Dental Billing Benefits

Outsourcing dental billing means a billing company handles insurance claims and follow-up for the practice, so front-office staff and providers can spend more of their time on patients. Handing over that work is a real decision, because the practice is trusting another company with its insurance revenue. This guide covers what an outsourced dental billing team can take on and what to ask before choosing one.

What a Dental Billing Company Handles

A dental billing company can take on tasks that often slow down the front desk of a dental practice, such as submitting insurance claims and following up on unpaid ones. Your in-house staff stays the point of contact for patients and can explain insurance coverage and treatment plans. That division of work can free up time for the practice to build stronger relationships with patients.

A defined verification and quality-control workflow can help reduce avoidable data-entry errors.

What to Ask Before Outsourcing Dental Billing

Compare outsourcing costs with the practice’s staffing, software and retained responsibilities before deciding which model fits.

When you compare billing companies, ask what rate applies, what the rate covers, and whether and when it can change. Get the fee terms in writing before the practice signs.

Ask how the billing company staffs its accounts and who the practice’s day-to-day contact will be. Ask how quickly the team answers questions and how unresolved issues are escalated. Clear, regular communication between the practice and its billing contact helps the workflow run smoothly.

Keeping dental coding information complete

When evaluating a billing workflow, consider how the practice and billing team access complete coding information. The American Dental Association explains that CDT codes are updated annually and that practice-management software may truncate code wording or omit descriptors. Its answers to common CDT coding questions emphasize reviewing the complete code entry when identifying the code that most accurately describes the procedure performed.

A useful question for a prospective billing provider is how it coordinates coding questions with the treating dentist and keeps its coding references current. This makes the discussion more specific than simply asking whether the provider handles coding.

To compare providers before you outsource, see our dental billing company checklist, read when outsourcing dental billing makes sense, review how to improve dental practice revenue, check how the dental billing process works, or see our dental billing tips for practice teams. Explore our dental insurance billing services (2.75% rate, $250 monthly minimum, 30-day free trial) for claims follow-up, payment posting and accounts receivable support. Contact eDental Billing to discuss your practice’s billing needs.