Front Office Receptionist and Patient Intake

Arkansas Dental Centers•Benton, AR

About The Position

The Front Office Receptionist and Patient Intake role keeps the patient experience running smoothly from check-in through check-out. The receptionist professionally greets and assists patients in person and by phone, coordinates appointments, completes patient intake, and supports the efficient operation of the dental office. This position reports to the Team Leader. The role includes opening and preparing the reception room and other front-of-office common areas, preparing for the morning huddle, maintaining a professional reception area, and completing administrative and clerical tasks. The receptionist manages patient communications, records, appointments, intake paperwork, scheduling, recalls, treatment reports, and daily deposits. At check-out, the receptionist reviews balances, schedules follow-up appointments as needed, and collects payments owed. Arkansas Dental Centers was founded by Dr. Chad Matone, D.D.S. in 2014. It is a network of 14 independently operated practices throughout Central and Southeast Arkansas, focused on improving the oral health care experience for patients and doctors through collaboration and high-quality patient care.

Requirements

General education degree or high school diploma.
Knowledge of dental terminology, procedures, and diagnosis.
Knowledge of computers and relevant software applications.
Knowledge of general administrative and clerical procedures.
Working knowledge of dental insurance.
Communication skills.
Information collection and management skills.
Planning and organizing skills.
Accuracy.
Customer service skills.
Teamwork.
Initiative.
Adaptability.
Ability to maintain confidentiality.

Responsibilities

Open and prepare the reception room and front-office common areas, including restrooms and waiting room; maintain the reception area and care for plants and magazines as needed.
Prepare information for and participate in the morning huddle.
Greet patients and assist them in person and by phone in a professional, upbeat manner.
Check voicemail and email, distribute messages, return calls, and record call notes in patient records as needed.
Answer incoming calls by the third ring and serve as the first point of communication for patient calls.
Manage appointment status, including broken appointments and cancellations, and fill open schedule slots resulting from cancellations and no-shows.
Maintain patient records in compliance with privacy and security regulations, safeguard confidentiality, and respond to requests for information.
Schedule appointments, maintain a full schedule, confirm upcoming appointments and recalls according to office protocol, and review the daily schedule and prepare for the following day.
Sort and distribute incoming and outgoing mail.
Update front-office staff on daily tasks as needed and perform other duties requested by the Team Leader.
Arrange patient charts for next-day appointments and prepare paperwork before each patient's appointment.
Review routing slips at the end of the day, verify posting against the ledger, check that follow-up appointments have been made for re-care or fillings, and file routing slips with end-of-day sheets.
Work recall and outstanding-treatment reports.
Complete daily deposits no later than 1 p.m. the following day.
Assist patients with required forms and documentation; verify and update patient information; explain office procedures and policies; register new patients according to established protocols and enter relevant information into the data system.
Send information about past-due balances or co-pays to appropriate clinical staff before the appointment.
Mark patients ready and put up routing slips.
Obtain copies of photo identification and medical or dental insurance cards, update changed information, and enter new-patient paperwork.
Scan paperwork into patient notes.
At check-out, review account balances, schedule the next appointment as needed, and collect money owed for services.