In my time shadowing dentists, dental assistants and other practice staff at Dental Solutions in Lymm, I got to know a lot about the different roles available. One of the most interesting areas I got to work in was treatment coordination, which is a multi-faceted role with many different challenges. In this blog post, I will share some of my findings of what it takes to become a treatment coordinator.
Of all the treatment coordinators I shadowed, they all had a different approach to their work, but their work was underpinned by one common theme: they were all incredibly organised. At a moment’s notice, they could let the dentist know where a patient was up to in their treatment when they were next booked in for a visit, and any other important notes about their treatment. This could include anything from remembering their preference for meeting in the waiting room beforehand (popular with nervous patients) or even the young patient’s favourite superheroes (very important). In order to be a successful treatment coordinator, you need to have a strong memory, but also a good system for keeping your working day in order.
While a dentist will treat one patient at a time, the treatment coordinator could be dealing with ten different patients at the same time. Juggling this kind of workload is highly complex, and seeing it in action is very impressive. The treatment coordinators that I worked with never imagined going into this field; instead, their skills were identified by their employers. It’s not unusual for a dental nurse to find themselves heading up the orthodontics department and working with multiple dentists on even more patients.
And finally, the treatment coordinators I worked with were all very friendly and approachable. They have to be, as they are often the first port of call for patients and their families. They are there before the treatment, during the treatment, and after the treatment takes place. This can involve offering recovery advice to the patient and their close family members, as the patient might not always be paying full attention after a complex procedure.
If you’re thinking about heading down the treatment coordinator path, I would recommend getting in some time shadowing someone to get a feel for the work. It isn’t for everyone, so getting as much experience as possible is essential. I was lucky that my local Lymm dentist was able to accommodate me to support my studies – why not get in touch with your nearest dentist to see if they offer placements?