Walk into a growing private practice and you will find someone whose job title did not exist when most of the team started their careers: the treatment coordinator.
What a TCO does
A treatment coordinator sits with the patient after the clinician has examined them and explained the options. The TCO goes through the plan again in plain language, answers questions the patient was too shy to ask the dentist, explains the fees and finance options, and follows up in the days afterwards. They do not diagnose, recommend or obtain consent — that remains the clinician's job — but they make sure the patient is informed and supported.
Why practices need them
Clinicians are expensive and clinical time is limited. Every twenty minutes a dentist spends explaining finance is twenty minutes they are not treating. Patients, meanwhile, often need time and a friendly non-clinical face before committing to a large treatment plan. A good TCO gives both sides what they need — and practices typically see case acceptance rise significantly.
Who becomes a TCO?
Experienced receptionists and dental nurses are the most common route. Nurses bring clinical understanding; receptionists bring communication and diary skills. Both need training in consultation structure, finance rules and the ethical boundaries of the role.
The ethical line
The GDC is clear that patients must never be pressured into treatment. A TCO's job is to inform, not to sell. Our TCO courses put ethics and consent at the centre for exactly this reason.
If you are a receptionist or nurse thinking about the next step, the TCO Foundation Course is where most of our learners start.
