Dental Receptionist

CHC•Edmonds, WA

About The Position

The Dental Receptionist works as part of a team with clinic support staff and healthcare providers, performing clerical, reception, administrative, and secretarial tasks. The role includes answering and screening phone calls, taking messages, scheduling appointments, obtaining billing information, checking in patients, and maintaining and updating patient demographic data. The receptionist helps keep clinic operations and patient flow organized, provides courteous and accurate assistance to patients and visitors, and supports administrative, financial, and recordkeeping processes. The position also involves maintaining the reception area and office supplies, operating and troubleshooting office equipment, and following organizational policies for infection control, attendance, cash management, accounting, and patient confidentiality.

Requirements

High school graduate or equivalent.
Proficiently read, speak, understand, and write English.
Work independently and be self-directed, while working effectively in a team environment.
Organize, prioritize, and coordinate multiple activities and tasks.
Work with initiative, energy, and effectiveness in a fast-paced environment.
Produce work in high quantity and quality.
Problem-solve with creativity and ingenuity.
Remain calm and effective in high-pressure and emergency situations.
Use multi-line telephones and other office machines.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, including Word, Excel, and Outlook.
One year of customer-service-related experience working with the general public.
One year of clerical, reception, dental assisting, administrative, or secretarial experience, or a combination of equivalent education and work experience.

Nice To Haves

Bilingual skills.
Knowledge of dental terminology.
Graduate of an accredited Office Skills Certification Program or a related field.
Graduate of an accredited Dental Administrative Assistant Certification program or a related field.
Experience working with insurance or billing in a healthcare setting or insurance organization.
Experience in a multiple-provider dental practice.
Familiarity with digital imaging.
Experience with healthcare information systems, such as electronic health records and practice management systems.
Experience working with low-income, multi-ethnic populations.

Responsibilities

Greet patients, interpreters, and visitors in person and by phone; respond to inquiries, take messages, and provide accurate information about schedules and services.
Check in, register, and schedule patients in the practice management system.
Maintain appointment schedules and follow office scheduling policies.
Verify and update patient demographic information in the electronic record at each visit.
Help manage patient flow and appropriately coordinate walk-in and add-on patients.
Communicate with back-office staff about walk-ins, cancellations, recalls, and delays to support smooth patient flow.
Route or file documents and mail appropriately.
Assist with insurance eligibility verification.
Verify income for sliding-fee patients and help complete sliding-fee applications as delegated.
Receive patient payments, answer or refer billing questions, and maintain records of financial transactions.
Prepare daily bank deposits and reconcile receipts, including cash, checks, and bankcard transactions, ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and security.
Order interpreter and transportation services and coordinate with outside organizations regarding patient services.
Assist with confirming appointments as needed.
File and retrieve charts from storage and log chart movements accurately and promptly while maintaining confidentiality.
Open and close the clinic and reception areas during business hours.
Keep the work area and reception lobby neat and orderly.
Maintain adequate inventory of office supplies and clinical forms.
Maintain and troubleshoot office equipment and machines, including calculators, copiers, fax machines, and printers.
Assist other departments when called upon.
Follow organizational infection-control practices and the written plan.
Meet attendance standards to support daily operations and continuity of patient care.