A well-organized front office team is the heartbeat of a successful dental practice.

It’s where patient experience begins and where financial health is often secured. By refining systems, reviewing financial strategies, and leveraging resources like those from Burkhart Dental Supply, your team can enhance both collections and patient satisfaction.

 

Front Office Systems Improvement Checklist:

Fee Schedule & PPO Management

  • Review and update the office fee schedule annually.
  • Benchmark fees using regional statistics; contact your Burkhart Account Manager for data for your zip code.
  • Review PPO contracts for reimbursement rates, lease arrangements, and administrative burden.
  • Consider renegotiating, restructuring, or dropping unprofitable PPOs.
  • Update in-house membership plan fees as necessary.
  • Train the team on how to communicate changes to patients.

 

Accounts Receivable (AR) Health

  • Keep AR over 90 days below 10%.
  • Maintain AR-to-Production ratio at or below 1:1.5.
  • Run monthly AR reports and review trends with the doctor.
  • Assign one person to follow up on overdue accounts.
  • Provide outside financing as needed for patient access to care.

 

Check-Out Process Optimization/Scheduling

  • Designate 2 check-out roles:
  • Simple Check-Out Specialist: Handles hygiene and routine visits.
  • Complex Treatment Coordinator: Manages treatment plans, phasing, financing, and follows up on unscheduled treatment.
  • Train each role for efficiency and effective patient communication.
  • Use zone scheduling for maximum efficiency in both doctor and hygiene schedules.

 

Clinic to Front Desk Transitions

  • Use routing slips or digital handoffs for every patient that include treatment completed, next steps, and financial notes.
  • Encourage chairside scheduling in hygiene when possible.
  • Train the clinical team to introduce the next appointment and provide a thorough handoff.
  • Transition to a consultation room as appropriate.

 

Daily Front Office Huddle

  • Review the schedule for the day and identify patients with outstanding balances or financial arrangements.
  • Assign follow-up calls or collection tasks.
  • Discuss any high-priority treatment plans or complex cases.
  • Use this time to align goals and support team communication.

 

Scheduled Monthly Doctor-Front Office Team Meeting

  • Review front desk wins: collections, scheduling success, patient feedback.
  • Celebrate team achievements and individual contributions.
  • Discuss opportunities for improvement and upcoming goals.
  • Use this time to strengthen team culture and alignment.

 

Training & Resources

Visit Burkhart Front Office Systems to access front office tools:

  • Financial and scheduling conversation scripts
  • Insurance objection handling
  • Task flow guidelines
  • Zone scheduling options
  • Credit/debit authorization forms
  • These resources can help your front desk boost efficiency, finances, and patient satisfaction.

Your success is our success. Please reach out to us anytime.
To learn more, visit the Practice Support Team page, email us at PracticeSupportTeam@BurkhartDental.com, or call 1.800.665.5323.

Burkhart Dental Supply – Practice Support Team

Category: Practice Consulting

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