12/26/2024 12:25:16 PM	DA 67 Course Outline as of Fall 2018	Changed Course
CATALOG INFORMATION
Discipline and Nbr:  DA 67	Title:  DENTAL OFFICE MGT
Full Title:  Dental Office Management
Last Reviewed:4/12/2021

Units		Course Hours per Week			Nbr of Weeks	Course Hours Total
Maximum	2.00	Lecture Scheduled	2.00		17.5 max.	Lecture Scheduled	35.00
Minimum	2.00	Lab Scheduled	0		8 min.	Lab Scheduled	0
		Contact DHR	0			Contact DHR	0
		Contact Total	2.00			Contact Total	35.00
		Non-contact DHR	0			Non-contact DHR Total	0

Total Out of Class Hours:  70.00

Total Student Learning Hours: 105.00

Title 5 Category:  AA Degree Applicable
Grading:  Grade Only
Repeatability:  00 - Two Repeats if Grade was D, F, NC, or NP
Also Listed As: 
Formerly:  DNA 68

Catalog Description:

Instruction in the non-clinical functions which dental assistants are required to perform with emphasis on: financial arrangements, collection techniques, completing insurance forms, and maintaining current insurance records, office mail, dental office computer systems, group practice, inventory, marketing, purchasing, payroll, tax records, disbursements, and petty cash.

Prerequisites/Corequisites:
Course Completion of DA 60 AND DE 55A

Recommended Preparation:

Limits on Enrollment:
Acceptance to the Allied Dental Programs

Schedule of Classes Information
Description:

Instruction in the non-clinical functions which dental assistants are required to perform with emphasis on: financial arrangements, collection techniques, completing insurance forms, and maintaining current insurance records, office mail, dental office computer systems, group practice, inventory, marketing, purchasing, payroll, tax records, disbursements, and petty cash.

(Grade Only)
Prerequisites:Course Completion of DA 60 AND DE 55A
Recommended:
Limits on Enrollment:Acceptance to the Allied Dental Programs
Transfer Credit:CSU;
Repeatability:00 - Two Repeats if Grade was D, F, NC, or NP

ARTICULATION, MAJOR, and CERTIFICATION INFORMATION

Associate Degree:		Effective:		Inactive:
Area:
CSU GE:	Transfer Area			Effective:	Inactive:
IGETC:	Transfer Area			Effective:	Inactive:
CSU Transfer:	Transferable	Effective:	Fall 1981	Inactive:	Fall 2021
UC Transfer:		Effective:		Inactive:
C-ID:

Certificate/Major Applicable: Certificate Applicable Course

COURSE CONTENT

Student Learning Outcomes:
At the conclusion of this course, the student should be able to:

1.  Communicate clearly and effectively with patients to explain informed consent, risks, benefits

    and alternatives to treatment plans while establishing good patient rapport.

2.  Develop employment strategies for career opportunities as an administrative dental assistant,

    in private dental practices, insurance companies, and management and consulting firms.

Objectives:

1. Demonstrate effective communication skills and identify barriers to communication.

2. Maintain patient clinical records, using paper based and computerized systems.

3. Describe various types of recall systems.

4. Describe various methods of processing dental insurance.

5. Manage financial arrangements with patients.

6. Organize and manage an accounts receivable system.

7. Organize and manage an accounts payable system.

8. Describe types of computerized dental practice software systems.

9. Demonstrate writing cover letters and resumes.

10. Discuss interviewing techniques.

11. How to accept and leave a job.

12. Demonstrate effective appointment management and scheduling for a variety of types of

    dental procedures.

13. Discuss alternative dental care delivery systems using common dental insurance

    terminology.

14. Utilize computer software systems to chart existing dental restorations, conditions,

    missing teeth, periodontal assessment data and to capture digital radiological images

Topics and Scope

I. Communication Skills

    A. Mediums of communication

    B. Interpersonal communication

    C. Barriers to effective communication

    D. Telephone techniques

II. Patient Clinical Records

    A. Components of the clinical record

    B. Collecting information

         1. registration forms

         2. other diagnostic records

         3. computerized management of information

III. Dental Patient Scheduling

    A. Mechanics of scheduling

    B. Making appointments

    C. Results of poor scheduling

IV. Recall Systems

    A. Classification of recalls

    B. Methods of recalling patients

    C. Computerized systems

V. Processing Dental Insurance

    A.Types of dental insurance

         1. fee for service

         2. capitation

         3. closed panel

         4. managed care

         5. health maintenance organizations

    B. Insurance coding

    C. Organizing insurance coverage

    D. Methods of filing claims

    E. Other types of coverage

    F. Completing a dental claim form

    G. Recognition of fraudulent insurance billing

VI. Financial Arrangements

    A. Designing a financial policy

    B.Types of financial policies

    C. Managing accounts payable

VII. Accounts Receivable

    A. Components of financial records

    B. Methods of recording

    C. Routing slips      

VIII. Accounts Payable

    A. Verification of expenditures

    B. Check writing

    C. Reconciling a bank statement

    D. Computerized check writing

IX. Computerized Dental Practice

    A. Practice management software-utilization of charting and imaging components

    B. Selecting software

    C. Types of software

    D. Role of the administrative assistant

X. Employment Strategies

    A. Career opportunities

    B. Producing a resume

    C. Writing cover letters

    D. Interviewing techniques

    E. Accepting/leaving a job

Assignments:

1. Reading assignments in texts and course syllabus (10-15 pages a week)

2. Writing sample letters, resume, and cover letters (5-7)

3. Preparing insurance claims (2)

4. Research dental management software products

5. Workbook assignments (5-7 pages a week)

6. Develop dental product resource manual

7. Quizzes (12-15), midterm, final

Methods of Evaluation/Basis of Grade.

Writing: Assessment tools that demonstrate writing skill and/or require students to select, organize and explain ideas in writing.		Writing 10 - 20%
Resume, sample letters, cover letters
Problem solving: Assessment tools, other than exams, that demonstrate competence in computational or non-computational problem solving skills.		Problem Solving 15 - 30%
Workbook assignments
Skill Demonstrations: All skill-based and physical demonstrations used for assessment purposes including skill performance exams.		Skill Demonstrations 10 - 20%
Insurance claims forms
Exams: All forms of formal testing, other than skill performance exams.		Exams 15 - 50%
Quizzes, midterm and final
Other: Includes any assessment tools that do not logically fit into the above categories.		Other Category 15 - 30%
Research dental management software, develop dental product resource manual

Representative Textbooks and Materials:

Modern Dental Assisting. 12th ed. Bird, Doni and Robinson, Debbie. Elsevier. 2018.

Practice Management for the Dental Team. 8th ed. Finkbeiner, Betty and Finkbeiner, Charles. Elsevier. 2016.

Practice Management for the Dental Team Student Workbook,  8th ed. Finkbeiner, Betty and Finkbeiner, Charles. Elsevier. 2018.

Modern Dental Assisting Student Workbook: 12th ed., Bird, Doni and Robinson, Debbie. Elsevier. 2018.

Instructor prepared materials

Print PDF