Dental Administrative Assistant

Become a Dental Administrative Assistant

Administrative Dental Assistants support patients and staff members in dental offices and clinics. Their work blends patient care with administrative duties to help make dental care as comfortable and smooth as possible. This 100% online course prepares you with the knowledge and skill to enter the dental assisting field as an entry-level Administrative Dental Assistant.

Enroll Now

Job Outlook for Administrative Dental Assistant

  • The US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) expects job demand for dental assistants to grow by 7% between now and 2029. That is faster than the anticipated growth rate for all jobs.
  • The BLS states that dental assistants make $19.27 per hour or $40,080 per year, on average. According to PayScale.com, top Administrative Dental Assistants earn $20.41 per hour, plus bonuses.

Administrative Dental Assistant FAQs

What does an Administrative Dental Assistant do?

Administrative Dental Assistants work directly with patients and dental care teams in a dental office or clinical setting. They help organize and manage the office procedures, take patient histories, stock supplies, instruments, and communicate with patients and their families. They may schedule appointments, handle billing and coding and manage insurance reimbursement claims.

What is the difference between an Administrative Dental Assistant and a Clinical Dental Assistant?

While Administrative Dental Assistants focus on the office environment and equipment, Clinical Dental Assistants may work with dentists and dental hygienists with actual dental procedures.

Are Administrative Dental Assistants licensed?

Most Administrative Dental Assistant jobs require a high school diploma but not a degree. However, requirements can vary by employer and by state. Please check with your state to learn its requirements for Administrative Dental Assistants.

Do Clinical Medical Assistants enjoy their work?

While clinical medical assistants work in situations that are naturally stressful, for those who enjoy the medical environment, job satisfaction is quite high. OwlGuru.com determined that 71% of medical assistants are satisfied with their job. 76% say their job is meaningful and helps make the world better for themselves and others.

Course Objectives

Foundational skills for dental office administration, such as communication

Basic industry knowledge, including dental terminology and diseases

Scheduling patients using common industry software

Obtaining health histories and maintaining patient records

Mastering recall systems

Bookkeeping and billing practices

Completing dental insurance claim forms

CDT (current dental terminology) coding

Enroll Now

Curriculum

I. The Dental Profession
Orientation to the Dental Profession: Dental Basics

II. Interpersonal and Communication Skills
Communication Skills and Telephone Techniques
Written Correspondence
Patient Relations
Dental Healthcare Team Communication

III. Records Management
Patient Clinical Records
Information Management

IV. Scheduling and Recall Systems
Dental Patient Scheduling
Recall Systems

V. Dental Insurance Processing

VI. Financial Management
Financial Arrangements and Collection Procedures
Bookkeeping Procedures: Accounts Receivable
Bookkeeping Procedures: Accounts Payable

VII. Office Equipment and Inventory
Inventory Management
Office Equipment
Computers in the Dental Office

VIII. Employment Strategies