The front office team at Riverside Family Dental not only knows how to seamlessly run an office even in the face of adversity, they also make it a priority to have a little fun.

They came together when Dr. Holly Hamilton was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2019, working the schedule around her treatments and providing the support she needed to get through a difficult time. They also kept things light, celebrating national “holidays” every chance they got, a tradition they still have today.

The Florida-based Riverside team has become family to Dr. Hamilton, and she is grateful for all they do for her patients and her practice. We were impressed with their contribution, which is why we’ve named them 2021’s Best Front Office.

We received many nominations this year, but the Riverside team really stood out. Read on for the full nomination along with a few honorable mentions. The four other teams we’re recognizing are also impressive, with all of them going above and beyond to help their practices thrive.

I absolutely have the best front office team possible! In 2019, I was diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer. They stepped up to help make my schedule run around my treatments without missing a beat. They are always wanting to celebrate Wacky Wednesday, Star Wars Day, Taco Tuesday and other national “holidays.”

Throughout COVID, they adapted to new regimens and never complained about anything. They are supportive of my philosophy with patient focused treatment and always go above and beyond to help patients. Three of the four front office team members are cross trained as assistants and are an invaluable source of information when patients call with questions. Honestly, if this were about the whole office team, I could say the same thing!

I am beyond blessed to have such a supportive, caring and gracious staff. In fact, it is an injustice to call them “staff” as they are part of my family. I am so very grateful for the place they hold in my life. They have been there for me throughout many difficulties, and I don’t know how I would function without them!

I, on behalf of my office, would like to nominate Jennifer Kerby. We have a small office with two full time and two part time employees. Jenn is full-time front office. Not only does she do all the bank/appoint/check-ins, but she helped us post more than 40k in profit in 2020. She helped creatively manage our employees during the pandemic so we could work without layoffs. She also coordinates several volunteer student hours and applies dental experience visits to our office, manages the employee schedule, troubleshoots and just works hard.

She also helped foster a lunch sharing that brings us together for lunch, rather than us all going our separate ways. She is real with patients and is interested in their trivialities, their sadness and their joys. She embraced my program of disinfection without question and now champions continual best practices. Our office does not smell like a dental office and is calming to those who visit.

I would like to nominate Jennifer Kerby as the best in my frontline team! Not only does she do the work, she makes us all look good too.

My team at Dentistry for Kids and Adults has been holding the fort down since I became an almost absentee owner when my attention shifted to taking care of my software company. My team members—some have been with me for the past 10 to 15 years and others are more recent hires, including two during the pandemic—have really stepped up, running my office without me.

From daily huddles to overcoming daily challenges, I rarely get any calls from the office. Considering that my team is 33 members strong with several GP and specialty associates, they truly go above and beyond to create an atmosphere for patients and their peers. My practice administrator was able to hire a few team members and overcome some challenges, including a gas leak, compressor failure, local fires, internet outages, and team members needing to take time off for personal or health issues.

The office is thriving. Our collections are strong, our new patient flow is better than ever, and team morale is high. We lost very few team members due to COVID, which is a testament to how well they communicate and take care of each other. And our online reviews are stellar! I am so proud of what they have accomplished and how driven and internally motivated everyone on my team is.

My name is Dr. Kent Stilson from Cordera Family Dentistry in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and I’d like to nominate my front office team members as the best front office team! Kristin, our HR rep, is the kindest, most patient person. She has been crucial as we’ve grown and added new staff and will play a big role as we expand into a new office this coming year. Bobbie, our Office Manager, has been with us for 11 years and has implemented systems that are efficient and easy to understand for our staff and patients. Our online reviews consistently express gratitude about how easy it is to understand insurance because of how Bobbie has trained everyone up front. Abby and Cierra are the first faces to greet patients as they come through the door. They handle a lot of questions and provide direction for our patients. Rachel is our Financial Coordinator and does a great job helping patients understand the intricacies of insurance and how to manage payments. These ladies are the backbone of our office, and I am honored to have them work side by side with our clinical staff. We love these ladies!

With pleasure, I give you my nomination for the best dental front office team in all the land!

The front office team at Divine Dental Smile offers outstanding customer service. They get my vote for so many reasons. Every patient is greeted with a smile and welcomed by name. Our clients feel like best friends and family. Every effort is made by this front office team to ensure patients feel special from reminder calls to take a pre-medication, scheduling on-the-spot referrals, post-op calls to ensure their comfort, even sending birthday, graduation and holiday cards. They can make the toughest most hateful patients look forward to coming in.

I don't know a front office team besides mine that has helped patients with financial, social and emotional issues while showing love and sincere friendship through hard times. They go above and beyond, assisting clients with their financial concerns using superior knowledge of insurance and financial options to help patients get the treatment they need and deserve. They won't take a denial from any insurance provider without a thorough investigation.