Front desk receptionist vs dental receptionist

The differences between front desk receptionists and dental receptionists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a front desk receptionist and a dental receptionist. Additionally, a dental receptionist has an average salary of $34,359, which is higher than the $31,050 average annual salary of a front desk receptionist.

The top three skills for a front desk receptionist include patients, check-in and phone calls. The most important skills for a dental receptionist are patients, customer service, and phone calls.

Front desk receptionist vs dental receptionist overview

	Front Desk Receptionist	Dental Receptionist
Yearly salary	$31,050	$34,359
Hourly rate	$14.93	$16.52
Growth rate	-	-
Number of jobs	82,593	66,076
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 33%	High School Diploma, 32%
Average age	42	42
Years of experience	2	2

What does a front desk receptionist do?

Front desk receptionists are usually the first contact of clients or visitors in an office or building. They are responsible for welcoming and receiving guests, documenting guests' arrival and updating the visitor logbook, informing hosts and other involved employees that the guests have arrived, and directing the guests to where they should go next. They also man telephone lines, schedule appointments, receive packages or mails, and answer office visitors' questions. Front desk receptionists are expected to be personable, knowledgeable on office-related activities, and familiar with everyone.

What does a dental receptionist do?

A dental receptionist is responsible for performing administrative and clerical duties to support dental office operations and ensure that the patients receive the highest quality care services. Dental receptionists manage and schedule the patients' appointments, determine the availability of the dentist, process dental reports and service payments, and ensure the adequacy of dental inventories. They also organize the database system by updating patients' information, sending referrals to medical specialists, pulling-up patient charts, and responding to the patients' dental inquiries and concerns.

Front desk receptionist vs dental receptionist salary

Front desk receptionists and dental receptionists have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Front Desk Receptionist	Dental Receptionist
Average salary	$31,050	$34,359
Salary range	Between $24,000 And $39,000	Between $27,000 And $42,000
Highest paying City	Seattle, WA	Bellingham, WA
Highest paying state	Alaska	Alaska
Best paying company	SightMD	University of Southern California
Best paying industry	Government	Health Care

Differences between front desk receptionist and dental receptionist education

There are a few differences between a front desk receptionist and a dental receptionist in terms of educational background:

	Front Desk Receptionist	Dental Receptionist
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 33%	High School Diploma, 32%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Front desk receptionist vs dental receptionist demographics

Here are the differences between front desk receptionists' and dental receptionists' demographics:

	Front Desk Receptionist	Dental Receptionist
Average age	42	42
Gender ratio	Male, 15.4% Female, 84.6%	Male, 4.9% Female, 95.1%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 10.6% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 23.9% Asian, 6.4% White, 53.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%	Black or African American, 9.4% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 27.0% Asian, 5.5% White, 52.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage	6%	6%

Differences between front desk receptionist and dental receptionist duties and responsibilities

Front desk receptionist example responsibilities.

Accomplish computer work using a PMS system; OperaXpress.
Collect and distribute mail and packages, prepare FedEx shipments and manage online postage machine.
Use EMR software to manage patient records and files; reinforce and uphold patient confidentiality as required by HIPAA and clinic
Acquire knowledge of ICD-9 and CPT codes and achieve up-to-date knowledge of medical record practices, standards, and regulations.
Manage patients records by keeping all medical history, insurance and personal information update and verify abiding by HIPAA protocols.
Assist office management and staff with administrative projects/responsibilities such as managing time-sensitive projects, filing, copying, and collating materials.

Dental receptionist example responsibilities.

Manage an adjoining veterinary supply shop that sell medications, animal food and pet equipment.
Perform administrative and receptionist duties by managing patient records while staying in compliance with HIPAA and JCAHO.
Manage Eaglesoft system thereby maximizing and balancing the calendar of appointments to drive practice revenue while maintaining optimal practice productivity.
Assist office management and staff with administrative projects/responsibilities such as managing time-sensitive projects, filing, copying, and collating materials.
Register new patients according to office protocol using EagleSoft.
Experience in PPO and some HMO insurances.

Front desk receptionist vs dental receptionist skills

Common front desk receptionist skills

Patients, 23%
Check-In, 12%
Phone Calls, 10%
Reservations, 10%
Customer Service, 10%
Appointment Scheduling, 5%

Common dental receptionist skills

Patients, 35%
Customer Service, 17%
Phone Calls, 10%
Patient Accounts, 8%
Front Desk, 3%
HMO, 3%

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Front Desk Receptionist
Front Desk Receptionist vs Dental Receptionist

Updated January 8, 2025

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