Finance/Administration

Make quality dentistry financially available to patients. Communicates with patients regarding their treatment plan, helps find the best way to finance the recommended treatment and makes appropriate financial arrangements with patients.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Reception Management

• Answer and respond to telephone calls with professionalism

 Patient Management

• Greet and welcome patients and visitors to the practice
• Providing HIPAA notice of Privacy Practices and documenting according to office policies and procedures
• Manage recall and inactive patient system
• Collect payment from patients
• Verify chart has complete insurance information
• Go over treatment to date with the patient and assess attitude toward any incomplete treatment. Update health history
• Estimate costs of today’s treatment
• Make yourself available to recalculate financial arrangements as needed
• Contact patients when pre-authorization is received and proceed with scheduling
• Review doctor’s chart notes to compare to completed treatment prior to billing
• Create claims to send to insurance both with paper and electronically
• Work on both insurance and patient aging 
• Stay up to date on coding changes 
• Review insurance newsletters to remain current with any changes in billing

 Records Management

• Gather and accurately record dental, medical and insurance information from patients
• Securely store and handle records in compliance with legal requirements, including HIPAA regulations
• Accurately file patient information

• Keep patients’ insurance information up to date
• Submit treatment plans for predetermination of benefits
• Prepare claim forms for patients with dental insurance
• Organize supporting materials for claim forms, such as radiographs or written narratives
• Mail claim forms from office
• Assist in the resolution of problems with third-party payers

• Research insurance benefits and prepare estimates on treatment diagnosed prior to discussing financial arrangements
• Determine patient’s insurance carrier and patient’s share of cost
• Make financial arrangements on all patients according to our financial policy
• Document the payment option selected by the patient
• Financial arrangements must be made after the exam and consultation and prior to treatment
• Obtain a signed financial agreement if you decide to offer financing to the patient; Specify number of payments and due dates. Monitor payments
• Record under financial in commLog, verbal discussions with patient in dental software
• Prepare and deliver a daily financial statement to the employer and management
• Present the treatment plan, using models, diagrams and provide related literature
• Be prepared to quantify referral sources, dollars diagnosed; dollars accepted; percent accepted; dollars completed; percentage completed; actual production compared to monthly goals

 Billing

• Prepare billing statements promptly and accurately
• Mail billing statements as directed by the dentist
• Prepare and mail overdue account letters as directed by management
• Telephone patients with accounts overdue
• Post payments received each day
• Prepare a financial action plan by reviewing the patients for future appointments and determining their financial needs and status
• Gather information concerning the insurance plans that you deal with on an ongoing basis
• Payment information obtained on the EOB’s
• Utilize an insurance data service such as Electronica Dental Services (EDS)
• Document basic insurance information on the patient’s chart for quick reference
• Determine insurance eligibility, limitations and payment estimate necessary to facilitate financial arrangements·       
• Process claims daily and mail or submit electronically within 24 hours
• Check software for any rejected claims electronically or reports of additional information needed by insurance.
• Receive correspondence from insurance carriers and respond in a timely manner
• Monitor turn around time on all claims for payment and predetermination. Follow up if the claim is outstanding at the end of the 4th week. Call or utilize the tracking form
• Determine the need and send x-rays, charting, narratives and documentation with the claim when applicable
• Process and mail predetermination. 
• Call or correspond with insurance companies to resolve delays in payment, requests for additional information or to discuss treatment that has been denied coverage
• Handle all inquiries concerning insurance on a daily basis
• Receive and enter payments received by insurance company by both mail and electronically

 Correspondence

• Sort, organize and distribute mail
• Prepare and send correspondence as directed by the dentist or office manager

 Inventory Management

• Monitor inventory and order dental office supplies as needed
• Monitor and make sure all office equipment (copy machine, fax, phones, computer system, etc.) is functioning and properly maintained; follow up on staff complaints and submit appropriate repair requests

 Office Participation

• Be an active participant in team meetings
• Perform other tasks as assigned by management
• Answers and screens telephone calls in a professional and timely manner; takes accurate messages with a high degree of professionalism and courtesy; arranges conference calls.

• Exercises considerable judgement and discretion in handling requests for appointments and telephone calls.

• Distributes daily internal/external mail and overnight packages; sends and distributes faxes. 

• Composes, types, and distributes professional correspondence and memoranda, Emails and faxes, using individual initiative and as assigned. 

• Proactively establishes, and maintains highly organized filing system; files correspondence and other records. 

• Meets and greets visitors. 
• Assists in development and implementation of department systems and procedures as needed.Performs general clerical duties including but not limited to filing, photocopying, faxing, and mailing.

• Demonstrates a high level of professionalism in dealing with confidential and Sensitive issues (HIPAA).

• Assists with special projects as assigned.
• Performs other related duties as assigned by management. 

General Dental Administrative Duties

• Distributes daily internal/external mail and overnight packages; sends and distributes faxes. 
• Composes, types, and distributes professional correspondence and memoranda, Emails and faxes, using individual initiative and as assigned. 
• Answers and screens telephone calls in a professional and timely manner; takes accurate messages with a high degree of professionalism and courtesy; arranges conference calls.

• Submit treatment plans for predetermination of benefits
• Prepare claim forms for patients with dental insurance
• Organize supporting materials for claim forms, such as radiographs or written narratives
• Mail claim forms from office
• Assist in the resolution of problems with third-party payers

• Telephone patients with accounts overdue
• Post checks received each day

• Sort, organize and distribute mail
• Prepare and send new patient and referral thank-you letters
• Prepare and send continuing care notices on the 15th  of each month
• Prepare and send correspondence as directed by the dentist or office manager
• Monitor inventory and order dental office supplies as needed
• Send copy of patient record for consultation with specialists
• Check patient back-up list to try to fill in cancellation and no-show appointment times
• Collect payment from patients
• Manage recall and inactive patient system
• Confirm upcoming appointments  by telephone
• Answer and respond to telephone calls with professionalism
• Review supplies for reception and provide order to business manager
• Open and close dental front office according to office protocol
• Check in patients according to office protocol, 
• Set up consultation room for consult appointment