Is answering the phone at a dental practice really a skilled job?
Yes, and treating it like grunt work is one of the most expensive mistakes I see. The person taking inbound calls from prospective patients is doing professional skill work, not receptionist work. They are not just sending texts and shuffling paper. They are deciding whether a stranger with a real problem ever walks through your door. Most front desk people undervalue themselves badly, partly because nobody ever explained what they were actually doing or gave them real training. So they default to the lowest version of the role. Closing a consult appointment over the phone takes the same kind of practiced ability as being a good clinician. Start respecting the role, name it for what it is, and train the person doing it like the skilled professional they need to become.
If the answers you are finding here resonate with you, my team and I work with a small group of clients each year. The next step is a complimentary Discovery Consultation and Practice Review with Dr. McAnally.