Dental Care Coordinator & Treatment Navigator

Heartlandhealth; Lawrence (KS); On-site; USD 26,000 - 34,000; Full time

Job summary

Heartlandhealth in Kansas is seeking a Dental Patient Coordinator to support patients in understanding and completing recommended dental treatment. You will clarify treatment plans, estimated patient responsibility, payment expectations, and readiness for scheduling higher-cost services.

The role bridges the dental provider's plan and the front desk workflows, helping remove financial and administrative barriers while protecting patient trust, clinic time, and program sustainability.

Qualifications

• High School diploma or equivalent is required.
• Must be fluent in English, other language skills are a plus
• Must have at least 2 years Patient/Customer Care experience in a healthcare environment (physician's office, clinic, or hospital)
• Customer-service oriented; patient-centered focus that promotes the satisfaction and well-being of those we are called to serve
• Ability to handle money and reconcile daily deposits
• Demonstrates high level of confidentiality
• Demonstrated ability to learn technology systems; generally, technology-savvy
• Strong verbal communications skills and ability to communicate ideas and concepts successfully
• Demonstrated ability to remain calm when under pressure and ability to work well in a fast-paced environment
• Good computer skills and knowledge of Microsoft programs
• High energy, positive attitude, ability to work autonomously, flexibility, teamwork, attention to detail, and high degree of initiative
• Upholds Heartland's guiding values of Compassion, Respect, Collaboration, and Integrity
• Maintains regular and predictable attendance

Responsibilities

• Meet with or contact patients after dental appointments, as needed, to review recommended treatment, estimated patient responsibility, payment expectations, and next steps.
• Help patients understand costs related to crowns, bridges, dentures, partials, root canals, and other higher-cost or lab-related dental services.
• Provide additional information, resources, or internal referrals when finances are a barrier to completing recommended care.
• Communicate with patients in a clear, respectful, and supportive manner that reflects Heartland's mission and The HEART in Heartland values.
• Verify dental benefits and coverage information as needed to support treatment planning and patient communication.
• Complete, submit, and track dental prior authorizations in accordance with payer requirements and Heartland workflows.
• Review treatment plans, benefit information, sliding fee eligibility, and payer requirements to help determine estimated patient responsibility.
• Enter estimated patient responsibility into the appropriate system so Dental PSRs/front desk staff know what amount should be collected.
• Communicate authorization delays, denials, missing documentation, or payer-related barriers to the appropriate provider, patient, billing staff, or supervisor.
• Ensure required prior authorization, patient payment, lab coordination, and documentation steps are complete before scheduling applicable rehabilitative or lab-related dental appointments.
• Contact patients to schedule higher-cost or longer dental appointments once readiness requirements are met.
• Reinforce attendance expectations for longer appointments to reduce late cancellations, no-shows, and lost chair time.
• Follow up with patients before scheduled rehabilitative appointments as needed to support attendance and treatment completion.
• Lab and High-Cost Procedure Tracking
• Monitor lab-related treatment workflows to help ensure patient charges, expected collections, and lab bills are reviewed and communicated appropriately.
• Track lab-related services such as crowns, bridges, dentures, partials, and other prosthetic or rehabilitative procedures.
• Coordinate with billing staff or dental leadership when lab fees, patient charges, or collection expectations appear inconsistent or need review.
• Identify recurring issues related to under-collection, payer limitations, lab charges, or patient payment barriers and communicate concerns to the supervisor.
• Documentation and Communication
• Document patient communication, prior authorization activity, estimated patient responsibility, payment status, resources provided, scheduling readiness, and follow-up actions accurately and timely.
• Review dental provider schedules to ensure patient responsibility information is entered and available for front desk collection workflows.
• Use eCW, payer portals, tracking tools, and other assigned systems accurately.
• Support compliance with Heartland policies, payer requirements, HIPAA, documentation standards, and dental program procedures.
• Complete assigned trainings in a timely manner.
• Perform other duties as assigned.
• Review dental treatment plans for services requiring patient financial coordination, prior authorization, lab involvement, or extended appointment time.
• Meet with or contact patients to explain recommended treatment, expected appointments, estimated costs, insurance coverage, prior authorization requirements, and payment expectations.
• Help patients understand their estimated patient responsibility for treatment, including applicable sliding fee scale, benefit limitations, copays, balances, and non-covered services.
• Communicate estimated patient responsibility to Dental PSRs/front desk staff so the appropriate amount can be collected before or at the time of service, according to Heartland policy.
• Ensure patients have paid the required patient portion before scheduling applicable rehabilitative or lab-related dental appointments, according to established workflows.
• Document patient communication, estimated responsibility, payment status, and next steps accurately in the appropriate systems.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Skills

Fluent English

Patient Care

Education

High School diploma

Job description

Heartlandhealth in Kansas is seeking a Dental Patient Coordinator to support patients in understanding and completing recommended dental treatment. You will clarify treatment plans, estimated patient responsibility, payment expectations, and readiness for scheduling higher-cost services.

The role bridges the dental provider's plan and the front desk workflows, helping remove financial and administrative barriers while protecting patient trust, clinic time, and program sustainability.