What a dental receptionist does
A dental receptionist, sometimes called a dental front-desk coordinator, greets patients, books and confirms appointments, manages the recall list, submits insurance claims and collects payment at the end of each visit. They also answer the questions patients ask most: what their plan covers, why a treatment plan costs what it does and when their next cleaning is due. A capable receptionist keeps chairs filled and payments collected, which has a direct effect on the practice's revenue.
Dental front desks handle more financial conversations than most reception roles. Patients want estimates before treatment, and staff need to understand private plans, Canadian Dental Care Plan coverage and co-payments, and how to submit a claim electronically. Finch asks about your software, how your office runs recall and how much insurance work you assign to the front desk. We screen for dental booking and claims experience, then for the warm, organized manner your patients expect when they call.
Typical responsibilities
- Greet patients, update their files and confirm insurance details at each visit
- Book, confirm and rebook appointments, and fill openings from a short-notice list
- Run the recall system so hygiene patients are contacted when they are due
- Submit electronic claims and predeterminations, and follow up on rejections
- Explain estimates and collect payments, co-payments and outstanding balances
- Answer patient questions about CDCP coverage and confirm details before treatment
Qualifications and credentials
- Front-desk experience in a dental office, or strong reception experience that includes insurance billing
- Working knowledge of dental terminology and procedure codes
- Experience submitting claims through CDAnet and an understanding of how CDCP claims go to Sun Life
- Hands-on use of a dental practice management system, for example Dentrix, ClearDent or ABELDent
- Clear, friendly communication and comfort discussing costs with patients
- A second language, which is helpful in many GTA dental offices
Who hires a dental receptionist
- Family and general dental practices
- Orthodontic offices with high appointment volumes
- Paediatric and specialty dental practices
- Multi-location dental groups
- Independent dental hygiene clinics
Where we recruit dental receptionist candidates
We fill dental receptionist roles for employers across Toronto and the GTA, including North York, Scarborough, Etobicoke, Vaughan, Markham, Richmond Hill, Mississauga, Brampton, Oakville, Burlington, Oshawa and Pickering, and for employers across Canada. GTA employers can meet us at our North York office by appointment.
What Finch checks before you meet a candidate
- Confirm hands-on experience booking in a dental practice management system
- Test knowledge of claims, predeterminations and CDCP co-payments with practical scenarios
- Assess phone manner when discussing fees and coverage with a patient
- Ask how the candidate has managed recall lists and same-day cancellations
- Check references from dental offices for accuracy and reliability
Interview questions to ask
- A patient's claim was rejected. What steps do you take before calling them?
- How would you explain the difference between a predetermination and a claim to a patient?
- What do you do when a hygiene patient cancels the morning of their appointment?