Front Desk Patient Care Specialist (Dental Office)

Front Desk Patient Care Specialist

Open Smiles Dental | Waldorf, Maryland

$19.00–$23.00 per hour, based on experience

Full-Time | Monday–Thursday + Every Other Friday

No Evenings No Weekends

Join a Dental Team Where You Matter!

Are you an experienced dental front-office professional who genuinely enjoys helping patients and being part of a great team?

If you are knowledgeable about dental insurance, billing and coding, treatment planning, scheduling, and Eaglesoft, and you take pride in providing exceptional patient care, we would love to hear from you!

Open Smiles Dental is a privately owned and managed dental practice in Waldorf, Maryland. We are a growing general dentistry practice that believes our patients deserve excellent clinical care and an exceptional experience from the moment they call our office.

Because we are privately owned, we are able to create a more personal and collaborative environment. We value our employees, listen to their ideas, recognize their contributions, and believe that every team member plays an important role in the success of our practice.

We are looking for someone who wants more than just a job—we are looking for someone who wants to become an important part of our Open Smiles Dental family.

About the Position

The Front Desk Patient Care Specialist is much more than a receptionist. You will play a key role in the daily operation of our dental practice and in helping patients understand and navigate their dental care.

You will be responsible for creating an exceptional patient experience while also managing important administrative, insurance, financial, and scheduling responsibilities.

The successful candidate should be comfortable working independently, managing multiple priorities, communicating confidently with patients, and working closely with the doctor and clinical team.

This position requires someone with hands-on dental office experience.

Applicants must meet the required qualifications below to be considered.

Required Qualifications

Applicants must have a minimum of 1 year of dental front-office experience and demonstrate working knowledge of the following:

Dental Practice Management

• Eaglesoft Dental Practice Management Software experience is preferred
• Dental appointment scheduling and schedule management
• Patient check-in and check-out
• Treatment plan coordination
• Recall and unscheduled treatment management
• Appointment confirmations and patient communication
• Managing a busy dental schedule efficiently
• Understanding dental office workflow from patient check-in through checkout

Dental Insurance & Benefits

• Experience verifying dental insurance eligibility and benefits
• Understanding of dental PPO plans and insurance terminology
• Ability to interpret dental insurance benefits
• Understanding deductibles, co-insurance, annual maximums, waiting periods, frequency limitations, exclusions, and downgrades
• Ability to provide patients with accurate estimated out-of-pocket costs
• Experience communicating insurance information to patients in an understandable manner
• Experience with insurance pre-authorizations/predeterminations

Dental Billing & Coding

Strong dental billing and coding experience is required.

Applicants should have working knowledge of:

• CDT dental procedure codes
• Proper dental procedure coding and claim submission
• Dental insurance claim preparation and submission
• Electronic and paper claims
• Claim attachments and supporting documentation
• Insurance claim follow-up
• Aging accounts and outstanding insurance claims
• EOBs and insurance payments
• Posting insurance payments and adjustments
• Patient ledger management
• Correctly posting patient payments
• Reconciling insurance payments and patient balances
• Understanding write-offs, contractual adjustments, and outstanding balances
• Identifying and correcting billing discrepancies
• Following up on denied, rejected, and unpaid claims

Treatment Planning & Case Presentation

• Experience reviewing and presenting dental treatment plans
• Ability to explain treatment plans and estimated patient financial responsibility
• Ability to discuss treatment costs confidently and professionally
• Experience explaining insurance estimates without guaranteeing insurance payment
• Ability to discuss payment options and financial arrangements
• Experience following up with patients who have unscheduled treatment
• Ability to communicate effectively with patients who may be anxious, confused, or hesitant about treatment

Financial & Collection Responsibilities

• Collecting co-pays, deductibles, balances, and other patient payments
• Processing credit card and other forms of payment
• Maintaining accurate patient ledgers
• Following established financial policies
• Discussing outstanding balances professionally and respectfully
• End-of-day reconciliation and balancing
• Handling financial conversations with confidence and professionalism

Additional Responsibilities

The Front Desk Patient Care Specialist will also:

• Warmly welcome every patient who enters the practice
• Answer incoming calls promptly and professionally
• Schedule new and existing patients appropriately
• Coordinate emergency appointments
• Communicate effectively with patients by phone, text, email, and in person
• Obtain and update patient demographic and insurance information
• Ensure required patient forms and documentation are completed
• Maintain accurate patient records in Eaglesoft
• Coordinate referrals when necessary
• Communicate with dental specialists and other healthcare providers when appropriate
• Assist with insurance correspondence and claim documentation
• Monitor outstanding treatment and assist with patient recall
• Help maintain an organized and welcoming reception area
• Communicate effectively with doctors, hygienists, assistants, and other administrative team members
• Maintain strict patient confidentiality and HIPAA compliance
• Assist with other front-office responsibilities as needed

We Are Looking for Someone Who...

The right person for our team is someone who is:

• Warm and welcoming
• Confident and professional
• Dependable and punctual
• Organized and detail-oriented
• Comfortable discussing money and treatment costs
• Knowledgeable about dental insurance
• Experienced with dental billing and coding
• Comfortable presenting treatment plans
• A strong communicator
• Able to multitask in a busy environment
• Able to prioritize without constant supervision
• Proactive and willing to take initiative
• Comfortable learning and adapting
• A team player who is willing to help wherever needed
• Committed to providing an exceptional patient experience

Most importantly, we want someone who understands that great dentistry begins with great patient care.

Preferred Qualifications

The following are a plus:

• Experience in a general dentistry practice
• Experience with treatment coordination
• Experience with high-value treatment plans, including crowns, bridges, implants, Invisalign, and other restorative procedures
• Experience with dental insurance verification and claims
• Experience with dental collections
• Experience with Eaglesoft
• Familiarity with Microsoft Word, Excel, and Outlook
• Bilingual English/Spanish

Schedule

Monday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Tuesday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Wednesday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Thursday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Every Other Friday: 8:00 AM – 2:00 PM

No evenings. No weekends.

Compensation & Benefits

$19.00–$23.00 per hour, based on experience, qualifications, and demonstrated skill level.

Our benefits include:

• 401(k) retirement plan
• Paid Time Off (PTO)
• Paid holidays
• Employee dental care after one year
• Aflac supplemental and life insurance
• Uniform allowance
• Continuing education opportunities
• Employee discount
• Opportunities for advancement and professional growth
• Supportive, family-oriented work environment

Why Open Smiles Dental?

At Open Smiles Dental, we believe our employees are just as important as our patients.

As a privately owned and managed practice, we have the opportunity to create a workplace where people know one another, communicate directly, and work together toward a common goal.

We don't want you to feel like just another employee.

We want you to feel like a valued member of our team.

We work hard, support one another, celebrate our successes, and continuously look for ways to improve the experience we provide to our patients.

If you are looking for a practice where your experience is valued, your voice is heard, your work is appreciated, and there is room to grow, Open Smiles Dental may be the place for you.

Before You Apply

Please read the qualifications carefully.

To be considered for this position, applicants must have:

✓ At least 2 years of dental front-office experience
✓ Eaglesoft experience
✓ Dental billing and coding experience
✓ Dental insurance verification and claims experience
✓ Treatment planning/case presentation experience
✓ Experience collecting patient payments and managing patient accounts
✓ Strong knowledge of dental office scheduling and front-office operations

Applicants who do not meet these minimum qualifications will not be considered.

How to Apply

Please submit:

• Your current resume
• A brief cover letter explaining why you believe you would be a great fit for Open Smiles Dental

Please do not apply if you do not have the required dental front-office experience listed above.

Qualified candidates will be contacted to schedule an interview.

Open Smiles Dental is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $19.00 - $23.00 per hour

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• Disability insurance
• Employee discount
• Free parking
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Uniform allowance

Work Location: In person