Top dental office manager skills needed to get the job.

What are the top 3 traits or skills every dental office manager must have to excel?

Can you suggest any tips or insights to develop your dental office manager expertise?

1. The most important thing that I can tell you is that you must be excellent with accounts receivable.
2. Be able to multitask and be able to handle a multitude of responsibilities with organization.
3. Be and excellent leader.

Host said: What are the top 3 traits or skills every dental office manager must have to excel?

Can you suggest any tips or insights to develop your dental office manager expertise?

felxibility, attention to detail, and prior experience as a dental assistant a huge deal. You can't run something you have no idea how it works.

I am working on an associate in arts degree. I am also a public notary. Prior to management I was a dental assistant and my certifications do not expire. Dentist like to see their administrators make efforts to continue education and training. Though college degrees are not required, it will set you apart from other applicants in a competitive job market.

1. Coachability- Your ability to be an excellent coach to your team, treating them individually and with respect. HARD ON RESULTS, SOFT ON PEOPLE.

2. Multitasking- You need to be able to stay calm in a fast paced environment, and keep your head in the game with multiple projects and responsibilities going on at one time.

3. Results- You need to be able to get results!

Know your priorities:

1 Patient Care
2 Schedule in front of you
3 CHECK IN/CHECK OUT
4 Production/Collection

Teamwork is so important. Clinical staff and front desk must have continuous open communication. As office manager you should make this one of your major priorites. It's like the left hand not knowing what the right hand is doing.

Managing your Collection and Production goals.

cat in Orlando, Florida said: felxibility, attention to detail, and prior experience as a dental assistant a huge deal. You can't run something you have no idea how it works.

I disagree on one point. You don't have to be a dental assistant to be an office manager in the dental field. I have 23 years in dental. Never was an assistant and I go in and turn practices around and make very good money doing it. I never had the clinical training, only an x-ray license and I make $80k per year.

unknown in Watsonville, California said: I disagree on one point. You don't have to be a dental assistant to be an office manager in the dental field. I have 23 years in dental. Never was an assistant and I go in and turn practices around and make very good money doing it. I never had the clinical training, only an x-ray license and I make $80k per year.

Dentistry is not only about "turning practices around and making very good money".
Not knowing filosophy of dentistry and ethical aspects of it, and also lacking knowlege of all aspects of dentistry , makes you forget about the most important: The Patient!!So it is a great deal to be dental assistant prior to become a good manager, not the collection clerc in your office.