Dental Front Office Assistant

• Client: TN DOH
• Program: Division of Community Health Services
• Location: Warren County Health Department
• Address: 1410 Sparta Street, Suite 21, McMinnville, TN 37110
• Work arrangement: Onsite
• Schedule: Monday Thursday, 7:30 AM 5:00 PM; Friday, 7:30 AM 11:00 AM
• Time zone: Central
• Estimated duration: August 3, 2026 August 31, 2027 (extendable)

The Tennessee Department of Health is seeking a Dental Public Health Office Assistant to support the Warren County Health Department dental clinic. This is a fully onsite administrative/front-office role focused on patient scheduling, registration, documentation, eligibility review, insurance/prior authorization support, cash handling, records management, and general clinic support.

This is not strictly a dental assistant role. An active Tennessee RDA license is preferred, but not required. The core requirement is customer service, clerical, and office support experience in a healthcare, dental, public health, or similar administrative environment.

What this person will do

The Dental Public Health Office Assistant will support the daily operations of the dental clinic by handling front-office and patient-facing administrative duties. Responsibilities include:

• Schedule and manage patient appointments
• Inform patients of visit requirements
• Handle patient check-in and check-out
• Collect and update demographic information for registration
• Review documentation to determine eligibility for federal and state programs
• Enter patient and program information into health department systems
• Use multiple software systems to input and retrieve information
• Process and balance the cash drawer
• Explain client rights and responsibilities for program participation
• Obtain required authorization before releasing medical information
• Assist with insurance prior authorization by gathering and submitting documentation
• Prepare forms needed for dental services and clinic flow
• Scan and index records into the electronic dental record
• Support reminder calls, follow-up calls, referral coordination, and other assigned office tasks
• Maintain a positive, professional, and cooperative clinic environment

Must-have qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent
• Two years of full-time customer service, clerical, or office experience
• Current driver s license
• Ability to pass a Tennessee Bureau of Investigation background check
• Ability to work fully onsite in McMinnville, Tennessee
• Strong customer service skills
• Strong organization and attention to detail
• Ability to work with multiple computer systems
• Ability to handle patient information professionally and confidentially
• Willingness to travel within the region as needed

College coursework from an accredited college or university may substitute for the required experience on a year-for-year basis, up to two years.

Preferred qualifications

These are preferred, not required:

• Active Tennessee Registered Dental Assistant license
• Dental front-office experience
• Knowledge of dental terminology
• Dental scheduling experience
• Insurance coding experience
• Prior authorization experience
• Ability to assist chairside during emergencies or staffing shortages

• Health insurance
• Health savings account
• Dental insurance
• Vision insurance
• Flexible spending accounts
• Life insurance
• Retirement plan