Nov 15, 2024  
2024 - 2025 Catalog 
    
2024 - 2025 Catalog
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DA 129W - Dental Office Management

Credits: 2
Instructional Contact Hours: 2

Emphasizes fundamental office skills in managing patient and business records, handling the telephone and visitors, controlling the appointment book, and processing dental claim forms. Includes basic financial procedures and computer use.

Prerequisite(s): Full time: DA 120LW , DA 120 , DA 121W , DA 123LW , DA 123W , DA 125LW , DA 125W  
Part time:DA 123W  and DA 123LW  with a "C" (2.0) minimum grade
Corequisite(s): Full time: DA 130W , DA 131LW , DA 131W , DA 133W  
Part time: none
Lecture Hours: 30 Lab Hours: 0
Meets MTA Requirement: None
Pass/NoCredit: No

Outcomes and Objectives  

  1. Identify personal characteristics needed to work in a business environment.
    1. Describe the role, qualifications, personal characteristics and primary responsibilities of the business assistant as a member of the dental health team.
    2. Relate human relations to dental office productivity and personnel morale.
    3. During a class self-assessment activity, determine personal assets and goals, which make you a good candidate for Dental Assisting position and list characteristics, which you feel, could use improvement and development.
  2. Describe how to maintain a dental office environment.
    1. Relate leadership to effective office communications and work interactions.
    2. Describe behaviors, which produce barriers and ineffective interactions in the dental office.
    3. Describe interpersonal characteristics and job duties of the receptionist or assistant in the management of patients.
    4. Explain possible psychosocial factors that contribute to patients' attitudes toward oral health and dental care.
    5. Given hypothetical dialogues and/or role play situations, describe/demonstrate interactive and communication relationships between.
      1. Dentist and Assistant
      2. Patient and Assistant
      3. Dentist and Patient
      4. Assistant and Assistant
      5. Hygienist and Assistant
    6. Describe verbal and non-verbal communication as determinants of effective or ineffective interaction between health professionals and with the patient.
    7. Describe the importance for and method to maintain professional distance and create professional closeness with co-workers and the patient.
    8. By means of goal setting activities, identify a personal plan to integrate professional qualities in work and continued education.
    9. Identify bases of interpersonal problems between:
      1. Dentist and assistant
      2. Dentist and hygienist
      3. Hygienist and assistant
      4. or any likely combinations
    10. Explain the role of patient education to developing positive attitudes and behaviors in patients.
    11. Evaluate the effect of the following office environmental conditions on patient management:
      1. Comfort of physical surroundings
      2. Cleanliness and orderliness of surroundings
      3. Grooming and appearance of personnel
      4. Sounds and intensity of noise in office
      5. Colors and decorations.
  3. Use effective verbal communications.
    1. Describe “phonogenic” characteristics for effective telephone communications.
    2. Explain techniques to create a good image over the telephone.
    3. Manage, by role-playing, incoming phone calls for various hypothetical situations given in class. Using a check sheet, peer critique and discussion will be used to assess quality of phone etiquette.
    4. Describe the method to record accurate phone messages.
  4. Utilize a computer for dental office management.
    1. Explain the value and benefits of computer usage in a dental office.
    2. Identify the major components of a computer.
    3. Operate a computer.
    4. Complete the Eaglesoft system
  5. Demonstrate how to manage patient records.
    1. Explain the value and importance of dental records management.
    2. Describe the forms and items included in a clinical record.
    3. In accordance with the statute of limitations, state the best policy for retaining inactive records.
    4. Describe the procedure to transfer patient records to another location outside the dental office in which the records were collected.
    5. State a responsible and professional philosophy in valuing patients’ right to privacy.
    6. Explain how the accuracy and completeness of thorough records provides the best liability insurance for the practitioner.
    7. Given a variety of forms, identify name and use of each.
    8. Identify and process computer generated records.
  6. Record patient information onto a clinical chart.
    1. Correctly record patient information and services rendered onto charts.
    2. Realize the importance of accurate records management.
    3. Identify correct symbols commonly used to chart condition in the oral cavity as dictated by dentist.
    4. Identify and process computer generated charts.
  7. Demonstrate how to manage a recall system.
    1. Explain the value to the patient and the dentist to recall patients periodically to the dental office.
    2. Describe the procedure and function of the various recall systems, including the advantages and disadvantages of each.
    3. Given a variety of hypothetical recall situations and a system, set up a recall system.
    4. Identify and process computer generated recall system
  8. Explain how to prepare dental insurance claims.
    1. Explain the value of dental insurance to the improvement of dental care and health since the early 1900’s.
    2. Describe the four parties involved in dental prepayment and the role of each to the other.
    3. Identify various types of coverage prevalent in dentistry, their functions, benefits, and disadvantages.
    4. Use dental insurance terminology in discussing dental prepaying procedures.
    5. Given a standardized claim form, identify each part and the necessary patient information to be used in processing the form.
    6. Explain the function of the Code on Dental Procedures and Nomenclature.
    7. Given a Code booklet and a variety of treatment procedures, select codes to complete a dental claim form with no errors.
    8. Explain how the dentist receives payment for services through dental insurances.
    9. Given a standardized claim form and hypothetical information, and using the guidelines for preparing claim forms, complete the form with no errors.
    10. Identify and process computer generated insurance form.
  9. Demonstrate how to Record/manage accounts receivables.
    1. Explain the terms bookkeeping and accounting.
    2. Describe the pegboard / ledger system, its components, and techniques used in managing the system.
    3. Given pegboard forms and a variety of hypothetical entries to be made, record the entries with no errors.
    4. Identify and process computer generated ledgers
  10. Describe how to maintain a collection policy system.
    1. Explain the value and use of financial statements, when statements are sent to patients, and types of statements used in dentistry.
    2. Compare the value of itemized statements in management of potential problems.
    3. Explain elements of a well-defined credit policy.
    4. Describe payment policies used in dentistry and the benefits or disadvantages of each type.
    5. Describe collection procedures used in dentistry:
      1. aging accounts
      2. collection letter
      3. phone collections
      4. agencies
      5. small claims court
  11. Demonstrate how to control appointment schedules.
    1. Explain the components of the appointment book matrix to organize the appointment book.
    2. Explain the information necessary to enter in the appointment book when scheduling appointments.
    3. Describe the preparation and use of the appointment card, daily schedule, call list and treatment plan.
    4. Explain rules to follow in maintaining efficient appointment book control.
    5. Given a variety of hypothetical appointment scheduling situations and a blank schedule book, schedule the appointments according to the rules and procedures outlined in text and lecture with no errors.
    6. Identify and process computer generated appointments
  12. Demonstrate effective written communication.
    1. Identify and process computer generated written documents
    2. Relate written communications to developing rapport and public relations with patients, professionals, and the community.
    3. List characteristics of a professional written business communication
    4. Describe procedures to manage incoming and outgoing mail using United States Postal Service and United Parcel Service.
    5. Explain the use of a postage meter.
    6. Explain the purpose for a written and distributed office policy.
    7. Given a hypothetical business situation, write a letter.  
    8. Identify the various types of written communications use in a dental practice.
  13. Demonstrate how to organize and file informational material.
    1. Describe methods and equipment design used in store filed material.
    2. Explain procedures to transfer and retrieve filed material.
    3. List filing hints for efficient file management.
    4. Practice filing rules.
  14. Explain how to maintain an inventory system.
    1. Define the categories of dental supplies and equipment.
    2. Compare the advantages and disadvantages of ordering supplies through various sources.
    3. Explain the value, economically and managerially, for maintaining supply and equipment inventories.
    4. Describe inventory systems for capital equipment and expendable/nonexpendable supplies.
    5. Explain methods to establish a reorder point in the inventory system.
    6. Describe the business assistant’s responsibility when supplies are received, when supplies are back ordered from the company, and for returning goods to the supplier for credit.
    7. Given several dental and business supply names, design an inventory system and reorder point with no errors.
    8. Identify and process computer generated inventory control system.
  15. Explain how to maintain an accounts payable system.
    1. Describe the procedures to prepare a monthly expense sheet and a yearly summary.
    2. Explain the purpose of maintaining payroll records and the employee earnings record.
    3. Using tax tables, determine for a hypothetical employee the gross and net wages, including the appropriate deductions to be made for each tax category.
    4. Explain the depositing procedure for withheld income tax, Social Security tax, and federal unemployment tax.
    5. Given work sheets and data, complete a monthly expense sheet, a yearly summary, and payroll record with no errors.
    6. Given a W2 form for yourself, complete a W2 form with no errors.
    7. Identify and process computer generated accounts payable forms.
  16. Describe banking procedures.
    1. Identify each part of a business and personal check.
    2. Given a blank non-negotiable check, write a check and complete the check register or stub information with no errors.
    3. Recognize various types of check and characteristics each should possess for acceptance.
      1. certified
      2. cashier’s
      3. money order
      4. traveler’s check
      5. bank draft
      6. voucher
    4. Explain the use of credit cards as payment for services rendered.
    5. Given deposit slip data, prepare a slip for deposit.
    6. Endorse checks received prior to making deposit.
    7. Describe the steps to reconcile a bank statement.
    8. Given a statement and data, reconcile a hypothetical bank statement so the bank and checkbook register agree.
    9. Describe the petty cash account and if it is controlled for minor cash disbursement.
    10. Identify and process computer generated banking.
  17. Describe the value of an office manual.
    1. Explain the value of a procedure manual in maintaining office relations and efficiency.
    2. List components of an effective office procedure manual.
    3. Explain the rationale for a personnel policy and for making the policy public and understood by all employees.
    4. Describe the office staff meeting, its purpose and value, and how it should be conducted.
    5. Discuss techniques to evaluate eligibility and ask for a raise



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