Dental Practice Receptionist

In times gone by, your local dental practice was just the place where you went for a check up and the occasional filling. The waiting room was usually a drab, uninspiring place and your dentist was usually a fairly uncommunicative, intimidating presence. Most of us dreaded visiting the dentist.

Nowadays, things are changing. Dental practices are becoming more modern, more welcoming and more comfortable places to visit. As they offer a broader range of services - such as cosmetic services like tooth whitening – dental practices are working harder to attract more customers by becoming a much more engaging, friendlier place to be.

One of the most important people in this dental practice development is the Dental Reception. You are the first point of contact for customers – so you can instantly help to make them feel relaxed, more comfortable and less anxious.

What does the job involve?

As the Dental Receptionist, your role will usually be a combination of customer service and general administration. You will deal with customers both face-to-face and over the telephone, helping them to make appointments for routine check-ups and for further dental work.

You will also usually be the first face that people see when they come in for their appointment. At times like these, it is important to remember that people might be nervous about visiting the dentist. So you need to ensure that you are professional, yet also warm and welcoming enough to help put them at their ease.

As well as having a friendly, outgoing personality, you will also need to be accurate and conscientious. Getting appointments correct is vital to ensuring that the dental practice runs smoothly.

What qualifications do you need?

There are no specific professional qualifications required to become a Dental Receptionist. However, most practices will naturally look for someone who is bright, intelligent and articulate. You must have good communication skills and be a good listener, so that you can grasp customer requirements and ensure that they are dealt with appropriately. Most modern dental practices use sophisticated IT systems to log appointments and maintain patient records, so you must be comfortable using a computer.

You also need to be calm under pressure. A dental practice can get busy and customers can often be in pain if they arrive needing emergency treatment. You need to have the professionalism to get them comfortable and get them scheduled in for treatment with the minimum of fuss.

What are the career prospects?

Many dental receptionists go on to become Dental Practice Managers, as they have the people and organisational skills to do a good job. Alternatively, especially in smaller practices, many Dental Receptionists also train as Dental Nurses and begin building their clinical skills.