Essential Tips for Managing a Dental Start-Up: A Guide for New Office Managers
Being alongside your dentist opening a new dental practice can be an exciting and rewarding venture. As a dental office manager, you play a pivotal role in ensuring that the practice runs smoothly from day one.
We opened our start-up office at the end of September 2020 with a skeleton crew: the owner dentist, a dental assistant, and myself. We made a commitment to provide the best patient experience from the start, and these are the areas we focused on first to ensure we met our goal.
This was a learning experience for everyone involved.
Streamline Office Operations with the Right Technology
Technology will be your best friend when it comes to managing a dental start-up, especially if you are a small team initially. We immediately knew we would be a digital office and were going to invest in processes that would support patient communication, online scheduling, and digital forms to help streamline our patient experience.
Implementing the right technology from the outset can save you time and stress in the long run. Working with a vendor to automate appointment reminders, patient text communication and allow patients to schedule their appointments on their own time has been critical to our success.
Sometimes, our online scheduling works a little too well, and an appointment we offer a patient in person is filled online at the exact same time!
Also, don’t be afraid to make changes over time. We have switched vendors over the years, and it’s okay to make changes if something is no longer working for your practice.
Create a Positive Patient Experience from the Start
From the moment a patient walks in the door, creating a positive and welcoming atmosphere is essential. As a PPO office, we always say that we can’t compete on price, but we can compete on delivering high-quality care in a positive environment.
The office environment plays a large role in patient satisfaction. Invest in comfortable seating, calming décor, and a clean, modern facility that reflects the professional quality of care you provide.
A well-organized schedule is key to a smooth workflow. Make sure to allow enough time for each procedure while also accommodating emergency or last-minute appointments. Efficient scheduling will help reduce wait times and prevent delays.
In our early days, being able to offer same-day dentistry was a critical component of the growth of our office and we were able to help many emergency patients who turned into long-term patients.
Establish Financial Systems and Billing Practices
Managing finances is one of the most critical aspects of running a dental start-up, especially as finances are typically tighter in the early days. It was very important to us to ensure that our accounts receivable (AR) were up to date and to establish clear financial systems for payments and insurance claims. With a small patient base, this was easy to manage, but it was essential to have a sound system in place as our team and our patient base grew.
Setting up an efficient insurance verification and claims processing system was crucial for keeping our treatment plan estimates as accurate as possible. Patients appreciated our transparency on pricing.
Plan for Growth and Adaptation
As your practice grows, you’ll need to plan for future expansion. Whether it’s adding new services, upgrading technology, or expanding the team, having a growth plan will ensure that your practice can scale smoothly.
We initially opened with two operatories and expanded to six operatories within three years. We grew from a team of one dentist and no hygienists to two dentists and three full-time hygienists.
It hasn’t always been an easy road, but the investments we made early on have helped scale our growth in a short period.
Setting the Stage Has Rewards
Managing a dental start-up is an exciting but challenging journey. By focusing on sound planning, efficient operations, strong marketing, and maintaining a positive work environment, you can build a thriving practice that provides exceptional care to patients.
Your role as a dental office manager is integral to ensuring that the practice runs smoothly, that patients feel cared for, and that the business grows sustainably.
About the Author
Jessica Figueiredo, FAADOM
Jessica is a dedicated manager with a passion for excellence and a commitment to compassionate service. She played a pivotal role in growing her practice from a startup into a multi-million-dollar success in just a few short years. Her leadership, vision, and unwavering focus on patient experience have created a thriving dental practice known for its exceptional care.
In 2024, Jessica earned her fellowship with AADOM and continues to expand her knowledge in dentistry and management.
