Dental Administrators perform varieties of tasks in the dental care environments. They may function as treatment coordinators, office managers or any related positions. However they are not involved in treating patients. Their duties include attending phone calls, scheduling appointments, assisting in insurance claims, maintaining equipment, performing clerical tasks such as filing, faxing, mailing, word processing etc. in addition, they may oversee marketing, budgeting, and personnel management part of the setting.

Dental Administrators may be employed in varieties dental care settings such as dentist’s office, dental care facilities, insurance companies, group medical practices, public and private hospitals etc. They work full time. Some of these professionals may be required to work during evenings, on weekends, or overnight shifts according to their responsibilities and working environment.

Educational Requirements

To become a Dental Administrator, the aspiring candidates need to hold at least a high school diploma. Additionally the job aspirants can obtain one- year certificate programs in dental office administration from various community colleges. However, the students can also learn practical experiences on-the-job training.

The syllabus in the certificate program includes dental terminology, dental charting, recall management, dental insurance, quantitative reasoning, fiscal management, accounting, computer applications etc.

Certification and Licensure

Since the position of a Dental Administrator requires to be licensed in many states, the aspiring candidates have to pass the state licensure examination. These professionals can obtain exam based certification administered by the Dental Assisting National Board (DANB).

Skill Set

Dental Administrators possess various traits such as high level of critical thinking, excellent decision making, empathy towards customer service, time management abilities, administrative skills, excellent verbal and written communication skills, ability to manage multi-task activities, willing to work in a team spirit, competent in computer operations etc.

Job Outlook and Salary

The job outlook for a Dental Administrator remains excellent across the USA. According to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the growth rate for job opportunities in this profession may rise 10% from 2012 to 2022. The average annual salary of a Dental Administrator was ranging from $32,000 to $61,000 in 2014.