Dental Office Managers oversee the day-to-day non-medical activities in various dental care environments. They are mainly responsible for coordinating all the administrative duties such as making budget, administering billing process, scheduling appointments, hiring clerical staff, facilitating training to staff members, organizing staff meetings, managing the marketing and promotional programs, maintaining cordial relations with other organizations, handling payrolls and insurance claims etc. They work closely with the Dentist and other employees to facilitate them for effective performance while providing dental services. However, these professionals are not involved in treating patients.

Dental Office Managers work in various dental care settings such as public or private hospitals, clinics, dentist’s office, dental care facilities, insurance companies, group medical practices, etc. They usually work full time. They may be required to work in night shifts, even in the weekends if required.

Educational Requirements

To qualify for the position of a Dental Office Manager, the aspiring candidates have to earn at least a high school diploma and a one- year certificate program in dental office administration or healthcare-related field from an accredited institution. The job aspirants can also receive experiences on-the-job training.

The coursework in the certificate program covers dental terminology, dental charting, quantitative reasoning, dental insurance procedure, fiscal management, billing, human management, computer applications etc.

Certification and Licensure

Since Dental Office Managers are required to be licensed in many states of USA, the aspiring candidates need to pass the state licensure examination. The American Association of Dental Office Managers (AADOM) offers exam-based certification to these professionals.

Skill Set               

Dental Office Managers possess varieties of skills such as resource management abilities, critical thinking and decision making abilities, time management skills, administrative abilities, understanding of dental policies and procedures, excellent communication and interpersonal skills, ability to perform multi-task activities, willingness to maintain cordial relationship with staff members and other organizations, computer skills etc.

Job Outlook and Salary

The job outlook for a Dental Office Manager remains excellent across the USA. According to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the growth rate for job opportunities in this profession may rise 10% from 2012 to 2022. The average annual salary of a Dental Office Manager was ranging from $30,400 to $61,000 in 2014.