Key Goals for Effective Dental Office Managers
Being an office manager is no easy feat – you’re responsible for keeping everything running smoothly, managing resources, ensuring employee productivity, and so much more. An effective office manager goes beyond the basics, always looking for ways to improve the office and make it more efficient. To maximize effectiveness, every office manager should set key goals to ensure their practice is running smoothly and successfully.
Engage with your team
Are you engaging with your team each day? Hold a daily huddle to get everyone on the same page, especially when implementing new procedures. Identify specific bottlenecks that need to be worked on to get a project started and keep it going. Communication is key to improved team performance.
Practice empathy
How do you respond when you notice a decline in employee productivity? Are you upset or do you attempt to understand the nuances of the problem? Remember that your staff’s lives extend beyond the office walls. Maybe someone is distracted by an upcoming vacation, dealing with personal issues, or has a family member going through unexpected health troubles. An effective office manager is both attentive and empathetic in these moments and knows when to pivot to help someone out.
Have a well-planned daily schedule
Strategy drives a productive schedule. Understand which procedures contribute to meeting production goals and efficiently schedule appointments to achieve those targets. In addition, having a well-planned schedule means patients will be seen on time and dismissed on time. Respecting patient’s time makes them feel valued and more likely to return.
Maintain an active patient base
An active patient base will sustain and increase the numbers that drive the practice. Make it a daily goal to follow up on unscheduled treatment and recall appointments. Don’t ignore the “no-shows.” Take proactive steps to follow up with them and turn them into regular patients. Focusing on obtaining and maintaining an active patient base is essential for a healthy practice.
Lead by example
Lead your team by example. If you want to bring in new ideas and change the practice for the better, take ownership and make it happen. Prove your administrative expertise but don’t become a tyrant. Keep empathy, communication, and cooperation at the forefront. A dental office manager who both leads and supports their team contributes to the success of the practice and their personal growth.
Understand your practice overhead
Are you familiar with the typical salary and benefits package for dental office staff? Do you know your dental supplies cost? How about rent, utilities, employee training, and more? Familiarize yourself with both your overhead costs and your office budget so you know when raises, additional staff members and employee perks are allowable. Overhead can be one of the greatest foes of any office manager, but once it’s handled correctly, every other process falls into place.
Analyze A/R and partner with a remote billing company
Analyze daily and monthly reports to assess the current status of your office A/R. Without continual maintenance, A/R can quickly spiral out of control. With all the daily tasks requiring your attention, how can you best manage a growing A/R? A solution is partnering with a remote dental billing company to remove part of your burden.
At eAssist, our Success Consultants work with you to manage your total A/R. Whether it’s insurance verification, dental insurance billing, or patient billing they are knowledgeable in every aspect of the billing process and will make sure your claims are handled accurately to ensure maximum reimbursement. Thanks to transparent, daily reporting, you can rest assured that eAssist is helping you meet your goal of maximum efficiency. Schedule a consultation today to learn more.
The role of an office manager can be demanding and requires juggling various responsibilities ranging from resource management to fostering employee productivity. An effective office manager rises to the challenge and constantly seeks ways to enhance office efficiency. To achieve success, setting key goals is necessary to ensure a productive and successful dental practice.
About the Author: Courtney Roberts
For the past 17 years, Courtney has passionately served the dental industry in capacities ranging from chairside assisting to practice management to dental educator. Her entrepreneurial spirit is her secret sauce to doing what she enjoys most — empowering those around her. Courtney helps clients successfully onboard with eAssist Dental Solutions, ensuring a smooth transition to outsourcing their dental billing. If you want to learn more about how eAssist can be the extra pair of arms you desperately need, email LearnMore@eassist.me.
