Introducing Alison: Practice Manager at Norfolk Dental Specialists

At Norfolk Dental Specialists, every member of the team gives their all to make sure that the patient experience is a positive one. The lady who makes sure that everyone (patients and staff) is in the right place at the right time is our Practice Manager, Alison. In the first of a series of blog posts introducing the team, we interviewed Alison about her role.     

How did you come to choose a career in dental practice management?

After spending a few years at home caring for my children, I decided in the early 90s that I needed to expand my knowledge. For me, this was the early days of computers, so I opted to do a course in Information Technology to bring me up to speed. This gave me the confidence to look for work. I wanted to be a medical receptionist and hadn’t considered anything else. I was lucky to be offered a post in my local neighbourhood and remained there for 8 years. During that time, I qualified with distinction in my chosen field. I moved jobs to full time work and wanted to stay within healthcare. That was when I accepted a receptionist position in a dental practice. I was promoted to administrator after 1 year and the position soon expanded to practice manager. In 2013, I enrolled in a course at Sheffield Hallam University in dental practice management which I passed with Merit.

What’s your role at Norfolk Dental Specialists? 

One aspect of my role here consists of making sure we are compliant with the Care Quality Commission [the independent regulator of all health and social care services in England] this includes updating policies, making sure the team are aware of any changes and ensuring that protocols are adhered to. I also run the staff diary – making sure everyone knows where to be and arranging cover for holidays and illness. Another of my responsibilities is to organise team meetings and any necessary training. On top of all that, I also deal with and document customer queries.                        

How does an average day unfold for you? 

An average day starts with checking and responding to my emails and making sure we have a full team. I’ll look at the diary to prepare for our morning ‘huddle’. Part of the working day will be spent answering the phone to patient enquiries and liaising with the admin team. I work closely with Hamed and the other specialists. It is my job to oversee the smooth running of the practice. I see my role as one that encourages participation and team building and one that strengthens the relationship between patients and treatment providers. I’ll allocate tasks and duties to the rest of the team and I’ll check the compliance folder and action any tasks that are due. If I have any free time, I’ll try to fit in lunch then deal with anything else that might come up during the day. 

What do you like best about your role?

I enjoy making sure that all the polices and protocols are up to date and the organisation of meetings to discuss matters related to these. I find satisfaction in problem solving.

What’s it like to work for Norfolk Dental Specialists?

When I first joined as the administrator, new patient coordinator, I had never worked with such a big team. But they soon made me very welcome and very much part of the team. When I was promoted to Practice Manager, they were so supportive and the transition has been (hopefully) flawless. We have 6 nurses and 4 admin who are an asset to our team, they are a happy friendly group who work really well together and keep the practice running smoothly. We are lucky to have 5 specialists and 5 hygienists who work with us during the week. They are all very professional and dedicated to their careers. It is a pleasure to work at Norfolk Dental Specialists and I would recommend it to anyone!

Norfolk Dental Specialists are a private dentist in Norwich offering specialist treatments. If you have any questions at all about any of our services, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. Call our reception on 01603 632525.

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