Patient Experience Coordinator

Tucson Dental Studio

Job Description: Patient Experience Coordinator (PEC)

Department: Front Office / Patient ExperienceReports To: Office LeadershipLocation: Tucson Dental Studio — In PersonPosition Type: Full-Time

Position Overview

At Tucson Dental Studio, we believe exceptional dental care should be honest, compassionate, and accessible. Our mission is to improve lives by restoring trust in dentistry and helping every patient achieve lifelong oral health.

The Patient Experience Coordinator (PEC) is a vital member of our team and plays a direct role in bringing our mission to life. This individual guides the patient journey from the first phone call through treatment completion and ongoing preventive care, ensuring every interaction reflects our commitment to exceptional service, clinical excellence, transparency, and trust.

This is more than a front desk or scheduling position. The PEC serves as a connection between our patients, Dr. Cubra, and the clinical team. This role requires someone who can build meaningful relationships, communicate confidently, anticipate needs, identify barriers to care, and take ownership of the details that create an exceptional patient experience.

The ideal candidate is compassionate, organized, proactive, and comfortable discussing prescribed treatment, financial responsibilities, insurance estimates, and available payment options. They understand that patients deserve to feel informed rather than pressured, supported rather than rushed, and confident rather than confused.

At Tucson Dental Studio, we do not simply schedule appointments. We build trust, educate patients, remove barriers to care, and create experiences that make people want to return.

We are looking for a team member who shares our belief that excellence is a standard, growth is a responsibility, and every interaction is an opportunity to make an impact.

Key Responsibilities

1. Create an Exceptional Patient Experience

• Welcome every patient with warmth, professionalism, and genuine care, creating a positive first impression from the moment they contact or enter our practice.
• Build meaningful relationships by listening to patient concerns, understanding individual preferences, and anticipating needs.
• Guide patients through check-in, treatment and financial coordination, checkout, and future appointment scheduling.
• Maintain a clean, organized, and welcoming front office that reflects the Tucson Dental Studio standard.
• Communicate proactively with Dr. Cubra and the clinical team to minimize delays, set expectations, and support a seamless patient journey.
• Recognize opportunities to resolve concerns, exceed expectations, and restore patient confidence when service issues arise.
• Respond to patient questions and concerns with empathy, professionalism, and timely follow-through.
• Support patient retention, referrals, and honest online feedback by consistently delivering an experience worth returning for.

2. Educate Patients and Coordinate Prescribed Treatment

• Review dentist-prescribed treatment plans with patients and help them understand the purpose, benefits, urgency, and next steps of their care.
• Partner with Dr. Cubra and clinical team members to reinforce clinical recommendations and ensure patients receive accurate, consistent information.
• Communicate the value of prescribed treatment through education, transparency, and meaningful conversations—not pressure or fear-based tactics.
• Present treatment estimates, insurance information, and approved payment options clearly and accurately.
• Identify barriers to treatment, including financial concerns, scheduling conflicts, uncertainty, or unanswered questions, and coordinate appropriate solutions.
• Follow up with patients who have unscheduled prescribed treatment and support timely completion of their care.
• Reinforce the importance of preventive dentistry, periodontal health, restorative care, and long-term oral health.
• Understand and confidently communicate the services offered at Tucson Dental Studio, including preventive, periodontal, restorative, cosmetic, and implant-related care, within the scope of the role.
• Refer clinical questions, requests for changes to treatment, and concerns requiring professional judgment to Dr. Cubra or the appropriate clinical team member.

Our standard: We do not sell dentistry through pressure. We build trust through education, clear communication, and a genuine commitment to helping patients make informed decisions.

3. Own Scheduling, Follow-Through, and Patient Retention

• Manage the daily schedule to support efficient clinical workflow, appropriate appointment allocation, and effective utilization of Dr. Cubra’s time.
• Schedule appointments according to provider availability, appointment length, clinical priorities, and established protocols.
• Monitor the schedule for unconfirmed appointments, cancellations, openings, and opportunities to improve utilization.
• Conduct proactive calls, texts, and other approved outreach to confirm appointments, fill openings, and reconnect with patients.
• Contact patients who are overdue for preventive visits, have incomplete prescribed treatment, or do not have a future appointment when one is indicated.
• Maintain accurate appointment notes and document outreach, patient responses, and follow-up commitments in the practice management system.
• Ensure patients leave with a clear understanding of their next steps and have follow-up appointments scheduled whenever appropriate.
• Take ownership of open scheduling opportunities rather than waiting for someone else to identify or resolve them.
• Communicate scheduling barriers promptly and collaborate with the clinical team to reduce avoidable downtime.

4. Coordinate Financial and Insurance Conversations with Integrity

• Review treatment estimates and explain anticipated patient financial responsibilities before treatment whenever possible.
• Verify and communicate insurance eligibility, benefits, limitations, and estimated coverage according to office protocols.
• Explain clearly that insurance benefit estimates are not guarantees of payment and that final patient responsibility may vary.
• Collect copayments, applicable patient balances, and other payments at the appropriate time in accordance with practice policy.
• Present approved financing options and payment arrangements to help patients access prescribed care.
• Document financial discussions and arrangements accurately.
• Follow established procedures for outstanding balances and escalate complex billing, insurance, or financial concerns to leadership.
• Maintain professionalism, discretion, and transparency during all financial conversations.

Our standard: We do what is right, communicate honestly, and protect the trust patients place in our practice.

5. Operate with Excellence and Continuous Improvement

• Maintain accurate patient demographics, appointment records, treatment coordination notes, and communication documentation.
• Use the practice management system, scheduling tools, communication platforms, and other approved technology consistently and accurately.
• Complete assigned daily responsibilities, follow established workflows, and meet deadlines without requiring repeated reminders.
• Monitor assigned task lists and patient communication queues to ensure requests receive timely attention.
• Participate actively in daily morning huddles, team meetings, training, coaching, and performance reviews.
• Communicate schedule changes, patient concerns, operational barriers, and unresolved issues promptly.
• Follow office policies regarding HIPAA, patient privacy, workplace safety, infection prevention, and professional conduct.
• Identify workflow gaps, ask thoughtful questions, accept feedback, and implement improvements.
• Stay current on practice procedures, services, technology, and patient communication standards.
• Demonstrate a growth mindset by remaining hungry to learn, humble enough to receive feedback, and committed to improving performance.

6. Own It: See the Need and Take Action

• Take responsibility for assigned duties, patient requests, and commitments from beginning to completion.
• Look beyond the immediate task to identify what patients, teammates, and the practice need next.
• Address problems proactively rather than ignoring them, passing them along without context, or assuming someone else will handle them.
• Communicate when a task cannot be completed, explain the barrier, and identify the next step toward resolution.
• Follow through on patient calls, outstanding treatment, schedule gaps, financial questions, and other open items until they are appropriately resolved or escalated.
• Anticipate potential issues and act early to prevent avoidable disruptions.
• Accept accountability for mistakes, correct them promptly, and use them as opportunities to improve.
• Protect confidential information and the reputation of Tucson Dental Studio through sound judgment and professional conduct.

Our standard: If you see a need, take initiative. If you make a commitment, follow through. If something goes wrong, own your part and help make it right.

7. Make an Impact Through Teamwork and Practice Growth

• Work collaboratively with Dr. Cubra, dental assistants, hygienists, and leadership to coordinate patient care and maintain consistent communication.
• Contribute to patient retention, treatment completion, referrals, and the overall success of the practice.
• Educate patients about appropriate preventive products, oral hygiene tools, and additional services prescribed or recommended by the clinical team.
• Support approved patient review initiatives by inviting honest feedback without influencing or conditioning reviews.
• Participate in community outreach, practice marketing, and patient engagement initiatives as assigned.
• Support team members during busy periods and contribute to a respectful, solutions-oriented workplace.
• Recognize how individual performance affects patient outcomes, team efficiency, schedule utilization, and practice sustainability.
• Approach challenges with professionalism, flexibility, and a willingness to contribute beyond the minimum requirements of the position.

Our standard: Success is not measured only by completed tasks. It is measured by the positive difference we make for patients, our teammates, and the practice.

Performance Expectations and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Performance will be evaluated using established benchmarks, individual responsibilities, patient feedback, and overall practice goals.

Key performance indicators may include:

• Patient experience: Quality of interactions, patient feedback, service recovery, and retention.
• Schedule utilization: Appointment confirmation, proactive outreach, reduced avoidable openings, and effective schedule management.
• Treatment follow-through: Outreach and scheduling for patients with outstanding prescribed treatment.
• Financial accountability: Timely collection of patient payments, accurate financial documentation, and adherence to collection procedures.
• Communication: Timely responses to calls, messages, patient requests, and outstanding follow-up items.
• Operational excellence: Accuracy of records, completion of assigned tasks, adherence to workflows, and attention to detail.
• Ownership and accountability: Consistent follow-through, proactive problem-solving, and appropriate escalation of unresolved concerns.
• Practice growth and reputation: Support for patient retention, referrals, and ethical reputation-management initiatives.
• Team contribution: Reliability, collaboration, professional conduct, participation in huddles, and willingness to support shared goals.
• Continuous improvement: Responsiveness to coaching, participation in training, and implementation of feedback.

Specific numerical targets will be established by practice leadership, communicated during onboarding, and reviewed regularly. The PEC is expected to understand their performance measures, monitor progress, and take initiative when results fall short of expectations.

Qualifications and Requirements

Education

• High school diploma or equivalent required.
• Additional education in healthcare administration, business, or customer service preferred.

Experience

• Two or more years of experience in customer service, hospitality, sales, healthcare administration, or a related field preferred.
• Dental office experience strongly preferred.
• Experience with treatment coordination, scheduling, insurance verification, and patient financial discussions is an advantage.

Skills and Competencies

• Exceptional interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills.
• Strong relationship-building and customer service abilities.
• Confidence discussing dentist-prescribed treatment, financial estimates, insurance benefits, and payment options.
• Excellent organization, time management, and attention to detail.
• Ability to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced clinical environment.
• Comfort with technology, scheduling systems, electronic health records, and practice management software.
• Sound judgment, discretion, and commitment to patient confidentiality.
• A proactive, accountable, and solutions-oriented mindset.
• Ability to receive coaching, respond constructively to feedback, and adapt to change.
• A team-first attitude and a genuine desire to make a positive impact.

Our Mission

We believe exceptional dental care should be honest, compassionate, and accessible. Our mission is to improve lives by restoring trust in dentistry and helping every patient achieve lifelong oral health.

Our Vision

To make Tucson Dental Studio the standard for private practice dentistry, giving every patient a state-of-the-art experience, earning trust from the first call through a lifetime of health.

Our Core Values

1. Create an Exceptional Experience

Every interaction matters. We anticipate needs, personalize care, communicate with compassion, and create an experience that exceeds expectations.

What it looks like:

• Treating every patient and teammate with dignity, kindness, and respect.
• Listening carefully and making people feel heard.
• Taking ownership of concerns and working to make things right.
• Going beyond the minimum to create meaningful, memorable experiences.

2. Do What Is Right

We lead with honesty, integrity, and transparency—even when doing the right thing is difficult or inconvenient.

What it looks like:

• Putting patient well-being and informed decision-making first.
• Communicating honestly about treatment, finances, and expectations.
• Protecting patient privacy and maintaining professional boundaries.
• Following through on commitments and speaking up when something is not right.
• Choosing integrity over shortcuts.

3. Always Be Improving

We are hungry to learn, humble enough to listen, and committed to becoming better every day. Excellence is a continuous pursuit, not a finish line.

What it looks like:

• Welcoming feedback and applying what we learn.
• Asking questions, seeking solutions, and developing new skills.
• Recognizing mistakes as opportunities to improve.
• Following proven systems while identifying opportunities to make them better.
• Taking personal responsibility for professional growth.

4. Own It — See the Need

We take initiative, accept accountability, and follow through. We do not wait to be asked when we recognize an opportunity to help.

What it looks like:

• Identifying needs before they become problems.
• Taking responsibility for tasks from start to finish.
• Communicating proactively when challenges arise.
• Offering solutions rather than excuses.
• Supporting teammates and doing our part to achieve shared goals.

5. Make an Impact

We understand that our actions influence patients, teammates, and the future of our practice. We strive to make a meaningful difference through every interaction and every responsibility.

What it looks like:

• Helping patients overcome barriers to appropriate care.
• Supporting better oral health through education and follow-through.
• Contributing to a positive, collaborative team environment.
• Recognizing how daily actions affect patient trust and practice success.
• Measuring success by the positive difference we make, not simply by the tasks we complete.

What Success Looks Like

A successful Patient Experience Coordinator ensures patients feel welcomed, informed, respected, and confident in their care. The schedule is organized, communications are timely, prescribed treatment receives appropriate follow-up, financial conversations are transparent, and administrative responsibilities are completed accurately and consistently.

This individual does not wait for problems to be assigned. They recognize needs, take initiative, communicate clearly, and follow through. They accept coaching, pursue improvement, collaborate with the team, and understand how their daily actions contribute to the success of Tucson Dental Studio.

Above all, they embody our core values: creating an exceptional experience, doing what is right, always improving, owning the outcome, and making an impact.

Our standard is simple: exceptional care, genuine relationships, personal accountability, and a patient experience worth returning for.

At Tucson Dental Studio, we are not building an average dental office. We are building a practice that earns trust, elevates the standard of care, and makes a lasting difference in the lives of the people we serve.

Pay: $18.00 - $24.00 per hour

Work Location: In person