Free Dental Office Manager Job Description to Use For Hiring

Hiring a dental office manager is a sizeable task. This professional performs numerous job duties to support your dental practice and ensure that other staff members are fulfilling their responsibilities. You must spend ample time searching for the right dental office manager for your practice, making your hiring process crucial. 

Additionally, hiring and retaining staff has become increasingly more difficult in the past few years, with 66% of healthcare professionals feeling short-staffed in their offices, (for more information on the state of dental staffing and how to better retain staff, read our ebook here).

One step in the hiring process many dental practices speed through is writing the job description. Your dental office manager job description needs to be detailed, precise, and comprehensive to attract the right candidates for the role. 

Read on for details you can include in your dental office manager job description. 

Dental Office Manager Responsibilities

A dental office manager oversees all administrative operations in a dental practice. This person manages the front-office staff and performs a range of other responsibilities to keep the dental office afloat. 

Different dental practices require their office managers to perform different duties. If you work for a franchise dental office from a larger company like Aspen Dental, you may be required to list specific duties that your headquarters provides. But if you own a private dental practice, you can create your own office manager job description with the specific duties you need in your practice. 

Most job descriptions include a section at the beginning that lists the responsibilities for the role. You can consider including the following dental office manager duties in your job description:

• Coordinating and executing daily operations within the dental practice
• Overseeing the dental receptionists and front-desk staff
• Managing internal office procedures 
• Leading dental office staff individually and as a team to promote exceptional patient care 
• Creating the staff schedule
• Supervising the assistant office manager
• Scheduling patient appointments and dental care procedures
• Overseeing staff payroll
• Reviewing the treatment plan with patients 
• Implementing an office budget
• Ordering and acquiring office supplies
• Supervising and training new employees
• Communicating with dental insurance companies
• Navigating operational conflicts quickly and professionally
• Overseeing patient billing and payment methods 
• Creating and filing patient records 

Feel free to adjust this list based on the specific responsibilities within your dental office manager position. 

Dental Office Manager Requirements

Your dental office manager job description should also include the education, training, experience, and certifications you require for this job type. 

Most dental practices require office managers to have at least a high school diploma or equivalent. Many also require a bachelor’s degree in business, English, or a related field. 

We recommend looking for a dental practice manager with at least two years of experience in dental administration. They may have experience as a dental receptionist, dental assistant, or even a dental hygienist. Having an in-depth understanding of dental procedures is essential to perform well in this role. 

You may also look for experience in an administrative assistant position or receptionist role. Candidates need excellent communication skills and professionalism, which they may develop in a similar role. 

Finally, you can consider requiring specific certifications or licenses for your dental office administrator position. The American Association of Dental Office Management (AADOM) offers educational resources for dental office managers across North America. 

Keep in mind that you can also require your dental office manager to complete certifications and continuing education after beginning their new position. 

Preferred Skills and Experience

Job descriptions typically include required and preferred sections. The “preferred skills and experience” section can help potential candidates determine whether the dental practice management job is a good fit for them based on their skill set and experience level. 

We recommend listing the following skills in this “preferred” section:

• Customer service skills: Ability to communicate with patients professionally and portray an excellent image of your dental clinic
• Computer skills: Proficiency in Microsoft Office and experience with office management software
• Leadership skills: Ability to lead and oversee the dental team 
• Organizational skills: Ability to complete a wide range of duties each day and keep the dental office organized and on task
• Communication skills: Ability to communicate individually and with a group to promote teamwork and staff retention

You can list these skills on your job posting and include them in office manager interview questions. Your interview should identify these skills in candidates. 

Average Salary & Outlook

Before you post your job listing, be sure to solidify the salary offer you can provide to the candidate you hire for this role. Some dental practices include the salary in the job listing, while others reserve this information for the interview. We recommend posting it in the listing to give all candidates transparent information about the role. 

According to GlassDoor, the average dental office manager’s salary in the U.S. is $50,026. Meanwhile, the Bureau of Labor Statistics lists the median annual wage for office and administrative support occupations as $38,050. 

Several factors can impact the amount you will pay your dental office manager. Your salary offer should reflect the cost of living in your area, your dental practice’s overall revenue and profit, and the responsibilities you will require of your practice manager. You should also offer competitive benefits to help your job offer stand out from other dental office manager jobs in the area. 

Dental Staffing Trends

Understanding dental staffing trends can help you shape your dental office manager position and job listing. For instance, in 2022, staffing trends in dental offices include the following:

• Dental front offices face a high turnover risk
• Applicants watch out for toxic work environments before accepting a job offer
• Many dental offices opt for temp dental staff for temporarily busy periods
• Dental office staff perform many overlapping roles to fill in for other positions as needed

Review our Dental Staffing Insights eBook for more information about recent staffing trends. 

Final Thoughts 

Pouring careful thought and consideration into your dental office manager job description can pay dividends when you find the perfect candidate for the role. If you’re looking for other ways to improve your dental clinic, consider incorporating Weave into your daily practices to streamline patient communications, billing, marketing, and more.

Request your free Weave demo today to learn more.