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April 22, 2008

By Heather Colicchio, AADOM

The dental assistant and office manager have a dynamic relationship. At worst, this relationship can cause strife, discord and difficulties within a practice. At its best, this relationship can make a practice the best it can be. Many office managers were dental assistants before they office managers, so if you think they don't know where you're coming from, chances are you're wrong. We polled members of the American Association of Dental Office Managers (AADOM) to learn some of the most effective ways they work with their dental assistants to make the practice better and provide great patient care, which is, after all, every team member's ultimate goal. Overall communications, as well as "patient hand-off" (front office working with back office), were the clear winners in how the office manager and dental assistant can make the most their relationship.

Communication
Without communication, nothing gets done. It's often the office manager's job to facilitate communication, either through team meetings or morning huddles. With a responsive team, the results are limitless! Jennifer Fraser, office manager of da Vinci Smiles in Portland, Ore., said, "As a dental assistant, I work so hard and am pulled in so many directions that it's hard to feel like I make a difference in the practice." To overcome this, Jennifer makes sure to keep the lines of communication open. "I meet with my assistants frequently to just see how they're doing, if they feel like they're struggling or feeling good, and I ask their opinions on issues that are happening in the office."

As a result of this open communication, a new system was put into practice in Jennifer's office. Before the new system, service calls on equipment were handled by the front office staff--who never used the equipment in the back. Jennifer and the lead assistant noticed this really didn't make sense, so they talked about the issue and created a solution. Now the assistant gladly takes "ownership" of all service calls on the equipment, and even created a logbook, which is broken down by quarters, to track all incidents and calls made on the equipment. They implemented a brand new and very effective system in their practice by simply communicating. "Now the assistant can quickly see when the last service was, and have answers ready for the doctor who may have questions about it," Jennifer says.

Communication is also vital for Vicki Wilson, CDPMA. Vicki is the practice manager of Cleveland Dental Associates in Cleveland, Tenn. She sets aside one hour each month to meet with the assistants in her practice. She posts an agenda, as well as a board where they can jot down topics they want to discuss. "One assistant told of a patient that she had tried numerous times to get to schedule (and keep) an appointment to have her permanent crown delivered. My first thought was that the patient still had a balance and this was the reason, but I learned the patient had paid for everything. I drafted a letter to the patient from my dentist that voiced his concerns over her not getting her treatment completed. He asked her to call as soon as she could. I'm not sure why this letter made the difference, but the patient did call and finally got her permanent crown." This is a perfect example of how open communication between office manager and dental assistant can lead to optimal patient care.

Do you have something you want to tell your office manager? Tell her (or him)! The chances are he/she would love to hear it, whether it's good, bad or otherwise. Do you have an idea for the practice? Let your office manager know. The only bad idea is the unspoken idea.

The Hand-Off
One way the front office staff can work with the assistant to streamline operations is the "hand-off." Many office managers and dental assistants who work well together use this system. As Teresa Stein, director of practice development of Bassett Creek Dental in Minneapolis, Minn., explained, "There are many ways that we work together to improve our practice--but the best example I can think of is in having the dental assistant 'hand off' the patient at the end of the appointment to the patient care coordinator at check out. It is essential that this hand-off be smooth and worry-free. Our assistants ensure that the patient has been informed of the dental procedure, has been provided after-care instructions, knows the total charge for the procedure and estimated insurance reimbursement, and knows their portion due today for treatment. The assistant introduces the patient care coordinator to the patient and advises him/her that this person will now assist with the final check out--but only after the patient asks any questions before the hand-off is complete.

Although this process sounds simple, it takes training, practice, and positive reinforcement from fellow team members to ensure that everything flows like it should," Teresa continues. "When there is a new member added to the team or a disconnect with a few individuals, we get together for a refresher course and encourage role playing--which has been a great way to relieve stress, develop stronger team relationships, and bring fun to the learning process. We could not function without our assistants. They're the first to let us know that a process needs improvement and to offer positive solutions to our continued success!"

Natalin Po, office manager for Thomas J. Emmer, DDS, of Morristown, N.J., reinforces this sentiment. "In our practice we use what we call 'The Proper Handoff.' This is when the dental assistant informs the front desk prior to the patient checking out what treatment has been rendered and what follow-up care is needed. Also, the dental assistant works with the front to ensure a solid and efficient schedule."

Know that your office manager is your teammate with the same goals as you: being part of an efficient practice, and providing great care for patients. Suggest team meetings if you don't hold them already, and try implementing or improving your patient hand-off. When we work together, everybody wins!

Heather Colicchio is President of the American Association of Dental Office Managers (AADOM). You can learn more about AADOM at AADOM.

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