Why would I need to change dental software before outsourcing my dental billing?

We believe dental offices need to convert to newer dental softwares for the same reason people need new cell phones. The main reason being, the software is outdated. If you are currently operating on a Dentrix, OpenDental, Eaglesoft, Curve, there is typically no reason to switch unless you just prefer one over the other. These tend to be the major softwares that most are converting to from the older softwares. Other reasons to switch softwares may include larger practices with multiple providers, paying providers based on production and/or collections, multiple locations, or they want to convert from server to cloud based softwares.

Some dentists come to us prepared to make a big change in their practice. They want to change dental softwares from an outdated dental software AND they want to make the switch to outsourced dental billing, with no fear. We, as your outsourced dental billing company, only ask that the software conversion happens prior to beginning with us. We will help the transition, but having the software experts do the conversions is essential to starting outsourcing off on the right foot.

Think about it like this: Do you want your collections percentage to be just okay or outstanding? Your billing software needs to be current for the same reason people get new cell phones. It’s more universally accepted, easier to use, works faster and has less “bugs”. This is beneficial for your dental team and for Dental ClaimSupport to deal with once you are onboarded. Efficiency and software utilization are important components to billing in a dental office (or at least, they should be). You should be using technology to your advantage to ensure the collections process is streamlined and accurate.

After reading this article, you will understand why having up-to-date dental billing software is crucial, and why it is necessary for this conversion to be completed before you begin onboarding with us at Dental ClaimSupport. 

What does a dental software conversion look like?

You want you to make sure all of your information is safely and securely transferred into a more current software, while still keeping records of your old software. This way, you are setting us up to perform to the best of our abilities as your outsourced dental billing provider. Let’s be honest – we are not software conversion experts. We’re not IT people, we’re dental billing people. We understand how the software works and how to optimize it, but we’re not experts on how to technically transfer information from one software to another.

You’ll want to make sure that ALL open and outstanding claims are brought over to the new software. We need access to the old software for checks and balances and peace of mind, but switching back and forth and “working” in both is cumbersome and inefficient. That’s why we suggest printing a report of your old software to use as a reference.

Taking it back to the new phone reference, imagine you have just bought a new phone and need to transfer your contacts. You don’t want half of your contacts, half of your applications or half of your photos. You want it all! If any information was missed during the conversion process, you will be able to add it into your new software so that you have everything you need to move forward. 

The main thing we need from the previous software is your billing ledgers. That is our top request as your outsourced dental billing provider. We also need the most current insurance aging report listing reflecting every outstanding insurance claim. We can then reopen the claims in the new software and track them accordingly.

While we aren’t here to do the actual software conversion, we can help you audit the information to make sure everything was transferred correctly. For example, in your old system, you may have a $50 balance and on your new software we see a credit for $50. That’s something we can help you correct. 

Clean ledgers are key to a dental software conversion

When we get started with a dental office that is in need of a software conversion, we want you to have clean ledgers. Your practice has been using the same software for years. Your entire business and patient history is in this software. Every procedure, every payment you’ve received, patient or insurance, has been made in your ledger. 

When you make the conversion – you will want to make sure of a few items.  

• Did everything transfer to the new software correctly? 
• Did any numbers change?
• Are all open claims still reflective of their original state?

Chances are there may be a few mistakes. Mistakes may occur in the ledger due to the old software payment and adjustment codes being slightly different than the new software coding.

When choosing a dental software, it’s important that you know if you are being provided with a software expert who will help you every step of the way to make sure your information is transferred properly and cleanly. Setting up a training demo with the software company and your team is always a good idea as well.

At Dental ClaimSupport, we can help you make a few corrections with open claims, but software experts will be your best resource for clean ledger conversions. 

Don’t get rid of that old dental software immediately! 

Most offices that convert softwares need to keep their previous software for at least three to six months to make sure everything is transferred correctly. As dental billers, we may need to refer to your old software to research ledger discrepancies, insurance information, adjustments, chart notes, and even xrays. Having access to both softwares can help create a streamlined accounting system for you that will ensure your collections continue during any transition period. Dental ClaimSupport can help during this period to alleviate stress from your team. 

Embrace new technology in the dental billing world 

Dental ClaimSupport is here to help you however we can, but transparency is a priority to us. We are not software conversion experts. We are experts in collecting the insurance money you’re owed from insurance companies. Set yourself up to work with our outsourced dental billing team by upgrading to a software worthy of your time and money. We have a few favorite billing softwares that we recommend and we’re going to break them down in an upcoming article. Look for it on our blog in the next two weeks to learn which billing software may be good for you.