Owning and running a dental practice has a unique set of challenges that other business owners can’t understand, and general business advice does not address.
It can be hard to know where to turn when these unique challenges arise — especially when it comes to your revenue. You need the right answers and fast, because your cash flow depends on it.
As a dental revenue cycle management provider, we have what we call the DCS Knowledge Network. This is our own group of seasoned professionals who specialize in all things dental billing. Since we opened our doors in 2012, we’ve utilized their expertise and knowledge to create resources for dental professionals like you.
In this article, we’re sharing our top 10 blog articles for dental practice owners, which cover a variety of topics.
As you dive in, keep an eye out for the challenges that you know all too well.
#1. How to win dental insurance appeals with RCM on your side: 5 simple tips
This article offers 5 tips for handling denied claims, and how RCM services can perform claim appeals for you. Dental insurance appeals can feel like a losing battle, especially when you’re stuck on the phone, on hold, trying to get a real person to talk to.
But with these 5 tips and the support of our RCM experts, you can stick it to insurance companies and collect what you’re owed.
A great read if: Your insurance aging report is never-ending, your dental team is already overwhelmed with administrative work, and/or you’ve noticed dips in insurance revenue.
Read How to Win Dental Insurance Appeals →
#2. 4 common dental insurance mistakes that can lead to fraud [Free Guide]
Fraud is no joke — and in the dental industry, fraud can be committed accidentally. Yes, your team could unknowingly make errors that put your dental practice in hot water, legally. And unfortunately, ignorance is no excuse.
But this article will help you avoid the most common mistakes that lead to accidental fraud. You’ll also find our free guide that offers additional tips for how to avoid each of these mistakes.
A great read if: Frequent claim denials due to simple errors, your team struggles with coding regulations, and/or you have more than one treating dentist at your practice.
Read 4 Common Dental Insurance Mistakes →
#3. 4 things your dental insurance claims need for reimbursement
It’s exhausting — and expensive — to submit dental insurance claims that are repeatedly denied. It’s crucial to submit successful claims to ensure that your practice is paid what it’s owed from insurance companies quickly and consistently, and that your team is being efficient with their time.
When your team makes mistakes on your claims often, the frequent denials cause delays in reimbursement that interrupt your cash flow. And every time they prepare an appeal, they’re spending time on paperwork that could be spent with patients.
This article has the essentials, listing 4 big things your insurance claims need for speedy, drama-free reimbursement.
A great read if: Your team is rushed during the claim creation process, they struggle to keep up with insurance claim requirement changes, and/or they face frequent claim denials.
Read 4 Things Your Dental Insurance Claims Need →
#4. Write-offs at the dental office: do’s and don’ts of writing off payments
With any business, write-offs are bound to happen. At a dental practice, they happen more often than they should — and write-offs add up, taking a chunk out of your bottom line. This can impact your ability to pay expenses, and even your ability to keep your dental business afloat.
In this article, learn our dos and don’ts of dental insurance and patient payment write-offs to level-up your understanding of how to approach and avoid them.
A great read if: You frequently write off payments you haven’t received, you’re struggling to receive payments from both insurance and patients, and/or you’re seeing dips in revenue.
Read Write-Offs at the Dental Office: Do’s and Don’ts →
#5. In-network or out-of-network: Pros and cons for your dental practice
Deciding whether your dental practice will be in-network or out-of-network with insurance can impact your billing process — for both the insurance companies and patients.
Both business models have their good and bad sides, so dive into the differences between the in-network and out-of-network models to decide which is right for your dental practice.
A great read if: You’re looking to shift your business model, you’re opening a new dental practice, and/or you’re adding a new location.
Read In-network or Out-of-network: Pros and Cons →
#6. 10 reasons your dental insurance claims are being denied
Dental insurance claim denials are a frustrating part of the billing process, and insurance companies make it harder and harder to receive prompt reimbursement. If your claims are repeatedly denied by insurance, it’s time to make a change.
Your first step is to identify why these denials are happening, and then you can face the problems head on, one by one. This article covers 10 reasons dental insurance claims are typically denied, and a solution to each common problem.
A great read if: Your team faces frequent insurance claim denials, and insurance verification is not typically completed ahead of appointments.
Read 10 Reasons Your Dental Insurance Claims Are Being Denied →
#7. 10 standard Coordination of Benefits rules for dental insurance billing
Dental teams often struggle with Coordination of Benefits (COB) rules. And we get it: they’re a lot to keep up with, and there are so many scenarios for patients covered by multiple insurance plans that there’s no simple template to follow.
But understanding Coordination of Benefits rules can help your team file accurate claims, avoid claim denials, and collect more revenue faster. This article lists 10 Coordination of Benefits rules explained in a super simple way, which your team can keep in their back pockets.
A great read if: Your team struggles to work with patients covered by multiple insurance plans, you are an oral surgery practice owner, and/or you frequently face denials due to violating COB rules.
Read 10 Standard Coordination of Benefits Rules →
#8. How to correctly calculate your dental patients’ out-of-pocket costs
Properly calculating dental patients’ out-of-pocket costs can help you explain to patients why they are paying what they are paying. When you transparently explain costs to patients, you build trust with them and streamline your patient billing and collections.
Even though out-of-pocket cost calculations are always an estimate, they still help patients prepare for their upcoming dental treatment expenses. But getting this calculation completely wrong can have severe consequences — angry patients, unpaid bills, and negative online reviews. Learn how to accurately and confidently calculate patient portions with this article.
A great read if: Anyone looking to better present treatment to patients, improve transparency with patients, and/or collect more efficiently from patients.
Read How to Correctly Calculate Out-of-pocket Costs →
#9. A fee-for-service dental practice: Pros and cons
Becoming a fee-for-service dental practice has its benefits along with its challenges. Some dental professionals view a fee-for-service business model as the pinnacle, the ideal. And for some, it is.
But there’s also a dark side with setbacks to explore, especially regarding how this business model affects your patients’ costs. This article details the benefits and disadvantages of being a fee-for-service dental practice.
A great read if: You’re exploring making the change to a fee-for-service dental practice, or you’re opening a new practice or location and considering the various models.
Read Pros and Cons of a Fee-for-service Dental Practice →
#10. What is dental billing? An understanding of how dental billing works
Dental professionals are always in need of extra information when it comes to the dental billing process. There weren’t college courses or bachelor's degrees in dental billing to help out. You can, however, utilize resources such as this article that illustrates the dental billing process from start to finish. It covers our definition of what dental billing is, how the dental process works, and why the process can sometimes be really challenging to streamline.
A great read if: You’re trying to understand why your team struggles to move through the dental billing process, and looking to improve their efficiency with proven and practical expert tips.
Read An Understanding of How Dental Billing Works →
Tap into the DCS Knowledge Network: Schedule a free consultation
To recap, we introduced these top 10 articles with expert guidance for dental practice owners and team members:
#1. How to win dental insurance appeals with RCM on your side: 5 simple tips
#2. 4 common dental insurance mistakes that can lead to fraud [Free Guide]
#3. 4 things your dental insurance claim needs for reimbursement
#4. Write-offs at the dental office: do’s and don’ts of writing off payments
#5. In-network or out-of-network: Pros and cons for your dental practice
#6. 10 reasons your dental insurance claims are being denied
#7. 10 standard Coordination of Benefits rules for dental insurance billing
#8. How to correctly calculate your dental patients’ out-of-pocket costs
#9. A fee-for-service dental practice: Pros and cons
#10. What is dental billing? An understanding of how dental billing works
These articles are sure to be helpful, and our DCS Knowledge Network has more to offer on each of the topics — more than we can cover here in a page or two.
Did you know that many of our seasoned dental billing experts previously worked in dental offices, like you do now? They understand the challenges you face because they’ve faced them, too. That’s why our services at DCS work so successfully for dental teams: We know what makes a streamlined revenue cycle for a dental business, and we also know what it takes.
Our experts in the Knowledge Network will partner with you and your team to make sure you’re collecting what you’ve earned from your patients and your payers.
Book a call with us to get access to the ultimate resource: Talk to an RCM expert today.
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