Meet the Faces of GSDM: Marta Diaz, Patient Coordinator
With 30 years of experience working in the GSDM Predoctoral Patient Treatment Center as a patient coordinator, Marta Diaz knows the attributes essential for the role: compassion, understanding, and warmth.
At GSDM, patient coordinators are the first point of contact between patients and the dental care team. Diaz said patient coordinators are vital to keeping the Patient Treatment Center organized and preparing patients for dental appointments.
“Being a patient coordinator at GSDM is a demanding and fast-paced job,” Diaz said. “It requires patience, kindness, resilience, and a strong team spirit. We interact with patients of all backgrounds and personalities, and we play a key part in their experience.”
In her role, Diaz juggles many tasks, including patient registration, insurance verification, appointment coordination, and referral management. Patient registration involves collecting patient demographics, emergency contacts, and any additional information that the dental care team needs to prepare for appointments, Diaz said.
At GSDM, all new comprehensive care patients have their first appointment, scheduled by Diaz and her fellow patient coordinators, in the school’s Data Collection & Treatment Planning clinic. After patients complete this first appointment and receive a routing slip that indicates their dental needs, Diaz is part of the team that assigns patients to a predoctoral student and sets up their follow-up appointments based on a spreadsheet provided by the Group Practice Leaders that indicates which students need specific treatment cases. She said all patient coordinator concurrently verifies insurance information and double-checks coverage the day before appointments.”
“Every day brings something new, and that’s part of what keeps me engaged,” Diaz said.
Prior to GSDM, Diaz served as a police cadet. She realized law enforcement was not the path she wanted to pursue and transitioned into administrative work. She worked as an administrative assistant for an engineering company, New England Medical Center (now Tufts Medical Center), and the Department of Revenue before a temporary agency referred her to GSDM.
Diaz said she didn’t know anything about dentistry before she came to GSDM. Now, she couldn’t imagine working in any other profession.
“Once I joined GSDM, I quickly discovered how meaningful and rewarding the dental field is,” Diaz said.
Over her career, Diaz said she’s never had two days feel the same. There have been some challenges—such as working with anxious patients—but Diaz said having a calm and respectful attitude has defused any tense situation and made a patient’s experience more positive.
“My favorite moments are when I see patients smile because I was able to help them feel comfortable and supported,” Diaz said. “I also love helping students and being seen as a dependable resource for my team. Feeling valued and making a difference every day means a lot to me.”
Diaz is starting to prepare for her retirement, but she’s not ready to leave GSDM yet. She hopes to continue mentoring new staff and share the knowledge she has gained over the years to support the next generation of coordinators and students.
“I’m grateful for the journey I’ve had at GSDM,” Diaz said. “The people I’ve met, the patients I’ve helped, and the students I’ve supported have made these years incredibly meaningful.”