Heidi Olwell, LDA, is the office manager at Dental Associates of Cape Cod and has worked in many areas of the dental field for over 32 years. She has been the receptionist, recall coordinator, dental assistant and for the last 20 years the office manager. She is also currently a Licensed Dental Assistant. Heidi says that having worked in several areas of the office has helped her tremendously in being able to understand the challenges that the staff face on a daily basis in the process of giving quality care to each patient.
“My favorite part of my job is creating systems and finding ways to help the practice run more smoothly and efficiently. No matter how large or small, I love the challenge of taking an issue and finding a solution!” Heidi tells us.
“One of the biggest challenges I face on a regular basis is managing the staff, their benefits and overseeing that everyone is adhering to the Office Handbook. I lead by example and it is very important to me that the staff understands that we all must abide by the same rules. “
“The least favorite part of my job is the paperwork. It used to be when you hired a new staff person you needed a completed resume and W4 form. We hired a new dental assistant recently and the paperwork needed was approximately 30 pages!”
“One thing that makes our office different from most is that we use MAC based practice management software called MacPractice. We made the decision to go with MAC because we felt the platform was more stable than windows. The MacPractice software is very comprehensive and user friendly in allowing us to customize our work flow.”
When asked what advice she would give to a new office manager/administrator, Heidi exclaimed, “Never stop learning. I have been to Yankee Dental Congress yearly for the last 32 years and I always learn something beneficial. Also, listen to your staff. Some of the most useful ideas on implementing change in the office have come from the staff. Surround yourself with staff that contribute and genuinely want to help the practice grow.”
Heidi has a huge heart and has volunteered at Yankee Dental Congress and has served on the Massachusetts Dental Society Foundation Board/Golf Tournament Committee as well as helped run the Cape Cod/South Shore District Dental Societies Annual Learn and Play lecture/golf tournament for the last 14 years.
Heidi has been a member of the Dental Managers Society (Initially NEDOM) since we started the South Shore Chapter. As a consultant who helps other practices grow, Heidi sees the benefits of belonging to the Dental Managers Society. ” Being an Office Manager is a tough job. You often feel like everything in the office is resting on your shoulders. It can also be somewhat lonely as you must be cautious of your friendships in the office, as you often are the one conducting performance and salary reviews and must be unbiased. Being a member of the Dental Managers Society has been such an enriching experience. It is so important to me to continually be educated as well as meet with other like minded individuals in order to share experiences and ideas to bring back to our own offices.”
She has three children and four grandchildren. She resides in Plymouth with her husband Evans.
We are so thrilled to have Heidi as a contributing member of the Dental Managers Society! Her wisdom and experience add to every meeting she attends!
