Administration & Reception Coordinator
Systems first. People always.
Could you become the operational engine behind an exceptional patient experience?
Synergy Dental is looking for an experienced, highly organised Administration & Reception Coordinator to join our Dunedin team.
Before you apply, we want you to understand what this position really is.
Because it isn't an ordinary reception job.
This is a high-volume role
Synergy is a busy dental practice where reception sits at the intersection of our patients, clinicians and business systems.
On demanding days, there can be 200+ incoming and outgoing telephone calls.
At the same time, patients are arriving at the counter. Emails and SMS messages are coming in. Appointments are changing. Payments need processing. Clinicians need support. Claims and documentation need attention.
And throughout all of that, our patient information and administration still need to be right.
If reading that makes you uncomfortable, this may not be the position for you.
If instead you're thinking, “Give me good systems, teach me how everything works and I'll get on top of it”, we'd really like you to keep reading.
What matters most to us
Accuracy. Follow-through. Organisation. Composure.
Our patients deserve warmth, empathy and excellent communication.
But behind every great patient experience is excellent administration.
That's why we believe in:
Systems first. Personality second.
When you first join us, we don't need you trying to remember everything or reinventing how things are done.
We need you to learn the systems.
Follow the processes.
Understand the workflows.
Ask questions.
Use the checklists.
Become accurate.
Then become fast.
As those systems become second nature, you'll have the headspace and confidence to let your personality shine through.
That's when great administration and great patient relationships come together.
What you'll actually be responsible for
Working alongside our Reception & Administration Manager, you'll progressively master the systems required to help operate the practice, including:
Managing high volumes of telephone calls, emails and SMS communication
Patient arrivals and departures
Appointment booking and clinician diary management
Cancellations, recalls, waitlists and filling appointment gaps
Accurate patient records and documentation
Payments, receipting and financial administration
ACC, Dental Benefits and WINZ administration
Claims and supporting documentation
Laboratory and referral administration
Following up outstanding actions and information
Responding to clinicians and changing priorities throughout the day
Helping keep patient flow and the wider practice running smoothly
This aligns closely with the actual scope of the position, which extends well beyond front-of-house service into diary management, patient records, financial administration, government funding processes, clinical administration and operational support.
Is this you?
You might be exactly who we're looking for if:
✓ You love structure and organisation
✓ You take genuine pride in getting details right
✓ You're comfortable following established systems rather than constantly creating your own
✓ You can be interrupted, deal with the interruption and then return to what you were doing without losing the thread
✓ You can distinguish between what's urgent, important and simply noisy
✓ You remain professional when the workload increases
✓ You naturally finish things rather than leaving loose ends
✓ You're comfortable being accountable for your work
✓ You enjoy becoming highly competent at what you do
✓ You're warm and confident with people, but don't need every interaction to become a long conversation
✓ You want responsibility and mastery, not simply a job
✓ You're looking for somewhere you can build the next stage of your career
Previous dental experience would certainly help, but we're more interested in evidence that you've successfully operated in a high-volume, process-driven administrative environment where mistakes matter.
This probably isn't you if…
We'd rather be transparent now than discover six months from now that the position isn't what you expected.
This role probably won't suit someone who:
Wants a primarily relationship-focused reception position
Finds constant interruptions particularly stressful
Struggles with repetitive administrative processes
Becomes less accurate as workload increases
Prefers improvisation to following established systems
Regularly starts tasks without reliably completing them
Needs a quiet environment to concentrate
Sees administration or reception as a temporary stepping stone
Those aren't necessarily weaknesses.
They're simply a poor match for this particular job.
This can become a significant role
We're not recruiting someone simply to answer the telephone.
The position has been deliberately designed to grow as your capability grows.
Initially you'll work closely with our Reception & Administration Manager and develop competency across the practice's reception and administration systems.
As you demonstrate accuracy, judgement and reliability, more responsibility can progressively be delegated to you.
Our goal is for the successful person to eventually have enough knowledge and capability to help maintain the department confidently when the Reception & Administration Manager is unavailable.
The formal position description specifically anticipates increasing independence, responsibility and the ability to support business continuity as capability develops.
For someone who wants ownership and responsibility, that's the opportunity.
And there are real people behind all those systems
The systems matter because they allow our clinicians and support team to concentrate on looking after patients.
Synergy's culture is built around no judgement, comfort, trust over transactions, people before production, competence with kindness and pride in the small things.
You'll be joining people who care deeply about doing their jobs well.
And we'll expect the same from you.
Why this job matters
Every accurately booked appointment matters.
Every correctly entered patient detail matters.
Every message that reaches the right clinician matters.
Every claim that is correctly processed matters.
Every follow-up that actually happens matters.
Because when the administration works properly, the entire practice works better.
Clinicians can concentrate on dentistry.
Patients experience an organised, professional practice.
And the reception team can remain in control even when things get very busy.
You become one of the people who makes that possible.
Still reading?
Good.
Because we're deliberately not trying to attract everybody.
We're looking for the person who has read about the volume, systems, pressure, responsibility and attention to detail and thought:
“That's me. I'd be good at this.”
If that's genuinely you, we'd like to hear from you.
Don't send us a generic cover letter.
Along with your CV, tell us briefly about a previous position where you had to manage high volumes of work, frequent interruptions and detailed administration simultaneously.
Tell us:
1. What were you responsible for?
2. How did you organise yourself?
3. How did you ensure important details weren't missed?
Send an email to hello@synergydental.co.nz