u
Standard Operating Procedures
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For All Dentists
by Marsha Freeman
Table of Contents
Introduction
Chapter One
Strategic Planning for Peak Performance, Service, and
Profits
The SOPs Productivity Pyramid
Level 1: Mission and Objectives, Level 2: Teamwork,
Level 3: The Service Cycle and the �Nine Moments of Truth�
Chapter Two
Building Your Own SOPs Productivity Pyramid
Step 1: Read This Book, Step 2: Prep Questions,
Step 3: Get Team Support, Step 4: Supplies, Step 5: Choose a
Strategy, Step 6: Use Meetings and Work Sessions to Complete Each Level
of the Pyramid, Step 7: Monitor Work Progress, Step 8: Support
and Appreciate Your Team�s Efforts, Step 9: Assemble and Review the
Final Product, Step 10: Reward Yourself and Your Teammates
Chapter Three
A SOP for SOP-Building
Standard Operating Procedure for Creating Your
Own SOPs Manual
Getting Started
Session One: Present the Project to the Team, Session Two:
Mission Statement and Objectives, Session Three: Teamwork, Session
Four: Analyzing Your Service Cycle�the �Nine Moments of Truth�, Session
Five: Divide and Conquer, Session Six: A SOPs Workshop, Session
Seven: Another SOP Workshop!, Session Eight: Assembling Your
Procedures Manual, Session Nine: Celebrate!
Section One Mission Statement
Mission Statement Questionnaire
Sample Mission Statement
Desired Outcome Fulfills the Mission Statement
Section Two Performance Agreements
Introduction and Instruction
Office Manager
General Front Office Assistant
Patient Treatment Coordinator
Hygiene Treatment Coordinator
Patient Account Administrator
General Back Office Assistant
Dental Assistant
Registered Dental Assistant
Registered Dental Hygienist
OSHA and Regulatory Compliance Coordinator
Section Three General Front Office
Department Task List
Opening and Closing the Office
Morning Huddles
Answering the Telephone
Dealing With the Hostile Patient
Front Desk and Hygiene Communication
Greeting and Checking In Patients
Dental Benefits Eligibility Verification
Patient Dismissal
Walk-Out Statements
Collecting the Day of Treatment
Collecting and Authorizing Credit Card Payments
Pre-Determinations: Patient Notification
Operating Office Equipment
Cleaning the Reception Area
Office Supplies
Maintaining Patient Charts
Monitoring Production Goals
Chart Preparation
Patient Transfers and Records Release
X-Ray Duplication Request
Practice Information Portfolios
Outgoing Mail
Confirming Appointments
Appointment Scheduling:
Guidelines, Verbal Skills, Abbreviations Used
in Scheduling, Adjustments, Bleaching, Consultations, Crown and Bridge,
Emergencies, Extractions, Full and Partial Dentures, Hygiene, New
Patient/Non-Emergency, Oral Sedation, Recementing Crown and Bridge, Sealants,
Specialists, X-Rays
Recall
Treatment Follow-Up
Section Four Bookkeeping/Data Entry
Department Task List
Financial Arrangements
Handling Patient Billing Questions
Data Entry:
Patient Accounts, Insurance Carriers
Insurance Matrix
Posting Charges and Payments
Processing Refunds
Non-Sufficient Funds Notice
Referring Accounts to Collection
Pre-Determinations
Day-End Procedures
Month-End Procedures
Year-End Procedures
Patient Statements
Electronic Claims Submission
Paper Insurance Claims
Insurance Claim Follow-Up
Secondary Insurance Claims
Section Five General Back Office
Department Task List
OSHA and the Back Office
Opening and Closing the Back Office
Greeting and Seating Patients: Guidelines
Section Five
General Back Office (cont.)
Communicating with the Deaf or Hearing Impaired
Patient Using Speech Reading
Patient Dismissal: Guidelines
Special Words and Phrases for Kids
Clinical Abbreviations
Dental Equipment Setup
Nitrous Oxide (N20)
Basic Tray Setup
Cassette Tray Setups
Stocking Operatories
X-Rays
Prescriptions
Preparing Lab Cases
Ordering Dental Supplies, Pharmaceuticals, and
Instruments
New Patients
Periodic Exam
Trauma Exam
TMJ Exam
Bleaching
Sealants
Amalgams
Composite Filling With Matrix Band
Composite Filling Without Matrix Band
Full and Partial Denture Impressions
Full and Partial Denture Adjustments
Partial Denture Relines
Immediate Denture Delivery After Extraction
Denture Repair
Partial Repair: Broken Tooth or Clasp
Crown and Bridge, Veneer, Porcelain Jacket,
Laminates, and Maryland Bridge Prep
Cast Post
Pacheting Crown and Bridge
Crown and Bridge Delivery
Veneer and Porcelain Jacket Crown Delivery
PFM/Gold Crown Delivery
Extractions
Root Canal Therapy Treatment
Infection Control
Radiological Safety
Equipment Inspections and Maintenance
Inspecting Nitrous Oxide Equipment
Waste Segregation and Disposal
Rag Wheel Sterilization
Cleaning and Maintenance:
Summary, General Tasks, Operatory Traps,
Chemiclave, X-Ray Processor, Quick Developer, Ultrasonic
Impression Trays, Air Abrasion Unit
Section Six Hygiene Department
Department Task List
Patient Care and Team Philosophy
Doctor and Hygienist Communication
Hygiene Updates and Related Issues
Verbal Communication, Handouts, and Videos
Bacteria Control Techniques
Room Disinfecting Between Patients
Processing Spore Strips
Reviewing Charts On the Hygiene Schedule
Hygiene Room Preparation
Treatment of the Dental Hygiene Patient
Intra-Oral Photos
Post-Operative Calls to Patients
Additional Procedures
Substitute Hygienist
Hygiene Equipment Maintenance
Stocking Hygiene Operatories
Section Seven Management & Marketing
Department Task List
The Business of Dentistry
Leadership by Design Assessment
Personnel Management
Finding and Hiring the Right People
New Employee Orientation
Staff Evaluations and Performance Planning
Front Office Training Schedule
Back Office Training Schedule
Conflict Resolution
OSHA and Regulatory Compliance
Office Security Check List
Inner-Office Memo System
Creating a Team Agreement
Motivating Your Team
Facilitating and Conducting Staff Meetings
The 12 days of Christmas Staff Appreciation
Program
Continuing Education
Convention Attendance
Managing Recall
Chart Audit
Recall System Effectiveness
Recall and Treatment Control Cards
Converting to a New Charting System
Computer Operations: System Log-In and Back-Up
Marketing
Nine Moments of Truth Marketing Analysis
Conducting Patient Satisfaction Surveys
Dazzle Cards
Routine Patient Correspondence
New Patient Welcome Letters
Gifts to Patients and Colleagues
Communicating With the Special Needs Patient
Managing Patient Finances
Making Collections A Team Approach
Monitoring Sheets
Managing Dental Supply Cash Flow
Saving On General Office Supplies
Choosing the Right Dental Lab
Bi-Annual Fee Updates
Business, Life, and Disability Insurance for
the Doctor
Licensing and Other Requirements
Office Layout: Diagrams
Section Eight Forms
Record Release
X-Ray Duplication Request
Authorization for Credit Card Automatic
Deduction
Emergency Telephone Slip
New Patient/Non-Emergency Telephone Slip
Sample Memos
Treatment Estimate
Treatment Goals
Hygiene Fee Information Forms
Section Eight
Forms (continued)
Medical History
Morning Huddle
Daily Deposit Recap and Cash Recap Worksheets
Petty Cash Reconciliation Log and Worksheet
Clinical Evaluation Sheet for Trauma
Medical Clearance Letter
Patient Transfer Form
Prescription Request
Return to Work/School Note
Specialty Referral Form
General Consent for Treatment
Refusal of Treatment
X-Ray Liability Release
Cleaning and Maintenance Checklists
Nine Moments of Truth
Team Survey
Strategy and Goal Sheets
Please, Lets�
Gap Analysis
Job Analysis Questionnaire
Performance Agreement Worksheet
SOPs Worksheet
Chart Audit and Treatment Status
Recap of Chart Audit
Recall System Effectiveness Worksheet
Agenda
Meeting Evaluation
Practice Advisors and Vendors
Patient Satisfaction Survey
Patient Correspondence:
New Patient Welcome Letter, Referral Thank You,
Great Patient Club, Cavity Free Club, Prophy Encouragement, Apology for
Extended Wait, Sorry to See You Go, Inactive Patient Notice, Withdrawal From
Care Notice
Dental Supply, Pharmaceutical, and Instrument
Order List
Equipment Inspection and Maintenance Master
List
u The Specialty Books in the u
Dental
SOPs Library
Table
of Contents
Opening the Back Office & Closing the Back
Office
Consultations
Consultation Sheet
Informed Consents
Fee Estimate and Financial Agreement Form
Pre-Operative Instructions
Post-Operative Instructions for Minor Oral
Surgery
Record of X-Rays and Insurance Billing
Tray Setup
Tray Setup: Biopsy
Exposure of Impacted Tooth to Aid Eruption
Implants
Recovery Room
Post-Operative Instructions
Sinus Instructions
Post-Operative Visit
Medical Emergencies
Appointment Scheduling:
General Guidelines, Emergencies, New Patients, Consultations, Requesting Patient Records, Records, Beginning Treatment for Banding and Bonding, Appliance Delivery, Recall
Seating the Patient
Records Appointment
Patient Photos
Models: Impressions
Pouring Models
Trimming Models
New Braces Instructions
Hygiene
Placing Separators
Bonding
Banding
Rebonding Brackets
Recementing Bands
Headgear Delivery
Headgear/Neckgear Follow-up
Rapid Palatal Expander
Retainer Delivery
Appointment Scheduling:
General Guidelines,Clinical Abbreviations Used
in Scheduling, Verbal Skills, New Patient Scheduling, Scheduling Emergencies, Periodic Oral
Examination (PE)
Recall
Sample Recall Letters
New Patient Check-In
Established Patient Check-In
New Patient Visit
Referral Slip
Treatment Plan and Consent Form
Oral Sedation
Thanking Referrals
Treatment Cards Sent to Referring Dentists
Tray Setups
X-Rays
Hand Pieces: High and Slow Speed
Infection Control
Phone Calls from Other Dentists
Abbreviations
Appointment Scheduling: New Patient
Consultation
Treatment Planning Appointment
Financial Agreement
Consent for Therapy/Sedation
Medical Clearance Letter
Appointment Scheduling: Surgical Procedures and
Root Planing
Confirming Surgical Appointments
Post-Operative Instructions: Root Planing
Appointment Scheduling: Periodontal Maintenance
Tray Setups
Post-Operative
Instructions: Surgery
Appointment Scheduling:
Verbal Skills, New Patient, Letter to the Parents: Child�s First Visit, Scheduling Emergencies, Telephone Emergency Slip, Trauma: Clinical Evaluation Sheet, Periodic Coronal Polish and Oral Exam, Sealants, Restoratives, Nitrous Oxide, Treatment Information Sheets: Stainless Steel Crown, Pulpotomy, Bands and Impressions, Space Maintainers, Oral Sedation Guidelines: Parent Letter, Oral Sedation Verbal Skills, Oral Sedation, Oral Sedation Instructions for Your Child, Post-Operative Medication Instructions for Your Child, Ortho Extraction and X-Ray Orders, Hospital Cases (O.R�s), Hospital Scheduling Check List
Financial Information
Sheet for Hospital Cases
Letter of Necessity for Dental Procedures
Performed in Hospital Under General Anesthesia
Hospital Admission
Instructions
History and Physical for
Hospital Dental Treatment
Confirming Hospital Cases
Patient Check In
Patient Check In: New
Patients
Medical History Update
Educational Programs for
Preschools
Promotional Letter to
Preschools
Preschool Presentations
Special Words and Phrases
for Kids
Child�s First Visit
X-rays: Taking and
Mounting
X-rays: Liability Release
for Refusal of
X-rays
Periodic Exam and Coronal
Polish (PE)
Tray Setups: Stainless
Steel Crowns
Micro Abrasion
Ortho 2 x 4 or 2 x 6: Tray
Setup and Procedure
Extractions
Nitrous Oxide and Oxygen
Oral Sedation
Operating Room Assistant:
Preparations