Responsibilities of Dental Office Management
Dental office management is not that much different from the management of any other business office. It takes someone with a lot of organizational skills and the drive to see things accomplished to run an office.Dental office management can be easily performed if the office supplies are organized and cataloged correctly. You can find many different software programs that can help you to get your office supplies in shape. Once you have cataloged each item that is used in the office and entered the number of these items that you should always have in stock you will be ready to implement a program that allows the dental assistant to enter into the computer each time an item is used. The software program will automatically deduct the item from the list and leave the new number available on the shelf. The supply purchase order will be easy to make because you will look at the list of what you have and just order the correct number it will take to replenish your supply.Dental office management will also include the scheduling of employees and the day to day dealings with employees. You will be in charge of hiring and firing employees as they are needed. You will need to make certain that each employee knows their duties and is there to perform their duties when they are scheduled to be. If an employee cannot come into the office it will be your responsibility to find someone to fill the vacancy.Dental office management will also be responsible for the management of the reputation of the clinic. This will mean that anytime there is someone that has a negative comment about the office it will be your job to find out what disappointed the person and try to rectify the situation. Word of mouth can improve your patient numbers and word of mouth can cause the patient numbers to drop. Keeping a good reputation in the community is the number one way to maintain patients.You will be responsible for advertising of the dental office. You will do the online advertising and the offline advertising. You will make sure the listings in the phone directories are current and correct and you will maintain the websites and webpages.You will be responsible for the paying of the bills that the office incurs, such as supplies, electricity, gas, garbage pickup, payroll, taxes, and all of the incidentals that an office has to pay for on a monthly basis. The management can delegate some of these responsibilities to other employees, but it is best to keep a close eye on all accounts and make certain they are paid on time.You will be the dentist’s right hand, so to speak. The dentist can concentrate on the work they need to do only if they are not having to worry about their office and managing it. You will be someone they depend on and they will pay you handsomely for providing the services you do.
Office Manager Training and Staff Development
A key figure in organising the training process in any office is the office manager.We consider here important areas to consider.There are, of course, the main areas for training such as Microsoft Office Specialist training; if staff are to have adequate speed and accuracy it is vital for them to know the more detailed functions and shortcuts built into Microsoft Office. If it is within the training budget it may be good to obtain training from an official Microsoft Academy with exam capability, so that final examination results can be globally recognised.If a member of staff is assigned financial responsibilities advanced level (Expert) MS Excel training will be most useful; if the company is an SME then training in Sage Accounting Software will be invaluable. The Office Manager will also need to understand this software where it is deployed.Secretarial staff may need specific training in the functions of a PA or secretary so that they learn the latest techniques for diary management etc. In this case there are good packages of training available, which include the above as well as typing, audio typing and Microsoft Office skills.Administrative assistants and related staff may benefit from a professionally developed Office Administration Course which also can be packaged with Microsoft Office training.If morale is a problem within the office and staff turnover seems to be increasing consideration should be given to performance enhancement course and motivational style training.However this is also where training for the office manager directly can be of benefit. A professionally developed Office Manager course will include sessions on staff motivation and training as well as practical sessions on coaching of more junior staff. If the Office Manager has these skills in house, informal coaching sessions can take place as and when they are needed to avoid waiting for budget and the right time to send someone on a course.The Office Manager therefore should not overlook his/her own training as this training can be leveraged to be passed through to more junior staff. If for instance the Manager has limited MS Office skills it is ideal to get trained up so that this knowledge can be coached down the line.It is important that the manager has good knowledge of the functional duties of each and every subordinate so that he/she is able to indicate a sound knowledge of the routine processes within the office environment concerned.
Office Management Training Opens Career Doors
Are you a natural leader? Do you possess excellent interpersonal skills? Can you handle stressful situations with ease? If so, consider office management training and begin your corporate climb.What Office Managers DoWhat type of job does office management training prepare you for? In a nutshell, office managers coordinate the support services that allow organizations to operate efficiently. These services may include administration, conference planning and travel, information and data processing, mail, materials scheduling and distribution, parking, payroll, printing and reproduction, records management, secretarial and reception, security, telecommunications management, and personal property procurement, supply, and disposal.In order to effectively coordinate all these services and ensure a smoothly operating organization, office managers need good communication skills and the ability to establish working relationships with people ranging from other managers and supervisors to clerks and blue-collar workers. Office management training will help you develop such skills. In addition, soft skills needed include being analytical, decisive, detail-oriented, and flexible. They must also be skilled multitaskers, problem-solvers, and time managers.In small companies, one manager may oversee all support services. In larger organizations, first-line administrative services managers may report to mid-level managers who report to top-level managers.Office Management TrainingRegardless of the level of management to which you aspire, it’s important to undergo management training. First-line administrative services managers of secretarial, mailroom, and related support activities should pursue an associate degree in business or management. Managers of more complex services such as contract administration should attain more advanced management training, at least a bachelor’s degree in business, human resources, or finance. This management training curriculum may include courses in accounting, business law, business mathematics, computer applications, human resources, and office technology. A master’s degree in business administration or a related field is encouraged.Of course, formal management training is enhanced by office management experience. That’s why many managers are able to climb their organization’s ladder — they can acquire office management experience in various administrative positions before assuming first-line supervisory duties.Management Training Gets You HiredAccording to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, administrative services managers held about 268,000 jobs in 2004, and employment is projected to increase 9 to 17 percent through 2014. Median annual earnings of administrative services managers in May 2004 were $60,290, with the highest 10 percent earning more than $110,270.Increase your management marketability by pursuing the Certified Manager (CM) designation offered by the Institute of Certified Professional Managers of James Madison University. CM is a generalist certification for all types of managers, at all levels, in all fields. The CM program, which focuses on the application of practical skills and techniques, is composed of three modules: foundations of management, planning and organizing, and leading and controlling. Once you pass all three exams, you may use the Certified Manager title.Ready to get started? Management training awaits.