A dental profession we haven’t touched on yet is one that does not get to work directly with teeth, rather helps patients figure out how to best get the care they need. Teresa Spence is an office manager for Amelia Group in Fernandina Beach, Fla. Spence said her favorite thing about working in the dental field is working alongside a great team of people and helping patients get the great dental healthcare they need.
While being a dental office manager has its challenges, Spence said the difficulties come with a great reward when her team is productive and her patients are happy.
Spence has been in the dental field for more than 26 years and started out as an expanded duties assistant. “I loved working chairside and helping patients and watching those smiles be transformed,” she said. “At the same time I also loved helping patients figure out how the dentistry they wanted and deserved fit into their budget.” After six years of being an assistant, she took a position in the dentistry’s front office. There, she learned insurance billing and treatment coordinating. “I loved sitting down with patients and talking to them about their dental needs and scheduling them,” she said. “It was such a reward to see the patient at their final appointment all smiles.”
Spence studied at Santa Fe College, received a fellowship from the American Association of Dental Office Managers and has taken the Dale Foundation’s account Receivable, Human Resource Fundamentals and Financial Reporting course to further her education about her position. In 2011, Spence attended her first American Association of Dental Office Managers Conference and was blown away from the energy that she felt from conference participants. After attending her second conference and becoming a fellow of the American Association of Dental Office Managers , she deeded to look into starting her own study club in the Jacksonville area. “I was so excited with all the energy and the possibilities I could not help but want to keep that excitement going all year long and share it with others,” she said. “So when I returned from Arizona that fall, I jumped on the AADOM website to see if we even had a local study club in our area. Of course there was one, but had not been active with meetings for some time.” In 2013, she and two other Jacksonville dental office managers created the S.M.I.L.E Group of North Florida (Smart, Managing with Integrity, Leadership and Excellence), and the group continues to meet once a quarter.
The S.M.I.L.E Group of North Florida elevates the important roles of dental management personnel through periodic training and lectures, as well as sharing new ideas for creative business and personal enhancement. The group further aims to develop and strengthen the importance of this department in a cohesive manner and gain the respect that it richly deserves in a dental organization. The S.M.I.L.E. Study Club is open to: Dental Office Mangers, Insurance/Billing Coordinators, Treatment/Financial Coordinators, Business/Practice Administrators and Front Desk/Patient Coordinators.
“It has been such a benefit for me and other office managers, dental professionals and the administrative team members,” she said of S.M.I.L.E. “We have had some great speakers discussing insurance, HR issues, billing, marketing and other great topics. We also try to have round table discussions once a year so we have the opportunity to bounce ideas of one another and share.” Spence said there hadn’t been a group or association in the North Flordia are that is solely for dental office managers and their support staff. “This is our opportunity to join with other dental managers and office personnel to share experiences while learning new things pertaining to our careers. Together, we make friends while networking, create opportunities for growth and advancement, utilize our time and talent on projects which will give something back to our community, and most of all, become recognized as a highly respected dental business professionals.”
Spence said she encourages all dental office managers to visit the American Association of Dental Office Managers website. “I have been able to enhance my career with the resources, education, member forum and networking opportunities that are provided to me as a member,” she said. “Our S.M.I.L.E. of North Florida will become a Chapter of the American Association of Dental Office Mangers later this year. This will provide us with great resources and networking opportunities that will keep us connected to the American Association of Dental Office Mangers all year long.
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