Front Desk

[Frank22]

How many front desk staff members does an average dental practice have? May I ask when a dentist would need to add more front desk staff and what the usual compensation for such staff are? I appreciate all of the answers.

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[Cold Front]

I started with only 1 front desk. Couple of years later, with over 2,500 patients, I added 2nd. Compensation varies from state to state, so I would not go by what others tell you without knowing their location. For me, lead front desk is about $16/hr, 2nd front desk is $12/hr. They both have specific and common duties, and cross trained if one gets sick or on vacation. There are bonus systems for achieving goals too.

 

[Daurang]

I started mine with 1 front desk at $7/hr. She has been with me eight years and she now makes $19/hr. She never get sick and is rarely on vacation.

 

[Frank22]

Cold Front, when you say front desk are you referring to all non-clinical staff? For example, would you consider an office manager, treatment coordinator, or receptionist all front desk staff?

 

[DrJeff]

I started with only 1 front desk. Couple of years later, with over 2,500 patients, I added 2nd. Compensation varies from state to state, so I would not go by what others tell you without knowing their location. For me, lead front desk is about $16/hr, 2nd front desk is $12/hr. They both have specific and common duties, and cross trained if one gets sick or on vacation. There are bonus systems for achieving goals too.

I'm pretty similar in both number of folks working at my front desk, duties for them, and pay scale (including a bonus system)

Contemplating adding atleast a part time 3rd person to deal with the amount of red tape that certain insurance plans have been implementing lately, as dealing with those insurance issues are starting to detract from attention to patients at the front desk more and more, and that's NOT a good thing in my book

 

[7 Iron]

How do you guys implement bonuses for staff? Is it in the form of a monthly (or yearly?) cash payout, or maybe a gift card or something like that? Is it tied to office production and/or employee overall performance?

 

[tooth knockn]

Bump

 

[Cold Front]

Cold Front, when you say front desk are you referring to all non-clinical staff? For example, would you consider an office manager, treatment coordinator, or receptionist all front desk staff?

Yes, my front desk girls don't participate in the clinical per se, however they both have radiology licenses, and can help patients get seated and take xrays once they check in - if needed.

I don't have an office manager, we have a front desk manager (on of the front desk girls), and a clinical manager (me), this allows to save $$$ on hiring an office manager. I present treatment plans, my front desk manager takes over and discusses the finance options with new patients - while the other front desk girl helps with front desk duties. We average about 1 new patient an hour, and they are all on the hygiene column, so if you are new patient, you will see the hygienist first who will take your pictures, then I come in next for tx plan, then finally the front desk manager who will explain insurance coverage and finance options.

I have tested different systems before, but this is the most economical and efficient for us, and allows me to directly get engaged with almost every aspect on how the office runs.