Dental Billing

What is Dental Billing?

When it comes to payment, there are two revenue sources you need to work efficiently and transparently with: the insurance companies and the patient. If you don’t follow the insurance billing process correctly, you can experience delays in money you’re owed, frustrate or lose patients because of surprise fees, see cash flow issues, or even face legal repercussions.

Unfortunately, with these high stakes, the dental billing process isn’t exactly something an unfamiliar employee can pick up on the job. Field expertise, honesty, and attention to detail are required to help your dental practice succeed financially. That’s where DSS can make a huge difference!

What is the Process of Dental Billing?

When the steps are followed properly, dental billing with insurance can be a reliable revenue stream. Here are the steps to being paid on time:

• Collect the patient’s insurance information when they schedule the appointment.
• Verify their coverage and benefits with the insurance company before they are treated.
• Create a treatment plan based on the patient’s needs and confirm their available coverage for the specific services proposed.
• Collect predicted out-of-pocket costs from the patient at the time of service.
• Submit the insurance claim within two days of the treatment(s) being performed, including correct patient and provider information, accurate codes for services, attached relevant documentation (like X-rays, photos, narratives and clinical notes, etc.), and any other claims forms with a Coordination of Benefits form for those with multiple insurance plans.
• Appeal insurance claims if they have been denied or remain unpaid after three weeks from submission.
• Manage the ageing report to avoid long delays in payment, starting with the oldest claims.
• Post insurance payments on your practice’s management software.

Note: this process often takes time and requires phone calls exchanged with insurance companies.

The Benefits of Outsourcing Dental Billing

Although free-for-service dental practices have a more direct collection process, efficiently billing dental insurance companies does the following for your business:

• Attracts more patients who have dental insurance benefits through their jobs.
• Saves money for patients who have in-network insurance plans, which makes them happy!
• Allows you to show your team’s competence and transparency about pricing, which builds trust with your patient base.
• Gives you a clearer idea of your practice’s financial well-being.

In addition to the benefits of properly completing the dental billing process in general, outsourcing this task comes with many advantages for you and your practice:

• For instance, when only one person takes charge of the revenue collection, laundering and fraud can happen more easily. DSS can double check the numbers and keep everyone honest, protecting your practice’s reputation and preventing legal trouble.
• You may worry that paying an outside company may cost a lot, but the price often is lower than paying a full-time salary and benefits for an in-house dedicated insurance team member.
• In addition, without this tedious responsibility, your front desk employees can spend their time, positive energy, and focus on the patients and creating a pleasant and comfortable experience from the first moment to the last.
• As a HIPAA-compliant company with insurance experts, DSS will protect your patient’s information and stay informed about updates to codes and other essential industry information.