Practice Leader

Independence Dental Services; Elgin (IL); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Independence Dental Services in Illinois seeks a Practice Leader to oversee day-to-day operations of a single high-performing dental practice, accountable for financial performance, operational efficiency, patient experience, and team development. This leadership role partners with the Doctor Owner and Regional leadership to implement corporate initiatives and drive growth.

The Practice Leader will mentor staff, manage scheduling, payroll, compliance, and vendor relationships, and ensure timely

Qualifications

• 5+ years of dental/medical practice management experience, including leadership.
• Proven track record of meeting or exceeding financial and operational goals.
• Strong leadership and interpersonal skills with coaching and mentoring ability.
• Advanced financial acumen including budgeting, forecasting, and KPI analysis.
• Proficiency with practice management software and EMR/EHR systems; MS Office.
• Strong knowledge of dental insurance and billing processes.

Responsibilities

• Lead all practice-level recruitment, onboarding, and termination processes with HR.
• Oversee payroll approvals, compensation changes, and benefit enrollments.
• Manage scheduling structures to meet production and EBITDA goals.
• Oversee front desk, patient records, billing, and collections within policy.
• Ensure regulatory compliance with OSHA, HIPAA, ADA, and training.
• Collaborate with regional leadership to roll out operational initiatives.

Skills

Leadership

Staff development

KPI analysis

Budgeting

EMR/EHR systems

Dental management

Office Manager experience

Tools

Practice management software

Microsoft Excel

Billing systems

Job description

Position Information

Job Title: Practice Leader
Reports To: Regional Manager or Regional Manager of Operations (depending on region structure)
FLSA Status: Exempt
Job Type: Full-Time

Position Summary

The Practice Leader is an advanced leadership position responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations of a single, high-performing dental practice at a level consistent with Regional Manager expectations. This role holds full accountability for practice results, including financial performance, operational efficiency, patient experience, compliance, and team development. The Practice Leader partners closely with the Doctor Owner and Regional leadership to implement corporate initiatives, analyze performance data, resolve operational challenges, and develop staff to achieve practice and company goals. This position is a growth step for top-performing Office Managers who have demonstrated readiness for expanded responsibility and leadership autonomy.

Key Responsibilities

Team Management & Leadership

• Serve as the senior on-site leader, setting performance expectations and driving accountability for all practice staff.
• Act as a culture champion, fostering a professional, collaborative, and high-performance work environment aligned with company values.
• Lead both administrative and clinical teams in partnership with the Doctor Owner, ensuring seamless coordination across roles.
• Mentor and develop staff, preparing future leaders within the practice.
• Manage employee relations, including coaching, performance improvement plans, and disciplinary actions in partnership with HR and Regional leadership.
• Ensure all employee communications are documented in the Employee Meeting Log.
• Maintain a consistent communication cadence with the Doctor Owner and Regional leadership.
• Oversee and lead weekly team meetings with both clinical and administrative staff.
• Ensure staff licensing and certifications remain current.
• Serve as the point of contact for facility issues, remodels, and emergency protocols.

Operational Leadership

• Lead onboarding and offboarding processes for all practice staff.
• Approve timecards and time-off requests in alignment with company timekeeping processes.
• Identify operational inefficiencies and implement sustainable improvements.
• Oversee inventory management, equipment maintenance, and service requests within budget guidelines.
• Collaborate with corporate partners to roll out operational initiatives.

Scheduling & Production Alignment

• Implement and maintain scheduling structures that meet production and EBITDA goals.
• Monitor appointment schedules daily, proactively making adjustments to maximize productivity.
• Align staff scheduling with patient demand, ensuring adequate coverage across all functions.
• Oversee provider schedules, including time-off approvals and monthly production planning.
• Escalate scheduling or production concerns to the Doctor Owner and Regional leadership as needed.

Front Office Oversight & Patient Records

• Oversee all front desk functions, including patient intake, insurance verification, billing, and collections.
• Ensure accurate and timely entry of patient and insurance data in practice management systems.
• Monitor patient satisfaction metrics and address escalated concerns.
• Issue dismissal notices and document incident reports when necessary.

Administrative & Financial Compliance

• Maintain full accountability for practice P&L results.
• Monitor KPIs, identify trends, and take proactive measures to address variances.
• Ensure end-of-day closeout compliance and timely submission of all required reports.
• Order supplies within budget through approved procurement channels and resolve quality or delivery issues.
• Partner with the Regional leadership on strategies to optimize collections and reduce accounts receivable aging.

Regulatory & Compliance Oversight

• Ensure compliance with OSHA, HIPAA, ADA, ACA, and other applicable regulations.
• Maintain inspection readiness at all times.
• Assign and track completion of annual compliance training modules.
• Partner with HR to process leave requests and ADA accommodations.

Marketing & Growth Initiatives

• Collaborate with the marketing team to develop and execute campaigns to increase patient acquisition, retention, and referrals.
• Monitor online reviews and support reputation management efforts.
• Identify and implement community outreach opportunities to drive practice visibility and growth.

Hiring, Onboarding & Termination

• Lead all practice-level recruitment, onboarding, and termination processes in partnership with Regional leadership and HR.
• Oversee credentialing processes for providers.
• Ensure timely completion of background checks, drug screenings, and I-9 verifications.

Payroll & Benefits Administration

• Manage payroll approvals, compensation changes, and benefit enrollments.
• Review and reconcile benefit invoices; elevate discrepancies.
• Ensure all payroll-related submissions are accurate and timely.

Technology & Vendor Relationships

• Oversee IT and software needs for the practice.
• Manage third-party vendor relationships and ensure service quality.
• Maintain and track subscriptions and technology performance.

Revenue Cycle Management

• Oversee all RCM processes, including claims management, denials, appeals, and payment posting.
• Monitor production and collections in partnership with Regional leadership and RCM.
• Lead revenue meetings to review performance, resolve barriers, and align on improvement strategies.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in dental or medical practice management, including 2+ years in a leadership role comparable to Office Manager.
• Proven track record of meeting or exceeding financial and operational goals.
• Strong leadership and interpersonal skills with the ability to coach, mentor, and hold teams accountable.
• Advanced financial acumen, including budgeting, forecasting, and KPI analysis.
• Proficiency with practice management software, EMR/EHR systems, and Microsoft Office Suite.
• Strong working knowledge of dental insurance and billing processes.

Work Environment, Expectations & Travel

• Practice Leaders are expected to be dressed in business casual attire (e.g., slacks/khakis, dress shirts/blouses, skirts/dresses, closed-toe shoes), or in accordance with the published dress code of the practice location.
• Full-time, on-site at the assigned practice location.
• Must be able to work at a desk, on a computer, for extended periods.
• Occasional travel for training or regional meetings (up to 10%).