Dental Site Manager

Job Description: Dental Site Manager/Supervisor

Summary

The Dental Site Supervisor is responsible for the day-to-day operational leadership and coordination of an FQHC dental clinic. This position oversees clinical support staff, front-office operations, patient flow, scheduling, supplies, equipment, regulatory compliance, and overall site performance. The Dental Site Supervisor works closely with the Dental Director, clinical providers, dental assistants, hygienists, front-desk staff, billing/revenue-cycle personnel, and other departments to ensure the delivery of high-quality, patient-centered, culturally responsive, and accessible dental services consistent with FQHC requirements and organizational policies. The supervisor serves as a key operational leader at the dental site while supporting a positive workplace culture, efficient clinic operations, excellent patient experience, and achievement of clinical, quality, productivity, and financial goals.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Clinic Operations

Oversee daily operations of the dental clinic to ensure efficient and timely patient care. Monitor patient flow, appointment schedules, provider utilization, and clinic capacity. Identify operational barriers and implement solutions to improve efficiency. Coordinate opening and closing procedures and ensure appropriate staffing coverage. Monitor daily clinic activity and address operational issues promptly. Ensure exam rooms, sterilization areas, reception areas, and other clinical spaces are clean, organized, safe, and adequately stocked. Coordinate with facilities, IT, and other departments to resolve operational issues. Support implementation of new programs, workflows, technologies, and organizational initiatives.

Staff Supervision and Leadership

Supervise assigned dental support and administrative staff. Participate in recruitment, interviewing, onboarding, orientation, and training of staff. Establish work assignments and staffing schedules based on patient volume and operational needs. Conduct regular staff meetings and communicate organizational and departmental expectations. Provide coaching, feedback, performance evaluations, and corrective action when appropriate. Promote teamwork, accountability, professionalism, and respectful communication. Address employee concerns and workplace conflicts in accordance with organizational policies. Ensure staff maintain required credentials, competencies, training, and certifications.

Patient Experience

Promote a welcoming, respectful, trauma-informed, and patient-centered environment. Monitor patient complaints, concerns, and service-recovery needs. Assist with resolving patient concerns in a timely and professional manner. Support access to care for underserved and vulnerable populations. Ensure patients receive appropriate information regarding appointments, treatment, referrals, and clinic procedures. Promote culturally and linguistically appropriate services.

Clinical and Regulatory Compliance

Support compliance with applicable FQHC, federal, state, local, dental, OSHA, HIPAA, infection-control, and organizational requirements. Ensure staff follow established clinical and operational policies and procedures. Monitor compliance with infection prevention and control practices, including sterilization and instrument processing. Ensure appropriate documentation and maintenance of sterilization logs, safety records, equipment records, and other required documentation. Assist with preparation for regulatory surveys, audits, and accreditation activities. Support compliance with dental quality-assurance and performance-improvement initiatives. Report safety events, incidents, and compliance concerns according to organizational procedures.

Quality Improvement and Performance Management

Monitor clinic performance metrics and assist with development of improvement plans. Track measures such as:

Patient access and appointment availability No-show and cancellation rates Provider productivity Patient satisfaction Treatment completion Preventive care utilization Referral completion Clinical quality measures Revenue-cycle and collection-related metrics

Participate in quality-improvement projects and performance-improvement activities. Use data to identify trends, operational problems, and opportunities for improvement.

Scheduling and Patient Access

Work with scheduling staff and providers to optimize appointment availability. Monitor provider schedules and make adjustments based on patient demand and staffing. Reduce avoidable gaps in provider schedules. Assist with strategies to reduce no-shows and improve appointment utilization. Coordinate urgent dental access and appropriate patient triage within established protocols. Support access initiatives for patients experiencing financial, transportation, language, or other barriers to care.

Supplies, Equipment, and Inventory

Monitor dental supplies, instruments, medications, and other clinical materials. Maintain appropriate inventory levels and prevent shortages or unnecessary overstock. Coordinate ordering and receiving of dental supplies. Monitor expiration dates and appropriate storage of supplies. Assist with equipment maintenance, repair, calibration, and preventive maintenance. Maintain appropriate documentation related to equipment and inventory.

Financial and Revenue-Cycle Support

Support organizational efforts to improve dental clinic financial performance. Monitor operational factors affecting revenue, including schedule utilization, missed appointments, treatment completion, and documentation. Work with billing and front-office teams to identify and resolve workflow issues affecting claims and collections. Promote appropriate documentation and completion of required patient and insurance information. Support FQHC policies regarding sliding-fee discounts, eligibility, and patient financial assistance.

Communication and Collaboration

Maintain effective communication with the Dental Director and organizational leadership. Collaborate with dentists, dental hygienists, dental assistants, front-office staff, medical providers, behavioral health, care management, and other departments. Participate in interdisciplinary meetings and organizational committees as assigned. Communicate changes in policies, procedures, schedules, and organizational initiatives to staff. Serve as a liaison between clinic staff and administration.

Required Qualifications

High school diploma or equivalent required. Associates or bachelors degree in dental administration, healthcare administration, business administration, or a related field preferred. Previous experience in a dental clinic, community health center, FQHC, or healthcare environment. Previous supervisory or leadership experience preferred. Knowledge of dental clinic workflows, scheduling, infection control, and patient-service operations. Strong organizational, communication, problem-solving, and interpersonal skills. Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced healthcare environment. Proficiency with electronic health records and dental practice-management systems. Knowledge of HIPAA, OSHA, infection prevention, and applicable healthcare regulations.

Preferred Qualifications

Experience working in an FQHC. Experience supervising dental assistants, hygienists, front-office personnel, or other healthcare staff. Knowledge of FQHC operational and compliance requirements. Experience with quality improvement and performance metrics. Experience with dental EHR/practice-management systems. Knowledge of Medicaid, Medicare, managed care, and other public insurance programs. Experience with HR processes, staff development, and performance management.

Core Competencies The successful candidate should demonstrate:

Leadership and accountability Patient-centered service Team building Communication Problem solving Conflict resolution Operational management Quality improvement Attention to detail Adaptability Cultural sensitivity Professionalism Ability to work effectively with underserved populations

Physical Requirements

Ability to sit, stand, walk, bend, and move throughout the clinic during the workday. Ability to occasionally lift or move supplies and equipment within organizational guidelines. Ability to work in a dental clinical environment with exposure to clinical procedures, dental instruments, and infection-control processes. Ability to use computers and other office/clinical equipment for extended periods.

Performance Expectations

The Dental Site Supervisor is expected to maintain a safe, efficient, and patient-centered dental environment while supporting the organization in achieving its goals for:

Access to dental care Patient satisfaction Quality of care Staff engagement and retention Provider productivity Schedule utilization Regulatory compliance Infection prevention Financial sustainability Continuous quality improvement

Disclaimer: This job description describes the general nature and level of work performed and is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, or qualifications. Duties may be modified based on the needs of the organization and applicable federal, state, and local requirements.