{"id":4285,"date":"2021-02-08T13:41:56","date_gmt":"2021-02-08T18:41:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.opencare.com\/blog\/?p=4285"},"modified":"2023-12-05T16:49:47","modified_gmt":"2023-12-05T21:49:47","slug":"4285-revision-v1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.opencare.com\/blog\/8-dental-billing-and-coding-tips-to-save-you-time-and-money\/","title":{"rendered":"8 dental billing and coding tips to save you time (and money!)"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading Time: <\/span> 4<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>

As a dentist, you want to focus on providing excellent service to your patients, but you may find yourself neglecting certain administrative duties. That can lead you to leaving money on the table.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Dental billing is a critical part of your practice. When you can\u2019t effectively bill clients and collect payments, you\u2019re not making money. The same goes for submitting claims to insurance agencies. When they do not make a payment, the client needs to be held responsible \u2014 something only possible if you\u2019re keeping tabs on your accounts.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Let\u2019s look at some dental billing tips to help you keep your practice\u2019s admin organized.<\/span><\/p>\n

1. Staff education<\/b><\/h2>\n

Dentists are taught how to work with dental problems, not how to do accounting. While you are prepared to work with your patients while they sit in the chair, you may not fully know how to run a practice.<\/span><\/p>\n

So make admin\u00a0 education a priority. Take a short course on the business side of running a practice. Even if you think you know it all, there may still be some useful information available. Make sure the course provides details on how billing should work and all other related matters.
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Do the same to ensure your staff are up to date with their knowledge for running a practice. The better off they are, the more successful you\u2019ll be. This also ensures staff members can fill in for each other when their coworkers take vacation or call in sick for a day.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

2. Know your codes<\/b><\/h2>\n

Dental coding<\/a> is critical when it comes to submitting claims. When setting up a bill for a client, you need to ensure the correct dental codes are added to the bill.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

A few changes have been noted in the past, particularly when looking at codes used in the dental industry. For example, there was a time when D1203 and D1204 (fluoride treatments in kids and adults) were combined into a new code, D1208. But if your office reports an older code, your practice won\u2019t receive proper reimbursement,<\/span><\/p>\n

Likewise, lots of practices submit code D0140 when performing a limited evaluation or procedure. The reimbursement is minimal, as this is dedicated to standard evaluations done twice a year. Instead, know when you should report a D9110 code. This can help to increase the accuracy of your bills and ensure you\u2019re being reimbursed properly.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

3. Consider outsourcing<\/b><\/h2>\n

Outsourcing is a subject that\u2019s met with mixed opinions. Some find outsourcing to be an excellent addition to their business. Others stress at the sight of the word. The thing is, with the right strategy, outsourcing can actually be a way to save both time and money when you run a dental practice.
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Your staff may already have their hands full when making appointments, organizing patient files, and performing other administrative and reception tasks. By outsourcing elements like billing, the collection of owed money, and the handling of insurance claims<\/a>, you can relieve the burden placed on your staff. This also means you may need fewer staff members compared to dealing with these tasks internally.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

4. Use automation\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n

With your dental practice, there are numerous tasks that can be automated. For example, when you enter dental codes into a system, an invoice can be automatically configured. Client data is automatically pulled up by the system, and an invoice is sent.\u00a0<\/span>\t\t

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Worry-free insurance verification<\/h3>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Opencare takes the guesswork and effort out of insurance verification.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\tLearn more<\/span>\n\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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The system connects to your business banking account, allowing it to monitor for transactions with the client’s reference number or the invoice number. Automated billing reminders can also be sent, clearing up some time from your hands and allowing your staff to focus on other important tasks.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

5. Be aware of balances<\/b><\/h2>\n

One <\/span>statistical report<\/span><\/a> claimed over 25% of adults in the US have outstanding medical bills that have not yet been paid. In another <\/span>publication<\/span><\/a>, it is reported about 137 million American adults have trouble paying their medical bills.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

When patients have outstanding balances, it means you\u2019re losing money. You already provided the services, so now it is time to collect the payments due.
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