Job Summary:

We are seeking an experienced Dental Coordinator / Surgery Scheduler to join our team at LACENTA, a dynamic ENT practice. This key role involves coordinating patient appointments, managing the surgery schedule, and ensuring smooth communication between the clinical team and patients. The ideal candidate will have strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and excellent communication abilities to ensure a seamless and efficient workflow for both dental and surgical procedures.

Job Duties and Responsibilities:

• Surgery Scheduling: Coordinate and schedule dental surgeries and procedures, ensuring all necessary equipment, personnel, and patient information are in place.
• Patient Coordination: Act as the primary point of contact for patients regarding surgery scheduling, follow-ups, and pre/post-operative care instructions. Provide compassionate and clear communication to patients about the scheduling process and any preparation needed for their procedures.
• Appointment Management: Schedule routine and emergency dental appointments, ensuring that all appointments are booked in a timely manner and that patient records are updated accurately.
• Insurance Verification: Verify insurance coverage and obtain necessary authorizations for dental surgeries and treatments. Assist patients with understanding their insurance benefits and out-of-pocket costs.
• Pre-Operative Preparation: Confirm patient eligibility, surgical requirements, and any necessary medical clearances before the scheduled surgery. Provide patients with pre-operative instructions to ensure they are well-prepared.
• Post-Operative Follow-Up: Schedule follow-up appointments for patients after surgery and ensure proper aftercare instructions are provided.
• Documentation & Record Keeping: Maintain accurate patient records in the practice management software, ensuring all scheduling details, patient communications, and surgical information are updated in real-time.
• Collaboration with Clinical Team: Work closely with oral surgeons, and other clinical staff to ensure that all necessary preparations are made for surgeries and procedures. Communicate any special patient needs or scheduling conflicts to the team in a timely manner.
• Patient Education: Educate patients on the surgical process, recovery times, and expectations to ensure they feel confident and well-informed about their care.
• Communication with External Partners: Liaise with external specialists or facilities when necessary, ensuring smooth coordination of referrals and consultations related to surgeries.
• Calendar Management: Maintain and update the surgery calendar to reflect accurate and up-to-date surgical schedules. Ensure the practice operates efficiently by optimizing scheduling to minimize downtime and patient wait times.
• Administrative Support: Assist with general office tasks such as answering phone calls, responding to emails, and providing support to the rest of the team as needed.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications and Experience:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily.  The requirements listed below are reflective of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.

• High school diploma or equivalent; certification in Dental Assisting preferred.
• Proven experience as a Dental Assistant, including assisting with various dental procedures.
• Experience in scheduling surgeries or managing appointments in a healthcare or dental setting is highly desirable.
• Strong knowledge of dental terminology, instruments, and procedures.
• Familiarity with dental software systems for scheduling, patient records, and X-ray management.
• Ability to handle sensitive patient information with confidentiality and professionalism.
• Excellent communication skills, both in-person and over the phone.
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to multitask in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Experience working with insurance providers for surgery authorizations.
• Bilingual in Spanish (required). 

Physical Demands:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Individual will be required to:

• Sit for long periods at a time.
• Use hands and fingers in repetitive motions, daily.
• Ability to lift, push, pull up to 20 lbs. periodically.
• Must be able to travel to clinic locations ( Beverly Hills, Downtown Los Angeles, and Pasadena)
• Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.