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Dental Office Manager Job Description
Dental office manager duties and responsibilities primarily concern supervising all of the administrative duties in a dental office. A dental office manager must work closely with the staff dentist(s) and other employees to help everyone perform their duties effectively. A dental office manager job description can include the following:
- Managing finances, including budgeting office expenses
- Performing billing and bookkeeping duties
- Handling payroll
- Hiring, training, and managing staff
- Creating staff schedules
- Arranging staff meetings
- Coordinating marketing
- Working with insurance claims
- Creating a dental office daily checklist
- Scheduling patient appointments
| Education | Certificate or associate degree programs available |
| Job Skills | Knowledge of Dentrix, multitasking, customer service, scheduling appointments |
| Median Salary (2021) | $60,590 for supervisors of office and administrative support workers |
| Job Growth (2021-2031) | -2% for supervisors of office and administrative support workers |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Dental Office Manager Job Requirements
Education Required
For a career in dental office management, you can complete a certificate or associate degree program. A certificate is a short program that will provide you with training and classes like dental health safety, medical terminology, bookkeeping, medical and dental billing codes, and office technology so that you can perform the responsibilities of dental office manager. An associate's degree in office administration or a related field can help to increase career opportunities.
Skills Required
According to the American Association of Dental Office Managers (AADOM), dental office managers will need to learn the computer software program Dentrix. Dentrix keeps track of billing and patient information. It is important that any prospective managers know how to put together schedules and understand dental office policies in order to perform dental practice manager duties proficiently. The ability to multi-task and work well with others is essential. Many job postings stated that 2-3 years of experience were also required, as well as proven customer service skills.
Dental Office Manager Salary & Outlook
How much does a dental office manager make? According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), first-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers, including dental office managers, had a job projection of 2% decline from 2021-2031. The median wage of supervisors of office and administrative workers was $60,590 in May 2021, which includes dental manager pay.
Alternative Careers to Dental Office Manager Jobs
Here are some other career choices in dental administration:
Dental Secretary
For those who want to perform administrative work in a dental office but are not interested in a management position, becoming a dental secretary is a possible career option. Medical secretaries, including those who work in dental practices, schedule patient appointments, prepare insurance claims, manage patient records, and transcribe medical dictation from the doctor. Most secretaries may only need a high school diploma to find a position, but some employers may also require courses in medical terminology and billing practices. Based on data from the BLS, over 53,600 new positions will open up for medical secretaries during the 2021-2031 decade, with a growth of 8%. Medical secretaries earned a median yearly salary of $37,450, according to a 2021 BLS report.
Dental Assistant
Those desiring more patient care duties in addition to administrative tasks may want to consider a career as a dental assistant. These assistants schedule appointments and record patient information, but they also organize and clean equipment, take x-rays, provide support during procedures, and educate patients about dental hygiene. Depending on the state, education requirements range from a high school diploma to certificate and associate degrees in dental assisting. An exam may also be required in some states. The BLS predicts faster than average employment growth of 8% from 2021-2031. In May 2021, the BLS also determined that dental assistants earned $38,660 in median wages.
