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DTA 3010 - Practice Management

1. Describe the duties of the administrative assistant.
2. Apply four (4) key words in patient reception.
3. Recognize and discuss the accepted methods and principles for effective telephone communication.
4. Simulate a telephone call requesting payment of a past due account.
5. Recognize and describe steps in telephone procedures used in receiving social and personal calls.
6. Demonstrate and describe ways in which the administrative assistant may help in creating a positive first impression of the dentist and his practice.
7. Record and confirm appointments.
8. Recognize, describe and apply the principles of appointment book control.
9. Describe approaches to patient scheduling that are attempts at minimizing the impact of appointment cancellations.
10. Describe how appointment scheduling affects the efficient utilization of time.
11. Compare the various mechanisms for establishment and maintenance of various recall systems.
12. Demonstrate competence in the operation of the following business office equipment:

• Calculator 
• fax machine
• postage meter
• copy machine.

UNIT #2 RECORDS AND PATIENT CHARTS

1. State the five basic rules of records protection and the five basic rules for records retrieval.
2. Name the two major groups of records found in the dental office and list the records that are usually filed together as the “patient chart.”
3. Discuss the importance of patient records and describe the steps to be taken in transferring a record.
4. Name and describe the five types of filing systems which may be found in a dental office.
5. Identify the following types of filing equipment and aids:  lateral files, drawer files, file guides, out guides, file envelopes and identification labels.
6. Describe the use of one and two color coding systems and state when each might be used.
7. Discuss the importance of records retention and methods used to separate and store active and inactive records.
8. Define:  indexing, caption, unit, alphabetizing, surname, given name, and terms denoting seniority.
9. Demonstrate arranging names into indexing units and sorting these names into alphabetical order for filing.
10. Describe the role of an endodontist, oral surgeon, orthodontist, pediatric dentist, periodontist and prosthodontist.
11. Define or identify:  dentition, edentulous, quadrants, interproximal, and the type of teeth.
12. Identify the letter abbreviations used to describe the surfaces of the teeth.
13. Describe Black’s five classifications of cavities.
14. Identify anatomical and geometric tooth diagrams.
15. State how to correct a charting error.
16. Demonstrate using the Universal Numbering System to identify the permanent and primary teeth.
17. Demonstrate recording a dental examination and dental treatment using the appropriate charting symbols and abbreviations.

UNIT #3 PREVENTIVE RECALL AND WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE BOOKKEEPING

1. List at least four services that are included in a recall visit.
2. Describe at least three types of recall systems.
3. Discuss how the use of greeting cards is a practice building tool.
4. Demonstrate calculating the month of recall for a patient.
5. Demonstrate writing a “welcome to our practice” letter in a block format.
6. Demonstrate addressing a ledger card or other correspondence correctly.
7. Define accounts receivable bookkeeping, transactions and posting.
8. State the type of information that the patient needs, and that which the practice requires.
9. List the five parts of an accounts receivable bookkeeping system and state the purpose of each.
10. Describe the use of charge slips as part of the audit trail.
11. Demonstrate entering charges, payments and adjustments on a pegboard bookkeeping system.
12. Describe how these functions would be managed on a computerized system.
13. Demonstrate making specialized account entries and adjustments.
14. Describe the steps in preparing a bank deposit.

UNIT #4 DENTAL HEALTH INSURANCE

1. Describe types of insurance programs.
2. Identify the types of dental care programs
3. Identify the factors which affect coverage differences, and describe the two major methods of payment.
4. Describe and explain ways of determining eligibility.
5. Differentiate between a pre-treatment estimate and claim for payment.
6. Correctly use the terminology associated with dental insurance.
7. Demonstrate completing an insurance claim form.
8. Describe and explain the types of insurance forms.
9. Discuss release of information and benefits, and state why the patient must sign each.
10. Describe the three part “super bill” and how it is utilized by the patient and dentist in filing a claim.
11. Describe and explain the purpose of the “dual coverage claims” and describe the procedures for filing claims.
12. Compare by matching terms and defining the following:  assessment of benefits, authorization to release information benefits, carrier, co-payment, coverage, deductible, delta dental plan, dependents, maximum benefits, prior authorization, schedule of allowance, subscriptive, and U.C.R.

UNIT #5 COLLECTIONS AND PAYMENT PLANS

1. Assess the role of the administrative assistant in making financial arrangements and state when such arrangements should be made.
2. Identify the following:  Federal fair credit reporting act, federal truth in lending act, federal equal opportunity act, and federal debt collection practice act.
3. Describe and explain the five most common payment plans offered in the dental office.
4. Identify and discuss the dental office financial records pertaining to patient accounts, business transactions and payroll.
5. Demonstrate the ability to manage a system of credit and collection by explaining procedural steps to follow prior to granting credit, the outline of a follow-up procedure, and the rules to follow when telephoning a patient regarding overdue accounts.
6. Explain three things a preventive control system includes.
7. Describe and explain the role of a collection agency.

UNIT #6 EXPENSES AND DISBURSEMENT

1. Compare the establishment and maintenance of inventory systems and supply ordering.
2. Evaluate the process of establishing the reorder point and reorder quantity for a given supply.
3. Explain one method of maintaining a running inventory.
4. Differentiate among two categories of supplies:  expendable and non-expendable items.
5. Demonstrate writing a check and making the necessary checkbook/check/register entries.
6. Describe and explain the business records and tax reports that are necessary to maintain in the dental office.
7. Discuss the elements of the Pegboard Bookkeeping System.
8. Describe internal controls (personnel, maintenance of records and equipment, physical protection of assets, bank reconciliation, petty cash fund, voucher system).
9. Describe payroll accounting (FICA, federal, state, and local withholdings, unemployment insurance, fair labor standards, payroll tax expense).
10. Prepare payment receipts.
11. Prepare deposit slips.
12. Reconcile bank statement.
13. Maintain state and federal tax information.
14. Write checks for disbursement and maintain balance.
15. Balance a petty cash fund from the provided data.
16. Calculate and complete all payroll entries.

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