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.
Registration and Enrollment
This course is 100% online. Start anytime!
Course Details
- 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.
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
No dental office work experience is required.
Hardware Requirements:
- This course must be taken on a PC. Macs are not compatible.
Software Requirements:
- PC: Windows 8 or later.
- Browser: The latest version of Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox are preferred. Microsoft Edge is also compatible.
- Adobe Acrobat Reader.
- Software must be installed and fully operational before the course begins.
Other:
- Email capabilities and access to a personal email account.
Instructional Material Requirements:
The instructional materials required for this course are included in enrollment. The following textbooks will be shipped to you approximately 7-10 business days after enrollment:
- Administrative Dental Assistant
- Student Workbook to Accompany the Administrative Dental Assistant
Additionally, this course will provide you with DENTRIX® software that consists of sample practice opportunities. You can use this software to engage in activities and tasks that you would perform in an actual practice and use it to demonstrate your skills.
Cindy Lamkin
Cindy Lamkin has been employed in the dental field for over 20 years. She graduated from the University of South Dakota with a degree in dental hygiene and holds Registered Dental Assistant and Registered Dental Hygienist credentials. In addition to practicing clinical hygiene, she has also worked in dental office administration and treatment coordination. Her career includes general dentistry, as well as specialty practices of periodontics, endodontics, pedodontics, and orthodontics.
$1,795.00 (USD)
This course is 100% online.
| Course Hours | Duration | Start Dates |
|---|---|---|
| 150 hours | 6 months | Start any time! |
Job Outlook
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.
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 and 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.
“My facilitator was extremely helpful. I learned a lot and it was a whole lot more fun than I expected it to be,”
A.K., Cal State San Marcos