Assistant Practice Manager

The Assistant Practice Manager is a key leadership position responsible for overseeing the day-to-day performance and development of the clinic’s Administrative Team.

Working closely with the Practice Manager, this role ensures administrative operations run efficiently, collaboratively and with a strong focus on patient experience, team development and clinic growth.

This position requires in-depth knowledge of the dental industry and dental practice operations, including scheduling, treatment coordination, dental insurance, patient financial processes, accounts receivable and the overall patient journey.

The Assistant Practice Manager must have the knowledge and versatility to lead, coach and provide hands-on support across all administrative functions. A significant focus will be using data, technology and KPIs to improve workflows, maximize schedule utilization and contribute to the continued growth and production of the clinic.

Key Responsibilities

Team Leadership & Development

• Provide day-to-day leadership and direction to the Administrative Team.
• Coach and develop team members to strengthen knowledge, confidence, accountability and performance.
• Establish clear expectations and ensure administrative standards and procedures are consistently followed.
• Identify training opportunities and support individual development.
• Responsible for recruitment, interviewing and hiring of administrative staff
• Maintain the knowledge and ability to provide hands-on support and coverage across administrative roles.
• Promote a collaborative, accountable culture focused on an exceptional patient experience.

Schedule Optimization & Clinic Performance

• Take an active leadership role in maximizing DDS and hygiene schedule utilization.
• Monitor schedule gaps, cancellations, outstanding treatment and other opportunities affecting clinic performance.
• Develop proactive strategies to maintain productive schedules.
• Support initiatives that improve patient retention, treatment acceptance and reactivation.
• Partner with the Practice Manager and clinical team to support sustainable production growth and effective use of clinic capacity.

KPI & Performance Management

• Utilize Dentrix, MaxAssist and other available systems to monitor clinic and administrative performance.
• Develop and monitor meaningful KPIs for administrative functions.
• Review performance indicators including schedule utilization, treatment acceptance, outstanding treatment, reactivation, cancellations and accounts receivable.
• Translate data into actionable priorities for the team.
• Identify trends, performance gaps and opportunities for improvement.

Workflow & Process Improvement

• Continuously evaluate administrative processes and identify opportunities to improve efficiency and consistency.
• Develop and implement improved workflows and standard operating procedures.
• Maximize the use of technology and existing software to reduce manual processes and improve efficiency.
• Monitor new processes and adjust based on results and team feedback.

Interdepartmental Communication

• Strengthen communication and collaboration between administrative and clinical departments.
• Identify communication gaps that affect patient experience, scheduling, treatment delivery or clinic performance.
• Develop processes that improve the flow of information across the clinic.
• Act as a key communication link between the Administrative Team and Practice Manager.

Strategic Growth & Practice Development

• Work alongside the Practice Manager to identify opportunities for clinic growth and operational improvement.
• Contribute to future planning related to scheduling, patient flow, staffing, technology and administrative capacity.
• Assist in developing strategies to increase production while maintaining a high standard of patient care and team experience.
• Participate in the implementation of new programs, technology, services and clinic initiatives.

Qualifications & Experience

• In-depth knowledge of the dental industry and dental practice operations.
• Strong understanding of dental terminology, scheduling, treatment coordination, insurance, patient financial processes and accounts receivable.
• Previous dental administration experience, with leadership or supervisory experience preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to coach, develop and hold team members accountable.
• Strong understanding of how scheduling, treatment acceptance and patient retention influence practice performance.
• Experience with dental practice management software; Dentrix experience is strongly preferred.
• Experience with MaxAssist or similar patient communication platforms is an asset.
• Ability to understand KPIs, identify trends and turn data into actionable strategies.
• Strong communication, organization and problem-solving skills.
• Proactive mindset with a focus on continuous improvement and operational efficiency.

Key Measures of Success

Success in this role will be demonstrated through strong schedule utilization, improved administrative performance and accountability, effective treatment coordination, consistent KPI management, efficient workflows, strong interdepartmental communication, positive patient experiences and contribution to sustainable clinic growth.

Leadership Expectations

The Assistant Practice Manager is expected to be a visible, hands-on leader who balances team leadership with operational support.

The ideal candidate is comfortable moving between coaching team members, reviewing performance data, resolving scheduling or patient concerns, improving workflows and partnering with the Practice Manager on future strategies. They understand that strong administrative leadership directly influences the patient experience, team effectiveness, schedule performance and overall success of the practice.