Dental Front Desk Coordinator

Description

Riverland Community Health is a Federally-Qualified Health Center in St. Paul, where patients receive community-based Family Practice medical care in addition to mental health, dentistry, social work and other integrated services. When joining RCH, you become part of a diverse, inclusive, and welcoming team who are dedicated to serving our patients and pursuing our mission to deliver excellent healthcare for all and training for the providers of tomorrow. 

JOB SUMMARY:

The Dental Front Desk Coordinator is responsible for providing excellent customer service and supporting the daily operations of the dental clinic. This position serves as a primary point of contact for patients and is responsible for scheduling, patient registration, insurance verification, referrals, payments, treatment coordination, and general front desk duties. The Dental Front Desk Coordinator works closely with dental providers, clinical staff, billing, referrals, and other departments to ensure patients receive accurate information and a smooth experience.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

Patient & Scheduling

• Answer phones and assist patients with questions and concerns.
• Schedule, reschedule, and cancel dental appointments.
• Confirm upcoming appointments and make reminder calls.
• Check patients in and out.
• Verify and update patient demographic and insurance information.
• Enter and maintain accurate patient information in the electronic health record.
• Communicate appointment changes and patient needs to the appropriate staff.
• Maintain an organized and professional front desk.

Dental Care Coordination

• Assist patients with understanding their treatment plan and next steps.
• Schedule treatment and follow-up appointments as directed by dental providers.
• Review charts and ensure required information, X-rays, or clearances are available when needed.
• Communicate patient questions and messages to dental providers and clinical staff.
• Assist with coordination between dental and medical departments when needed.

Referrals

• Process dental referrals and assist patients with scheduling referred services.
• Send required patient information to referral offices.
• Track referrals and follow up when information is needed.
• Document referral information in the patient’s chart.

Insurance & Payments

• Verify and update insurance information.
• Assist patients with general insurance and dental benefit questions.
• Collect copayments, balances, and other authorized payments.
• Assist with financial arrangements and direct patients to financial assistance resources when appropriate.
• Work with billing and financial staff to resolve patient account questions.
• Experience with insurance and third-party payer information is strongly preferred

Customer Service & Communication

• Provide friendly, respectful, and professional service to patients and families.
• Handle patient concerns and complaints appropriately and escalate issues when necessary.
• Remain calm and professional when dealing with difficult situations.
• Communicate effectively with patients, providers, and staff.
• Use interpreter services when needed to support patient communication.
• Maintain patient confidentiality and follow HIPAA requirements.

Other Duties

• Follow all clinic policies and procedures.
• Participate in staff meetings and required training.
• Assist other front desk team members as needed.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Requirements

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

• Experience with dental insurance and Medical Assistance preferred.
• Excellent phone and in-person interpersonal and communication skills.
• Strong customer service skills.
• Excellent time management skills with the ability to prioritize workflow and meet stringent deadlines.
• Ability to enter data accurately and quickly into computer carefully and with attention to detail.
• Ability to work independently or in a team.
• Ability to work in a busy clinic environment with frequent interruptions.
• Ability to work effectively with patients, providers, and coworkers.
• Skill in identifying problems, problem solving and resolution.
• Knowledge of dental procedures, dental terminology, and dental workflow. 
• Demonstrate sound judgement and decision-making abilities.
• Proficient in using computer systems with experience in dental OCHIN Wisdom preferred.
• Ability to perform essential job functions with or without reasonable accommodation.
• Ability to perform the job in accordance with Riverland Community Health’s Standards of Business Conduct, which includes compliance, ethics and integrity, confidentiality, protection of assets and avoidance of conflicts of interest and inappropriate business relationships. Specifically, work processes that involve billing/collections practices for avoiding activities that constitute fraud and abuse.

EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE:

• High School Diploma or equivalent
• 1-2 years’ experience working in a Medical or Dental Office, clinic or call center is required.
• At least 2 years’ experience working in a dental clinic or call center in lieu of education will be evaluated.
• Bilingual/fluent in English and Spanish, Hmong, Somali, Amharic, or Tigrinya is preferred.
• Experience working with the EPIC system is strongly preferred.
• Previous computer/keyboard experience is required.
• Prior experience working in a Federally Qualified Health Center or community clinic is strongly preferred. 

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

• Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
• Must be able to lift up to 15 pounds at times.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

Work is performed in a clinic office environment. Contact with staff, patients, and outside agencies. Possible exposure to communicable disease and medical preparations common to clinic environment.

A summary of our benefits include but are not limited to: health, dental, vision, HSA, FSA, basic life insurance, voluntary additional life insurance, spousal and child insurance, long-term disability, and a 403b retirement plan. 

In addition, job offers made during flu season are conditioned on the candidate receiving the annual flu vaccination before their start date.

RCH is an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status.

Compensation is $22.50 to $33.50 hourly DOE