Setting Staff Expectations

Four things an office manager should expect the schedule coordinator to be doing, and ways they can help them be successful.

Regular training is so important. We know this in the dental office. Our doctors and hygienists must take hours of continuing education bi-annually. They’re constantly learning so they can treat their patients with the upmost quality of care. The rest of us, meaning administrative staff and assistants, can also benefit greatly from regular training.

One of the most important members of the front office team in the schedule coordinator. It’s always a good idea to have a training plan for the schedule coordinator so that she is constantly improving her phone skills and perfecting the art of scheduling to maximize practice production. I’ve found that an effective way to train a schedule coordinator is to observe them as they work, listening to how they communicate with patients over the phone and in person at the check-in desk. Give them positive feedback and tips on where they can improve.

Additionally, for me, an important part of training a schedule coordinator is letting them know what I expect. Here’s list of four things I expect a schedule coordinator to be able to do, and what I do to help them be successful:

Multi-Task

The schedule coordinator must be able to multi-task. The phone is ringing, patients are checking in and out and they must be able to effectively handle these situations. This is important to find out in the initial interview. Ask the potential team member about their multi-tasking skills. If they are a person who likes to focus on one task at a time this may not be a good position for them. Set that expectation at the initial interview.

Answer the Phone

I know that sounds like a no-brainer, but it’s easier said than done. It’s important for the schedule coordinator to be well spoken and use proper grammar. They are typically the first person a patient speaks to and they are a representative of your entire office. Again, find out if they’re the right person for the position when you initially interview them.

Schedule Appointments

Another no-brainer, right? However, scheduling appointments effectively is a lot more difficult than most would imagine. There are nuances to scheduling depending on the doctor. For example, the doctor may want more difficult high production procedures scheduled in the morning and less taxing procedures in the afternoon, so they aren’t doing difficult procedures at the end of the day when they’re tired. I recommend spending time with the schedule coordinator, helping them to understand each provider they will be scheduling for. When you’re working with a new schedule coordinator, do this daily. Explain how providers would like appointments scheduled and why. Look at future days in the schedule with them and point out what looks good and what doesn’t. This will help them to learn what the office expects in the schedule. You can also use Perfect Day Scheduling in Dentrix to create time blocks for specific providers and procedures. This can also be helpful when scheduling.

Be Able to Say No

Many times, patients want to dictate to the office when they want to come in. While I always want to accommodate patients, the schedule coordinator controls the flow of the day. It’s important for them to be able to guide the patient to an appointment that works well for the office, as well as for the patient. To help your schedule coordinator with this, you could create a phone script for them to refer to. When I have a schedule coordinator that struggles saying no, I sit with them and have them listen to the way I speak to patients. This can help them to learn what to say and how to say it.

As an office manager, it’s important to give your team the tools they need to succeed. Work with your individual staff members. Let them know of your expectations, and look for opportunities to give positive feedback on the things they are doing well, and things you have noticed that could be done better.

Provide regular training opportunities. You can do mini training sessions in your morning huddle. This is a good time to talk about what they did great yesterday or what may have gone wrong. Positive reinforcement is a great training tool. When the team gets a pat on the back, they’re remember to keep doing something the right way. Taking the time to set expectations, and then setting aside time to observe and train your team can improve the patient experience in your office.


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By Charlotte Skaggs
Certified Dentrix Trainer and The Dentrix Office Manager columnist

Charlotte Skaggs is the founder of Vector Dental Consulting LLC, a practice management firm focused on taking offices to the next level. Charlotte co-owned and managed a successful dental practice with her husband for 17 years. She has a unique approach to consulting based on the perspective of a practice owner. Charlotte has been using Dentrix for over 20 years and is a certified Dentrix trainer. Contact Charlotte at vectordentalconsulting@gmail.com.