Neither states nor licensing boards require dental office management or administrators to take clinical training. Some may already have it, if they’ve come into the position via a career as a dental assistant. More likely, though, your administrators have backgrounds in office management and/or customer service. That’s why giving your front office staff the gift of clinical training can be a vital aspect of your dental practice growth. 

At Dental Practice Enhancement, we offer both clinical and administrative training. We provide on-site instruction so that we can better evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of your individual practice. Then we can build on your strengths and help you to improve existing systems. Further, by working with you in-house, we can help with overall team building, better integrating administrative and medical staff.

Contact us to learn more about our clinical training and to find out how you can get started. 

Better Communication with Patients 

As a patient, it’s frustrating to call the office with a question, only to be told, “I will get with the doctor and call you back.” It’s well-meaning, of course; administrators want to give a completely accurate answer. But all too often, it takes a day or more to connect with the clinical staff, who may themselves need to review patient records to answer the question. Before you know it, more than 48 hours have gone by before the call has been returned. Now the patient is feeling anxious, irritable, and even dissatisfied with the practice as a whole. 

That’s why, if administrative staff can answer questions themselves, it allows for more effective communication and better patient satisfaction. Of course, there will be times when a doctor really must answer the question. But when your front team can answer basic queries about procedural details, technology, and post-operative recovery, it reduces the stress for everyone involved. 

Dealing with Insurance Companies

Filing insurance claims is a major component of dental administration. Naturally, it takes a skill set all its own. But knowledge of clinical terminology and technology can be immensely helpful, as well. 

For instance, it’s imperative that administration know the correct dental codes to use and that they know when to bundle procedures. Sadly, far too many office managers and administrators lack detailed knowledge of dental procedures, and this can increase the risk of denied insurance claims. Clinical training can give your staff the vocabulary they need to properly file all insurance paperwork. 

Overall Enhanced Teamwork 

Your office should work like a well-oiled machine. But all too often, a dental practice can feel like two different operations working in the same building. The clinical staff works mysteriously behind closed doors, while the administrative staff is out in the open, dealing with the more visible, but less heroic, tasks of day-to-day operations. Work is delegated to one side or the other, and no real communication happens between them. 

The reality is that both sides of the practice are one, working towards one goal, and both are equally vital and heroic. Clinical training, along with team empowerment, can ensure greater appreciation for your administrative staff and mutual understanding between the two aspects of the practice. 

Contact Us for Custom Clinical Training 

Take your office to the next level. Contact Dental Practice Enhancement to learn more about our services. 

Reach us online or give us a call at (833) DPE-FOR-U.