Job title
Dental Care Coordinator
Reports to
Director of Dental Services and Healthy Futures
Status
Non-Exempt (Hourly)
Job Purpose:
The Dental Care Coordinator plays a crucial role in ensuring that patients receive exceptional service within the dental practice. This role involves managing patient communications, verifying insurance eligibility, coordinating treatment plans, scheduling appointments, and managing warm handoffs for patients experiencing dental pain. The Coordinator will handle patient inquiries, ensuring a positive experience from initial contact through follow-up, aligning with Heartland's mission. The ideal candidate will have strong interpersonal skills, a solid understanding of dental office procedures, and the ability to efficiently manage various administrative tasks. The Coordinator will work closely with the dental billing team to verify insurance status, determine costs, and identify additional resources for patients. Coordination with the Patient Service Representatives and Dental Care Team is essential to ensure comprehensive understanding and management of dental services and specialty needs.
Duties and Responsibilities:
- Software and System Utilization: Learn and effectively use eCW software for patient management and scheduling.
- Customer Service: Provide outstanding service to patients, families, staff, vendors, and the community, both in person and on the phone. Ensure adherence to HIPAA Privacy and Security procedures.
- Schedule Management: Oversee the dental schedule and manage the short call list to fill appointment slots promptly and handle last-minute cancellations.
- Data Management: Perform EMR data entry, scan documents, and update patient records.
- Treatment Plan Coordination: Coordinate dental treatment plans for patients both in-person and over the phone.
- Warm Handoffs: Assist with warm handoffs to ensure smooth transitions for patients experiencing dental pain.
- Insurance Knowledge: Interpret benefit summaries, including coinsurance, deductibles, and annual maximums, in relation to patient treatment plans. Navigate insurance websites to check claims history, benefits, and submit prior authorizations.
- Financial Coordination: Relay information about sliding fee scale and manage point-of-service collections. Review and interpret dental claims, payments, and denials.
- Training and Development: Attend and demonstrate competency in dental coding and patient recall procedures. Stay informed about dental terminology, best practices, and specialty services.
- Collaboration: Work with the billing and finance departments for timely resolution of billing issues and ensure accurate collections and billing. Assist the Front Office Coordinator with training for accurate insurance verification and chart entry.
- Policy Communication: Use appropriate verbal skills to explain policies such as cancellations, collections, and insurance coverage to patients.
- Quality Assurance: Monitor and audit charts to ensure correct billing and collections. Address no-show rates in collaboration with the supervisor.
- Resource Management: Understand and connect patients with available resources, including Medicaid and grant-funded programs, through collaboration with Community Health Works and A Compass Project.
- Cultural Competency: Provide culturally competent care and participate in training and professional development to enhance service delivery.
- Other duties as assigned
- High School diploma or equivalent is required.
- Must have at least 2 years Patient/Customer Care experience in a healthcare environment (physician's office, clinic, or hospital)
- Customer-service oriented; patient-centered focus that promotes the satisfaction and well-being of those we are called to serve
- Demonstrates high level of confidentiality
- Demonstrated ability to learn technology systems; generally, technology-savvy
- Strong verbal communications skills and ability to communicate ideas and concepts successfully
- Demonstrated ability to remain calm when under pressure and ability to work well in a fast-paced environment
- Good computer skills and knowledge of Microsoft programs
- High energy, positive attitude, ability to work autonomously, flexibility, teamwork, attention to detail, and high degree of initiative
- Upholds Heartland's guiding values of Compassion, Respect, Collaboration, and Integrity
- Maintains regular and predictable attendance
- The incumbent will be faced with constant interruptions and may need to meet with others on a regular basis
- Job tasks are performed in close physical proximity to other people
- Requires work with external customers or the public
- May includes exposure to sounds and noise levels that are distracting or uncomfortable
- Requires working indoors in environmentally controlled conditions
- Includes exposure to disease or infections
- Requires the ability to maintain composure when confronted with fast-paced and stressful situations
- Requires sufficient visual acuity to be able to read and write and operate equipment common to this position
- Requires sitting, standing, ambulating, and dexterity in hands
- Required to read, write and speak English
- Requires sufficient hearing level to be able to effectively communicate with people directly or by telephone
- Occasionally lift items weighing up to 25 pounds
- Hours M - F from 8:00 am - 5 pm as needed (average of 40 hours per week)
- Hours are approximate and may be altered by supervisor(s) as needed