks medical/dental history information for completion and has patient update the information every year.
5. Puts all charts together with appropriate forms behind correct tabs, places new diagnosis and treatment planning forms in the chart if needed, as well as, new clinic progress notes as needed and date stamped. (NOTE: #5 can be removed as we no longer use paper charts)
6. Ensures encounter form is with chart and places them in the bin to alert staff that patient is ready to be seen. (NOTE: can also remove #6)
7. Answers patient’s questions and if answer is not available to find it in a timely manner.
8. Performs other duties as assigned.
DENTAL RECEPTIONIST
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C) Appointment Scheduler:
1. Schedules appointments. Schedules all incoming appointments for providers, including confirming patient appointments, monitoring/documenting/filling cancellations and no-shows to keep the schedules as productive as chair availability allows.
2. Keeps track of providers’ schedules and makes sure that CEU, vacation and personal time is put into the computer to block time in order to minimize patient rescheduling.
3. Performs other duties as assigned.
D) Financial Assistant:
1. Interviews all users of FCHC services to obtain basic demographic information, including name, address, phone number, birth date, and where they fall on the Center’s sliding fee scale, if applicable. Obtains insurance information and verifies coverage prior to patient appointment.
2. Runs Medifax for each qualifying patient, verifies that insurance is currently active. (NOTE: removed last portion of sentence as we no longer use paper encounters)
3. Places sliding scale information into computer system so as to allow the providers to develop the treatment plan with financial information available at chairside.
4. Monitors all patient information changes. Makes appropriate changes in financial records in the computer system. Updates patient insurance information AT EVERY APPOINTMENT.
5. Assists patients in participating in special programs by giving out applications and assisting patients in their completion.
6. Collects payment of fees for current or previous visits. Provides receipts of payments to patients.
7. Processes all patient encounters on a daily basis, ensuring consistency between patient visits, charges, and money collected.
8. Verifies patient billing date and proof of income.
9. Answers patient inquiries regarding sliding fees, insurance, collections, etc.
10. Works daily to close out open encounters.
11. Obtains change for money drawers as needed and secures money drawers at all times.
12. Runs end-of-day balance sheets, turns in money, and payment daily log sheets at the end of each day.
13. Performs other duties as assigned.
DENTAL RECEPTIONIST
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E) Correspondence Clerk:
1. Logs all incoming and outgoing requests for medical record patient information.
2. Copies patient charts as requested.
3. Notifies providers when requested information is received.
4. Maintains system to monitor fees charged for outgoing correspondence.
5. Retrieves mail every morning and afternoon and disperses appropriately. Processes incoming and outgoing mail, including inter-office mail.
6. Performs other duties as assigned.
F) Hygiene Recall Assistant:
1. Files hygiene recall reminder cards via month of appointment.
2. Sends out hygiene recall reminder cards 1-week prior to month they are due.
3. Places confirmation calls TWO (2) days prior to the hygiene appointment.
4. Performs other duties as assigned.
G) Operations Support (FCCC only):
1. Maintains conference room schedule for meetings and inservices.
2. Provides word processing support to the providers.
3. Maintains office supplies and forms, etc.
4. Performs other duties as assigned.
H) Lab Case Manager:
1. Keeps logs of outgoing lab cases.
2. Calls Labs for pick-ups.
3. Makes patients’ appointments AFTER the date that the lab case is due back.
4. Logs incoming lab cases as they arrive.
5. Collects all lab bills and makes sure the Chief Dental Officer sees them and checks them off.
6. Performs other duties as assigned.
DENTAL RECEPTIONIST
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I) Prior Authorization Tracking:
1. Sends out all Specialist referrals to insurance companies, logs date sent and documents in chart.
2. Tracks prior authorization progress and alerts providers if more than one (1) month has passed without notification.
3. Documents in patients’ charts when prior authorization was sent and received.
4. Performs other duties as assigned.
J) Dental Specialist Referral Tracking:
1. Sends out specialist referrals to insurance companies, logs date set, and documents it in the chart.
2. Assists patients with scheduling of appointments as specialist’s office and documents it in the chart.
3. Performs other duties as assigned.
K) Electronic Dental Record Support/Maintenance/Data Entry:
1. When the Electronic Dental Record (EDR) is implemented, the receptionist will be trained on all of its functions and is expected to know dental terminology to provide proper support to billing, medical records, and the clinicians.
2. Obtains support from EDR vendors, as necessary, to assure proper functioning of EDR.
3. Provides training to new employees and existing staff on the use of application of the EDR.
4. Performs other duties as assigned.
IV. PERIODIC DUTIES:
1. Contributes to Center community health activities outside of regular job responsibilities.
2. Participates in Center problem solving groups and communities.
3. Performs other duties as assigned.
V. WORKING RELATIONSHIPS:
Inside Center: All inclusive.
Outside Center: Patients, students, vendors, community health agencies, hospitals, insurance companies, Medicare/Medicaid, physician offices, etc.
DENTAL RECEPTIONIST
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VI. QUALIFICATIONS:
1. High school diploma or G.E.D. equivalent required.
2. One (1) year medical office work experience or equivalent preferred.
3. Ability to type 40 w.p.m. preferred.
4. Knowledge of dental/medical terminology preferred.
5. Good customer services skills.
VII. CONFIDENTIALITY:
Respect for and maintenance of client and staff confidentiality is required.
The duties/requirements listed describe the chief function (requirements) of the job (holder) and are not to be considered a detailed description of every duty (requirement) of the job (holder).