• At least two years experience as a dental assistant or other position involving patient contact in a dental clinic setting
• Must be a current Certified Dental Assistant (CDA) and be registered through Washington State Department of Health.
• Must be certified in Basic Life Support (BLS)
• Proficient in MS Word, intermediate to advanced word processing skills.
• Candidate must demonstrate interest, ability and/or experience promoting cultural competency, universal accessibility, and/or diversity.
• Maintain a professional appearance and demeanor.
• Demonstrated ability to apply a responsive and flexible approach that is supportive of the needs including universal access of our students, faculty, staff and the public.

• More than two years of experience as described above
• Experience with third party billing of dental procedures
• Demonstrated knowledge of dental terminology

Specific job responsibilities for this department position include (but are not limited to):

• Greet and facilitate department visitors, dental clinic patients, service people, vendors, prospective dental hygiene students, and current dental hygiene students.
• Answer telephones, triages patient telephone calls to faculty, students, and staff; obtains necessary information for the return call; take messages from dental patients regarding appointments; facilitate dental patient appointments as directed; communicate with students regarding appropriate telephone messages,1 take or transfer messages for faculty; respond to inquiries regarding department services; update automated messages regularly.
• Communicates various types of information to patients, referral agencies, departments, physicians and the community, such as financial arrangements for special programs, clinic basic services and fee estimates, insurance coverage and billing procedures.
• Responds to patient questions; provides directions to specified areas such as directions to clinic, parking and eating facilities; assists patient in accessing community services by consulting and making referrals to appropriate resource; maintains confidentiality of patient information (HIPAA).
• Uses email etiquette in communicating to patients, faculty, staff and students.

• Patient Scheduling: Makes telephone assessment of patient condition; schedules new, return, and procedure appointments consistent with patient needs and scheduling guidelines including perioscopy, first year student initial patient experiences; ensures or obtains authorization; completes required documentation; enters appointment information in electronic dental record system; maintains clinical schedule by entering canceled and rescheduled appointments.
• Coordinates obtaining interpreters for patients.
• Initiates and maintains electronic patient records, referrals, special forms.
• Check In Patients: take photo upon check in; verifies eligibility and benefits for third-party payers, creates insurance plan in software and sends claims.
• Check out patients; collect fee payments; process receipts.
• Provide students orientation to the front office protocols.
• Maintain a current list of dental patients seeking dental treatment.
• Transfer patient records and x-rays using department electronic transfer protocol documents x-ray transfer in patient chart.
• Assist Operations Manager, as directed, to balance daily receipts, process credit cards.
• Call or process work orders as needed.

• Processes and reconciles patient documents, ensuring accuracy; investigates and corrects rejected charges.

• Pick up and deliver regular, FAX, and campus post office mail daily.
• Develop and update clinic forms and department correspondence Intermediate skills in utilizing computer programs such as Word, Excel, Outlook, and Dental Software.

• Provide training to students and faculty.
• Provide basic assistance to computer users such as: providing correct log-on procedures, changing user passwords, and making preliminary identification of problems encountered by network users.
• Contact appropriate personnel to achieve resolution.

• Maintain a clean, neat, and professional working environment in the main office area.

• Maintain a clean, neat, and professional personal appearance and demeanor.
• Maintain a warm, pleasant, helpful and positive attitude in all aspects of communication and office activity with faculty, staff, students and dental patients.

• Performs related duties as assigned by Department Chair or Operations Manager.