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Ministry-approved title: Dental Office Administration
A dental receptionist or administrator plays a vital role in a dental office, much of which may not be seen by clients. The dental receptionist and administrator ensures the smooth operation of the dental practice by performing operations such as processing information, utilizing both paper and electronic management systems, scheduling, maintaining financial records, and handling insurance claims.
Using their proficient interpersonal skills, the dental receptionist or administrator creates a personal and professional connection between clients and dentists by coordinating requests from both parties. A good dental receptionist and administrator who is trained in both administrative and interpersonal aspects of the job, supports successful and efficient practices in the dental office. By communicating clearly and effectively with insurance providers, the dental receptionist or administrator and make the claims process considerably less stressful for both the dental clients and the insurance company representatives.
The Dental Office Administration program at Durham College offers a unique blend of academic learning and practical applications to provide a graduate with the skills, knowledge and professionalism to manage dental office business applications, and serve as the interface between various parties in the provision of dental services. Durham College’s Dental programs are highly regarded within the dental community.
Graduates of the Dental Office Administration program are eligible to write a certification examination through the Ontario Dental Assistants Association.
To apply to the Dental Office Administration program, you will first need:
Durham College (DC) offers pre-admission assessment testing to mature domestic applicants to meet admission requirements in English and/or math. Domestic applicants that are 19 years of age or older as of the start date of their program, and who do not have the required program credit(s) i.e., Grade 12 English and/or Grade 12 math are eligible to take an admissions assessment test.
Learn more about how to book Pre-Admission Assessment Testing here.
DC also offers Academic Upgrading. Courses are FREE and designed to help you meet the admissions requirements for this program. Available to individuals 18+, these courses are offered on-campus at DC. Boost your qualifications with:
Learn more about Academic Upgrading and connect with our team to get started.
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In your first semester of the Dental Administration program, you will build a foundation for your subsequent learning and development. You will complete dental receptionist and administration coursework in communication skills, dental anatomy and technology, and emotional self-regulation. This learning will make it easier to support dental professionals and to communicate with clients clearly and efficiently while maintaining a professional demeanor.
In addition, you will explore the fundamentals of dental office management, including financial management, productivity software, and strategies for handling office operations and learn infection prevention and control procedures. This dental receptionist and administration course content will get you started on the road to becoming an effective dental office manager.
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Durham College’s Dental Administration program will prepare you to maintain a collaborative relationship with clients and all members of your oral health care team while delivering the highest level of client-centered care. Your dental receptionist and administration courses will prepare you to be a multi-skilled, ethically responsible dental administration professional.
In the Dental Office Administration program, you will learn about the latest computer software used in dental offices and how to use it to process information such as insurance claims. You will also learn process is vital to the work of the dental receptionist or administrator such as appointment management and scheduling.
The Dental Office Administration program provides students with the essential dental receptionist and administration skills needed to manage dental practices efficiently and confidently. Examples of learning include dental terminology, daily office operations, banking procedures, professional relations, sterilization techniques and infection control protocols.
As part of the Dental Administration program, you will also gain practical experience and begin networking through a field placement in one or more working dental offices.
Upon completing the Dental Office Administration program, you can expect to understand and be able to do the following:
The courses listed below are for incoming students. If you are a current student, please refer to your program of study for the year you began your program. Your program of study can be found on MyDC.
Courses, course descriptions and delivery formats are subject to change.
In person
Students will come to campus to complete in-person learning requirements. Detailed schedules, with course-specific delivery information, will be available after registration. Courses, course descriptions and delivery formats are subject to change.
Completing the Dental Office Administration program will equip you to take on a role in a dental practice or hospital. With the introduction of Canada's new Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP), there will likely be an increase in the number of jobs available in the dental receptionist or administration area.
Many of the skills you will learn in the Dental Administration program can be transferred to other roles; when you are looking for work in the area, we encourage you to also consider jobs that are not in a dental office if that interests you!
The Dental Office Administration program includes two field placements for a total of 80 hours in a working dental practice.
The field placements will allow you to further your knowledge, skills and competencies, while giving you additional hands-on learning opportunities to observe and apply classroom theory to an occupational setting. You will be able to practice your dental receptionist and administration skills under the supervision of an experienced professional during your placements.
Field Placement 1 is completed during Semester 2 and Field Placement 2 is completed immediately following Semester 2.
For the field placement portion of the Dental Administration program, there are several requirements which must be met in advance. Please begin the process of meeting these requirements well in advance, as it may delay your field placement if you do not have them.
Please note: There are costs associated with Electronic Requirements Verification (ERV), immunizations, lab tests and certifications. Be sure to keep all of your receipts for income tax purposes. These costs include:
It is required that students have completed the ERV with Verified to be eligible for the field placement component of this program. You must (at your expense) provide:
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Graduates are eligible to obtain certification through the Ontario Dental Assistants Association (ODAA).
Looking for more pathway opportunities or to transfer to Durham College? Click here for more information.
To help students have the best learning experience possible, Durham College’s IT Services department has identified technology recommendations for dental administration courses in the Dental Office Administration program. While not required, students may want to consider these suggestions if they are purchasing a computer or laptop for the upcoming academic year.Tech Requirements for dental office administration students
Processor: i3 RAM: 4GB Storage: 256GB SSD Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 Professional or Education x64 SP1 Internet Browser: Internet Explorer 11 or Google Chrome (newest version) or Firefox (newest version) Network Adapter: 802.11ac 2.4/5 GHz wireless adapter Camera: Webcam/built-in camera Internet connection
Questions regarding technology recommendations can be directed to the IT Service Desk or the school office.
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