What Does an Administrative Dental Assistant Do?
An Administrative Dental Assistant ensures the business side of a dental office runs smoothly so that the dentist and hygienist can focus on the patient care side of the practice. In a typical Dental Assistant job, you handle administrative tasks and also assist the dentist during oral exams and procedures. But if organization, communication, and problem-solving are your strengths, you may be able to find work focusing on the front desk and administrative tasks of the Dental Assistant role. Here’s a closer look at the Administrative Dental Assistant job:
Administrative Dental Assistants Keep the Schedule
You serve as the communication hub when you’re an Administrative Dental Assistant. You greet patients, answer phone calls, and respond to emails. You know the dentist’s in-office time and schedule—and sometimes reschedule—patient appointments. And you make phone calls, send texts, and emails to remind patients of upcoming appointments. You might also schedule referrals with specialists. And when an emergency arises, you juggle it all to make sure urgent care is delivered without upsetting an entire day of scheduled appointments.
Assist Patients with Medical and Dental Forms
When patients come into the office, you help them fill out paperwork that might include contact info, medical history, medication list, insurance provider details, and consent for treatment forms. You answer patient questions and collect the forms when they’re done. For new patients, you might provide a system link so they can fill out their paperwork prior to an appointment to save time.
Dental Assistants Code Medical Records
For every dental exam, procedure, symptom, and disease, there are dental codes that you can add to a patient’s medical record. That code is used across the industry and serves as a common language that helps dentists understand a patient’s dental history. With an accurately coded medical record, dentists can provide consistent quality treatment to new and long-time patients, alike. After each patient visit, you update patient records with the correct codes that correlate to their diagnosis or procedure. For example, Z01.20 is the code you would use if the patient had a routine dental cleaning.
Fill Out Dental Insurance Claims and Submit Invoices
The codes you enter on the dental record are used on the insurance claims you submit on behalf of the dentist. Accuracy is important here because the wrong codes could lead to a claim delay or denial. If there is a problem, you take the time to troubleshoot. This can include reviewing for accuracy, contacting the insurance company, or resubmitting the claim. For patients without insurance, you render invoices, submit them to patients and collect payment.
Order Supplies as an Administrative Dental Assistant
Part of your job is to manage the stock of both dental and office supplies. Every day, you take a quick inventory of what supplies are needed so you don’t run out. You place orders with vendors, accept the packages, and restock the supplies for the rest of the dental team.
Does the job of an Administrative Dental Assistant sound interesting to you? Charter College offers a Certificate in Dental Assisting that can prepare you to work in administration or as a chairside assistant. Which is right for you. Our program can be completed in as few as 10 months and is offered in a blended learning format for flexibility and convenience. Call 888-200-9942 or fill out the form to learn more.