Chapter 2Dental Team Management

DH300

Learning Objectives Determine goals and objectives for a dental

practice. Explain business etiquette. Identify the five Rs of good management. Identify functions of an administrative

assistant. Explain employee empowerment. Define time management. Explain the purpose of an office manual. Describe recruitment and hiring practices. Describe new employee orientation. Manage staff conflict.

Establishing Practice Goals Develop a practice philosophy: basic concepts

about patient care, business management, auxiliary utilization, health and safety, and continuing education for the practice.

Develop practice objectives: specific positive action statements that indicate the expected results.

Determine a mission statement: statement that speaks in the way the practice is to be managed and the role of the staff and the patients.

Develop practice policies: statements of basic policy that will affect both staff members and patients; covered by broad heading followed by specific policies.

Establishing Practice Goals Develop procedural policies: broad statements can be

broken down again into specific objectives and further defined into specific tasks for all of the common office procedures.

Develop business principles: dentist outlines in numeric terms the budget process for the practice and procedures for managing business activities.

Develop a practice standard: dentist identify a quality standard that defines a self-performance level and performance level expected of the staff.

Develop a staff recognition program: guidelines should be established for hiring a qualified staff, selecting a wide range of creative benefits, and establishing a competitive salary scale that reflects productivity and cost-of-living increases.

Professional Etiquette in the Dental Office Greet coworkers in a friendly manner daily. Introduce others who do not know each other. Greet patients as they enter the office; stand when

you greet a patient. Introduce yourself. Use “thank you” and “good-byes” Learn how to handle rivals with tact. Be a team player. Dress and act professionally. Use correct grammar, pronounce words correctly. Make patients feel important. Ch 2 pg. 12 box 2-1 (more in book)

Basic Job Responsibilities of the Administrative Assistant

Maintain patient and staff relations Schedule appointments; set up meetings; maintain all patient

and financial records; maintain recall and inventory systems; etc.

Operate electronic office equipment Use telephone, voicemail, e-mail; manage web sites; upgrade

and recommend office software; provide computer training. Manage records

Manage patient records, insurance forms, HIPPA, financial, clinical data; maintain employee records; OSHA records; accounts payable; collections; order invoices.

Manage mail Manage incoming and outgoing mail; maintain an e-mail

system.Chapter 2, pg. 13, Box 2-2

Five Rs of Management Responsibility: denotes duty or obligation; follow

through and project completions. Respect: consideration or esteem given to another

person; each dental team member must respect the others’ education, skills, and values.

Rapport: mutual trust or emotional relationship that exists among the office staff members.

Recognition: achievement; can come in the form of verbal praise or a sign placed in the office recognizing employment and credentials.

Remuneration: monetary recognition of achievement; should be based on education, merit performance, longevity, and cost of living.

Job Responsibilities of Administrative Assistant

Schedule appointments Set up meetings/conferences Set up/administer financial arrangements with patients Maintain recall and inventory Design office manuals/pamphlets Implement state and federal regulations Arrange for risk management and OSHA seminars Supervise appropriate office support staff Manage web sites Computer and software training for employees Managing patient records, employee records, MSDS forms Manage incoming and outgoing mail. Pg. 13, Box 2-2

Basic Skills of an Administrative Assistant

Conceptual skills: ability to acquire, analyze, and interpret information in a logical manner; how an idea would affect the practice.

Human Relations skills: understanding people and have effective interaction with them; involve communication, motivation, and an ability to lead.

Administrative skills: use all of the other skills effectively in preforming admin functions; establish and follow policies, procedures, process paperwork, coordinate activities.

Technical skills: understanding and supervising effectively the specific processes, practices, and techniques required of specific jobs in the business office; allows performance of day-to-day operations in the office.

Ethical Administrative Assistant Respects the dentist and practice concepts Good listener Maintains frequent communication Utilize feedback Make ethical decisions Avoid unnecessary delays in decision making Delegate authority Identify constraints within which work must be done Exercise self-control Make time for staff Respect diversity Build and develop strong relationships Be visible Learn from mistakes Expand the leadership role.

Staff Communication

Communication: essential element in management and a vital link in establishing a meaningful relationship among the admin assistant, DDS, other staff members, and patients.

“Quality Communication=Positive Interaction” The success of a dental practice is measured

by the ability for staff members to communicate with each other and the patient.

Creating Positive Staff Interactions Help others to be right, not wrong When possible, have fun Be enthusiastic Be bold and courageous; take chances Help others achieve success Have a positive attitude Maintain confidentiality Avoid gossip Speak positively about others Say “Please” and “Thank you” If nothing positive to say, say nothing at all. Pg. 15, Box 2-3

Channels of Communication Formal communication: may be downward,

upward, or horizontal. Downward: when a dentist issues an order, or

mandate, that is disseminated to the staff members at the next level; includes instructions, explanations, and communication that helps the employees.

Upward: employees should be free to express attitudes and feeling; includes suggestions, complaints, or grievances; lack of upward communication=dissatisfied employees

Horizontal: transmitting info from one department to another.

Channels of Communication

Informal channels: the “grapevine;” can carry rumors, personal interpretations or distorted information.

Fear often causes an active grapevine. Responsibility of the administrative assistant

to listen to the grapevine and eliminate rumors by explaining the true facts.

Admin assistant needs skills in handling tension created by the grapevine.

Empowering Employees “empowered employees attempt to work

above and beyond their anticipated capabilities”

The DDS that gives employees the power, ability, and permission to accomplish office objectives and perform legal tasks independently will have the edge over the competition.

Create an environment where employees: behave as an owner of the job and company, behaves in a responsible manner, sees the consequences of the work they do, included in determining solutions to problems, direct input into the way they do their work..

Staff meetings

Morning huddle: once a day; lasts 10 to 15 minutes; review patients for the day and what each patient needs.

Routine team or staff meetings: once a month; an effective means of keeping communication channels open; time to define and review the goals for the practice and help motivate the staff; should not be used as a gripe session.

See pg.18, Box 2-5.

Managing Conflict Admin assistant should review the details of the

complaint and seek to resolve the issue quickly. 1. Make time available: as soon as possible to discuss

the problem. 2. Listen patiently: to all the issues, keeping an open

mind. 3. Determine the REAL issue: when a deeper concern

may be the cause of the problem. 4. Exercise self-control: avoid arguments or expressions

of personality conflicts between the complaining parties. 5. Avoid a delay in decision making: allowing a conflict to

go unresolved can cause undue stress on entire staff 6. Maintain a record: document meetings should the

conflict arise again.

Barriers to Communication Patient communication: prejudice, poor

listening, preoccupation, impatience, or impaired hearing.

Staff communication: status or position, resistance to change or new ideas, attitudes about work, communication difficulties with coworkers.

Advantages to hiring a Skilled Administrative Assistant

Understands dental terms Good interpersonal communication Understands clinical data/transposes clinical data to

financial data Able to explain treatment procedures to a patient Promotes or sells dental care Understands the consequences of dental neglect Practices infection control Follows OSHA guidelines Understands appt sequencing for various dental

procedures Less likely to make common errors Pg. 19, Box 2-6

Solutions to Eliminate Time Wasting

Use a to-do list Use an answering machine or voicemail if

phone is interruption work Do not procrastinate Keep stress levels low Plan short and long range goals Plan time to finish projects with no

interruptions Do not socialize too much with staff Eliminate unnecessary work. Pg. 19, Box 2-7

Designing a Procedural Manual Helps maintain maximum efficiency in the

dental office and a means of communication. Includes: DDS philosophy of practice, defines

job responsibilities for each team member, techniques to be used in procedures in both the business side and clinical side of the office.

All members of the team should be allowed to contribute equally.

See pg. 20 of your book for an example

The Personnel Policy A fair and equitable personnel policy should

help eliminate conflicts. Can be altered to satisfy the needs of an

individual office.