It’s Time to Celebrate Office Management Teams

Those who keep practices running step into the spotlight

Next month Fall celebrations kick off with Office Manager Appreciation Month (OMAM), supported by CareCredit in partnership with the American Association of Dental Office Management (AADOM), which offers dentists and their dental teams an opportunity to celebrate and show appreciation for all the important work done by their front office teams. Industry leaders and OMAM veterans are sharing their thoughts about the importance of OMAM and how they personally choose to celebrate.

Celebration Ideas for the Entire Team

Heather Colicchio, President of the AADOM, says she finds OMAM to be the perfect time to reflect on the year's accomplishments. "As Office Manager Appreciation Month approaches, I am excited to reflect on the incredible stories I've heard throughout the year from dental office managers. They embody true leadership within their practices, their personal lives, and even extend their influence into their communities."

Colicchio continues, "It's remarkable how often we overlook the strength and resilience within ourselves and those around us."

This year, the OMAM website, omam.carecreditvirtual.com, has received a refresh with exciting features, including a virtual experience, daily affirmations, office management tips, and fun suggestions on how to make the most of the month of celebration. The OMAM website is available starting in August for dental teams to access thoughtfully curated celebratory assets, and then on September 1, the virtual experience and other highlights will be available to office management teams.

"Office Manager Appreciation Month (OMAM) is not just about celebrating the management team; it's also a reminder to prioritize self-care and self-celebration," Colicchio explains.

On the OMAM site, office management teams will find morale-boosting daily affirmations that reiterate just how valuable the work that they do is.

"Celebration is good for the soul," Colicchio adds, "but it is also good for the team, practice, and patients," which is why this year OMAM is not only for office managers but also for their entire management or front office team, which is instrumental in making practices run smoothly and efficiently.

Angela Martinez, a former office manager and a current CareCredit employee, says she is thrilled about this year's inclusion of the entire office management team in OMAM. "When I think of all the office management professionals I know, from the time I worked in a practice to my current role, I see amazingly talented individuals who are invested in their patients, the practice as a business, and their own professional growth." Having worked in dentistry for many years, Martinez has had a front-row seat to the changes that have occurred.

"Over the past few years, we've seen many dental teams embrace increased cross-functionality, often influenced by hiring challenges or an increased focus on efficiencies, so including more of the team seems to better reflect today's practice dynamic and inclusivity," Martinez says.

There is so much to celebrate this OMAM and plenty of reasons to participate. "Celebration is simply a form of positive affirmation and recognition, which may significantly boost personal and team morale," Martinez says. But celebration and appreciation should not be reserved for the "big things" but instead should be a part of our daily routine, she says.

"Often we tend to celebrate the big successes, but all those big successes are really made up of a series of small successes," Martinez says. "These wins deserve celebration daily."

Wins include having no holes in the schedule, no cancellations, or even finding a new hire to join the team.

If you want to go above and beyond in celebrating your team this OMAM, there is a plethora of affordable options for communicating your gratitude. Hosting a special team lunch, whether potluck style or catered, creates space for team bonding and further boosts morale. Alternatively, bringing in an unexpected treat for your colleagues, such as morning coffee or a box of cookies from a local bakery, is a sweet way to say thank you. And if someone on your team has transcended the duties of their role and deserves extra praise, you can never go wrong with flowers.

Discover Quick Time-Saving Tips

Anyone who has ever worked on an office management team knows what it is like to juggle multiple roles at once and the impact that can have on one's personal life. This is why CareCredit in partnership with AADOM created a brand-new section in the OMAM virtual experience dedicated to sharing ways to make all those roles a bit easier to juggle. The informative new section will feature tried and tested tips from key opinion leaders and experienced office managers that you can implement in your practices and systems to make your life just a little easier.

Here is just a quick preview of the type of tips you'll find on the OMAM site:

"Life is easier when you are intentional about continuous improvement," says Carrie Webber of Jameson Management. "In addition to daily huddles and weekly team meetings, have quarterly what we at Jameson call ‘brain trust meetings.' These half-day to full-day meetings allow you and your team to focus and train in a very in-depth and intentional manner on a system, on a piece of technology, on verbal skills, on an element of the practice that needs attention so that you all continue to improve together and stay focused on the ideal vision of the practice."

Debbie Evans, DAADOM, says she appreciates having a custom link QR code display to offer to patients who need financing for dental services. "Patients just scan it and go to a site where they learn all about financing and can prequalify without impacting their credit bureau score," Evans says. "If you don't have a custom link and you'd like to save some time and give patients a great experience, you really should try it."

Beverly Wilburn, DAADOM, is an advocate for teaching staff members new responsibilities. "Invest time in cross training your team," Wilburn says. "This can make your life a lot easier when you're down a team member because of turnover, vacation, or when someone's sick."

Celebrating yourself and recognizing the work done by others is crucial in creating a positive professional environment. OMAM offers the perfect opportunity and reminder to acknowledge and reflect on the progress made by your team over the past year. From daily affirmations to sweet treats, your guide to celebrating this September can be found on the OMAM site.

The importance of dental office managers

The mission of AADOM is to educate, connect, and empower dental office managers and practice leaders across North America. AADOM fills the need for an organization designed to foster a sense of community, an educational resource for all things related to dental practice management, support in running a thriving dental practice, and more. It is designed to be a practical resource for help, answers, and companionship. Another part of the AADOM mission is to recognize the hard work and growth office managers have endured to enhance their careers by bestowing awards upon outstanding professionals.

A dental practice is a complex organization with many moving parts, and it could not even begin to function without a dedicated professional at the helm. That's why organizations like AADOM and initiatives like OMAM are so very important.

This September, be sure to proclaim: "Happy Office Manager Appreciation Month!"

The Dental Office Manager Wears Many Hats

The job of dental office manager is complex. This key person makes the practice function, and an effective professional can make all the difference between a successful office and one that struggles.

Here are just a few of the many tasks an office manager performs on a regular basis:

• Maintaining the calendar. Appointments must be scheduled, rescheduled, and confirmed, all in a way that optimizes provider care time. Patients with emergencies must be accommodated.

• Running the front desk. Patients must be greeted, forms filled out, and payments processed, all while the phone is ringing. A proficient office manager creates a pleasant and positive experience for patients.

• Billing. The office manager is responsible for billing and for processing insurance claims, while ensuring accuracy and financial transparency.

• Regulatory compliance. Adhering with agency regulations is a tall order, involving everything from sterilization to security of patient data.

• Human resources. The office manager is responsible for recruitment, training, and retention of employees.

Other tasks can include handling questions from patients and addressing any of their concerns or complaints, maintaining an inventory of supplies for the practice and ordering equipment, and overseeing the practice's presence on social media. The list goes on.

The bottom line: The office manager is the lifeblood of any dental practice.