Receptionist Responsibilities/Accountabilities

Arrive at least 15 minutes before the first patient is due to arrive

Check the outside mailbox for mail

Unlock the door

Turn on front desk and reception room lights

Check for signs of forced entry. If you suspect an intruder, call the police and do not go any further or touch anything in the office until you receive police approval.

Inspect appearance of the reception room, business office, free sample display, imaging room, and bathroom

Turn off call forwarding and check responses to our HouseCalls automated reconfirmation machine.

Review the computer generated list of transactions for matters that require action today

Adjust heating/air conditioning thermostat

Retrieve mail from mailbox

Change into your uniform

Compose the new patient erase welcome board using the new patient's first name only and place board at the office entrance

Verify that all new patient charts are complete and requested radiographs have arrived from the family dentist. If not call family dentist and offer to pick up x-ray personally.

Stamp all today's charts with date and place in the treatment bay magazine rack

Familiarize yourself with the past due account list, place a $ sign on the appointment book next to delinquent accounts that need collection activity today, update staff of delinquent accounts that need collection attention at the morning staff meeting.

Be prepared to discuss new patient at the morning briefing and any of the days patients who need collection followup. Employees are expected to work harmoniously with all other employees.

Make four copies of the schedule and place copies of the day's appointment sheet on the side counter in the treatment bay, the mobile vacuum cart, the imaging computer table and the reception counter.

Enter payments in the computer under "Daily Accounting"

Stamp the check with the bank endorsement stamp

Enter the check on the deposit slip and store the check in the deposit book

Greet arriving patients by name with a smile and direct eye contact and make them feel welcome

Record any unhappy comments made by our families for discussion at the evening wrap up briefing

Verify that premeditated patients have taken their prescription

Dispense patient gifts and free samples

Discuss patient contests that are underway and winners of previous contests

Dispense Dr. Trepp's and your professional card liberally

Open and Sort Mail

Answer new patient calls with a smile and complete "New Telephone Information slip" You must know whether they have seen another orthodontist before giving an exam fee.

Call family dentist for Panorex availability

Call insurance companies for insurance coverage and claim follow up

Tag charts with neon pink emergency slips to highlight emergency visits for the clinical staff.

Type labels for patient charts, study models, x-rays, photos etc.

Show educational videotapes on the VCR

Keep parents and non patients in the reception area by keeping the door to the treatment area closed for privacy and hygenic purposes

Maintain all business office machines in good operational order

Solicit information about patient's brothers and sisters and other potential future patients and note information sibling and patient interests on top treatment chart in pencil

Record patient E-mail addresses for our automated appointment reminder program called HouseCalls.

Before the patient leaves, duplicate the "Progress report" or "Preliminary Orthodontic Examination" for that visit and seek answers from clinical staff for more detail

Train parents to call immediately if something is loose or broken call so adequate repair time is allotted

Write the appointment date in the treatment chart

If a patient tells you "I will call you later" or "I will have my mom call to set up a appointment" tell them that due to great demand for late afternoon appointments it would be better to schedule a appointment now

Re-file patient folder in the file cabinet if they have another appointment or have been entered in the computer with a recall month

Patients who are without a recall date in the computer or a scheduled appointment in the appointment book, should be filed in the charts to be monitored shelf

Broken retention visit patients are also placed in the charts to be monitored but are not contacted.

Charts to be monitored should be checked weekly to see if further follow up is necessary

Pull the next day's charts

Set up HouseCalls to reconfirm all appointments two working days in advance. Reconfirmation calls are done as a courtesy. They are not an obligation.

List things that need to be ordered on the order list.

At time of order placement, record the salesperson's name, the vendor's name, date ordered and initial your entry. Cross out order when received and place purchase price in green inventory book. Initial and date the packing slip after verifying the contents of the shipment. Place the packing slip in the top bin above the printer for payment.

Review any messages with Dr. Trepp after patients leave, at lunch hour or at the end of the day.

Record incoming or outgoing radiographs in our X-ray log.

Record incoming and outgoing lab appliances in our lab log.

Keep the manual blue master flow sheet updated.

Help with employee attendance records and payroll calculations.

Restock disposable tooth brushes, free samples, brochure racks and patient refreshment station.

Manage the public relations program with the other dental offices.

Vacuum reception area and business office

Dust counters tables and shelves

Water plants

Update business hours sign

Clean windows (in & outside).

Send patient to on deck bench as soon as they have brushed their teeth.

Answer all telephone calls with a smile.

Notify Dr when schedule is so light that the office should consolidate or close.

Initial each entry made of patient charts

Record telephone conversations, broken and canceled appointments and rescheduling attempts on the treatment chart.

Do not enter financial data on the treatment chart

Evaluate patient credit worthiness using ABC sheet

Calculate orthodontic contract and enter it in the computer when treatment starts

Create coupon books for new patient starts

Record collection activities on the Past Due Accounts form.

Enter charges and payments in the computer

Give a receipt for any cash payment or customer copy of charge slip for credit card payments

Prepare insurance forms and place them in "Insurance Review" bin for review by Dr. Trepp before mailing

Have all insurance patients sign multiple release of information signature labels for future use

Have insurance patients who want us to accept direct assignment, sign a pre authorized credit card slip for balance of charges not paid by insurance company.

Review the 1-31 file every day for insurance claims or preauthorized check/charge card transactions that need follow up action

Note the date filed and claim type on the outside of an insurance patient's chart.

Update the insurance binder with new insurance information by employer.

File a letter of complaint with the State of Maryland Insurance Commissioner and notify the patient family when their insurance company denies or delays a claim for an unjust reason.

Print patient statements and verify statement accuracy before mailing

Print followup letters

Print delinquency reports and update past due list

Write thank you notes and personal patient recognition notes

Weigh letters for proper postage.

Create and label new patient charts with color coded label

Close out the day from a IMS workstation after verifying computer transaction total equals the adding machine total of the deposit slip.

Enter deposit total on bank deposit slip

Enter deposit total on inside cover of bank deposit book

After closing out the day, exit IMS for Orthodontics program and enter financial transactions in Quicken

Back-up Quicken computer files to either a CD-RW or a set of 3 1/2 disks on term2 and alternate backup disks so that you do not overwrite the previous days backup data.

Place quicken back up disc and IMS for Orthodontics backup tape in the doctor's briefcase for overnight off site storage. If the doctor is out of the office, take the backup media home overnight for safe keeping.

Remove the previous quicken and IMS for Orthodontics backup media from Dr. Trepp's briefcase

Leave the computer server on in case Dr. Trepp has anything to add.

Always leave bank deposit envelope open for Dr. Trepp's review.

Adjust heat/air conditioning for over night setting.

Change into your street clothes before leaving.

Turn on the call forwarding.

Share any important patient reception room conversations with clinical staff members if it will aid in that patients treatment and perception of our office enviroment.

Verify that all non staff members have exited.

Turn off overhead lights

Turn off all business machines except computers that are working on overnight projects like HouseCalls or backups

Turn off the TV

Turn off the VCR

Turn off the Nitendo and Playstation

Lock fire file with key

Lock the door behind you.

You may schedule an appointment with Dr. William Trepp in his Pasadena, MD office by calling 410.696.4624 or in his Clinton, MD office by calling  301.868.6200. Written inquiries should be mailed to: 3020 Mountain RD, Pasadena, MD 21122, USA or 8918 Woodyard RD, Clinton, MD 20735, USA