Patient Financial Coordinator - School of Dental Medicine

Tufts; Boston (MA); On-site; USD 35,000 - 48,000; Full time

Job summary

Tufts University School of Dental Medicine is seeking a on-site Patient Financial Coordinator to support the Revenue Cycle Operations team. The role focuses on accurate data entry for patient demographics and insurance information, ensuring full frontend collections and clear communication of financial responsibilities to patients.

Responsibilities include verifying eligibility, obtaining pre-treatment forms, following up with insurers and internal teams, and maintaining meticulous records.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or higher preferred; alternative 1–3 years finance/healthcare experience accepted.
• CDC certification required within 1 year of hire or already held.
• Strong knowledge of dental/medical insurance processes, eligibility and benefits.

Responsibilities

• Ensures timely entry of patient demographics, insurance info and self-pay coordination.
• Explains financial responsibilities to patients and answers treatment cost inquiries.
• Maintains 100% accuracy and thorough documentation in patient accounts.
• Verifies insurance eligibility, benefits and coverage for planned treatments.
• Obtains necessary pre-treatment forms and follows up with insurers and internal teams.
• Ensures patients understand deductibles, co-pays and non-covered services at point of service.
• Communicates with residents, clinic administration and providers to meet compliance standards.
• Performs additional duties as assigned.

Skills

Customer service

Emotional intelligence

Communication

Attention to detail

Organizational skills

Excel

Independent

Education

Bachelor’s degree or higher preferred

High School diploma + 1–3 years finance/healthcare experience

Dental coder certification (CDC) or within 1 year

Tools

axiUm software

Microsoft Excel

Insurance verification systems

Job description

Overview

Tufts University School of Dental Medicine (TUSDM) offers one of the most forward-looking educational environments in dental medicine in the country. Revenue Cycle Operations (RCO) supports patient care services revenue cycle management team, along with other members of the Finance and Administration team, supports the financial management and administration of the dental school. This position reports directly to the Patient Financial Administrator and works closely with school clinics it supports: Dental Faculty Practice, Craniofacial Pain and Sleep Center, Oral Medicine, Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology and Tufts Dental Facilities, the Pre-doctoral (students), Postgraduate (residents) Specialty clinical treatment areas, which includes: Endodontics, Orthodontics, Periodontics, Prosthodontics, Pedodontics, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, AEGD and Geriatric Dentistry.

What You’ll Do

Our onsite patient-facing Patient Financial Coordinators play a vital role in the Dental School’s revenue cycle management, ensuring patient services payments in full, which has a direct impact on the Dental School’s clinical services financial and claims outcomes success.

Revenue Cycle Operation’s Patient Financial Coordinator:

• Ensures timely and accurate entry of patient demographics, insurance information and self-pay financial/collection aspects to enhance and secure frontend collections.
• Ensures patients understand their financial responsibilities by reviewing/reconciling accounts and explaining/answering any/all financially based treatment inquiries.
• The role and responsibilities are deadline driven and requires 100% accuracy and exceptional attention to detail.
• The Patient Financial Coordinator is responsible for ensuring that scheduled and planned treatment meets insurance eligibility, benefits, limitations and coverage guidelines and that all applicable waivers are obtained prior to treatment.
• Obtains and tracks all requested, necessary and/or required pre-treatment forms.
• Follows up with insurances, students, residents, patients and internal teams.
• Documents/updates all actions/contact in patient accounts.
• Ensures patients accept, sign and fully understand their financial responsibilities to pay their deductibles, co-insurances, co-pays and non-covered services fees/charges in full at time of service.
• Answers eligibility and benefit coverage inquiries.
• Communicates with residents, practice/clinic administration, healthcare providers and insurances to ensure required standards are met and compliant and when applicable, makes recommendations for resolutions.
• Other duties as assigned.

What We’re Looking For

Basic Requirements

Knowledge and experience typically acquired by:

• Bachelor’s Degree/Associate’s Degree preferred OR High School degree/GED and 1-3 years of proven finance related experience or compliant dental/medical healthcare financial, treatment planning, claims or financial coordination, with insurance benefits, eligibility, limitations and guidelines.
• Must have exceptional EQ (emotional intelligence) and be customer service focused (internal and external), with excellent communication, attention to detail, organizational and interpersonal skills.
• Knowledge of pre-claims requirements for dental/medical insurances, insurance processes, billing/healthcare compliance and insurance guidelines, rules, regulations and requirements.
• Working knowledge of prior authorizations, insurance verification, including accurate and timely communication to internal team members and patients regarding financial responsibilities based on eligibility, benefits and coverage.
• Requires expert attention to detail and experience coordinating benefits.
• Needs to be driven, Excel knowledge, innovative, independent, self-starter, a leader, team player, analytical intelligence, exceptional attention to detail, ability to effectively communicate technical information, adaptable with an aptitude and willingness to learn and drive change.
• Dental coder certification (CDC) required, or within 1 year of hire date.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree preferred.
• Certified Dental Coder (CDC) applicant with 3+ years of dental/medical insurance verification and/or financial coordination experience in a fast-paced dental/medical healthcare setting.
• Expert knowledge of Medicare, MassHealth and commercial insurance pre-claims requirements, regulations and guidelines.
• Expert knowledge axiUm software.
• Familiarity with ADA codes, CPT Codes and ICD-10 Codes.
• Experience in a fast-paced dental/medical setting.
• Knowledge axiUm software.

Special Work Schedule Requirements: This is an onsite position Monday – Friday: FT 37.5 hours 8:30am to 5:00pm and evening clinic rotation 4:30pm to 7:00pm.

Pay Range

Minimum $25.20, Midpoint $30.10, Maximum $34.90

Salary is based on related experience, expertise, and internal equity; generally, new hires can expect pay between the minimum and midpoint of the range.