Pros and cons of being a remote dental biller

When it comes to job searches, it can be hard to find honest job descriptions. There are always good and bad parts about a job, that’s just the reality of working! It’s no different when it comes to being a remote dental biller for an outsourced dental billing company. 

You were previously a dental office manager, dental insurance coordinator, or had a similar position at a practice. And now you’re searching for something a little different where you can still hone your billing skills. 

Dental ClaimSupport loves hiring experienced billers looking for a new pathway that doesn’t involve sitting in a dental office. Being a remote dental biller can be the perfect opportunity for someone in need of flexibility and new opportunities. 

However, like every job, there are some cons to being a remote dental biller. In this article, we’ll take you through the pros and cons of remote dental billing. As you read through this article, you’ll be able to determine what is important to you when it comes to your job, and figure out if remote dental billing is right for you. 

What is a remote dental biller?

Wait, what exactly is a remote dental biller? Well if you’re reading this article you probably have an idea, but let’s do a brief rundown. 

A remote dental biller works for a dental billing company. This dental billing company will assign each remote dental biller to a dental practice to work with. They will work in this dental practice’s management software remotely to submit their insurance claims, work to get the insurance claims appealed and paid, and post those payments to the management software.

Pros of being a remote dental biller

Let’s start positive! Being a remote biller is a great opportunity for someone who has been in dental insurance billing for a few years and is looking for something new. 

It’s not a classic office job like you would have in a dental office, but you’re still using those same dental billing skills. Let’s get into the great parts of being a remote dental biller for an outsourced dental billing company. Imagine how quickly you can post your insurance payments when you are not interrupted by the telephone or patients!

It’s a lucrative position

This is certainly most people’s priority: money! 

Being a remote dental biller can be a lucrative position. While being an in-house biller at a dental office means you’re paid hourly or have a set salary, a remote dental biller is paid based on how much they post. 

So, you can basically choose how much money you make based on how many postings you do for a dental practice. We have some remote billers that can make up to $7,800 per month (pre-tax). Some only want to work a few hours a week, so they’ll only bring home $1,000 per month.

It really depends on how many claims you close out for the dental practice. 

If you’re given a small office, you’re likely also going to get another office to work with so that you’re able to receive the same amount of money as someone with a bigger office. It all typically balances out amongst billers, depending on how much work you want to take on.

There is a flexible schedule

A huge reason being a remote dental biller is appealing to some is the flexibility.

As technology advances where people can do their jobs from a laptop, sitting on their couch, people are demanding more job flexibility. Hey, we get it! Work-life balance is important. Being a remote biller is exactly how it sounds - remote!

As long as you have your computer and a strong internet connection, you are allowed to perform your job from wherever. Not to mention, since you’re not a salaried employee, you don’t have a limited amount of paid time off. You create your own schedule. 

There is job security

We all saw what it was like when the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic hit, and people lost their jobs or had to work from home. 

Luckily for a remote dental biller, there will always be a need for dental care. And that means there will likely always be a need for dental billing. To be honest, the need has grown due to dental insurance companies making it more and more difficult to receive reimbursement from claims.

Dental teams are facing more denials as insurance companies constantly change rules and regulations, so experts working to get these claims appealed is vital.

Cons of being a remote dental biller

Now that we’ve covered all the amazing benefits of being a remote dental biller, let’s try to remain unbiased and get honest about the hard parts of being a remote dental biller.

It’s a hyper-specific skillset that is needed

Listen, there’s a reason in-house dental teams struggle with their insurance billing - it’s a super complicated, niche topic. 

Dental insurance billing has codes, rules, and regulations that change constantly. Being a remote dental biller means that it’s your responsibility to keep up with all of this information, and it can feel really dense sometimes. 

Even if you do have years of experience, the skills and knowledge needed for this position evolve more often than not. So, if you’re interested in being a remote dental biller, you need to have a curious, open-to-learning mindset so that you’re keeping up with the changes.

Working from home means creating your own structure

Remember how we talked about flexibility as a good thing? Well, it is! But some people struggle with working from home. 

If you’ve worked in an office for several years and you’re switching to a remote position, there might be some growing pains. Take it from someone who also works from home - you have to create and add structure to your day. This takes discipline and a lot of intentionality. 

Doing this without some kind of manager looking over your shoulder can be difficult for some people. If the idea of creating your schedule and structuring your own day sounds daunting and too difficult, maybe remote dental billing isn’t for you.

It is typically a contracted position

If you’re in need of a salaried position with insurance benefits, being a remote dental biller is probably not the job for you. 

Most remote dental biller positions are 1099 employees. This means they are technically independent contractors who must file all of their own taxes. This also means you don’t receive paid time off or health benefits. 

When you work and post payments, you’re paid. And when you aren’t doing that, you’re not paid! It’s pretty straightforward, but that can sometimes come as a shock to people looking for remote dental billing jobs. 

Ready to continue exploring the possibility of becoming a remote dental biller?

Being a remote dental biller is a great opportunity for those with dental insurance billing skills who are moving on from working in a dental practice. You can still challenge your brain with all things insurance billing while enjoying the flexibility of working remotely, and not being tied down to one dental practice. 

Of course, this position isn’t for everyone. Plenty of people don’t love remote work and need more than a contracted position. But it’s important to explore the pros and cons of any position you’re interested in before making a decision. 

Dental ClaimSupport is looking for team players who are experienced in insurance billing and looking for remote positions. You can learn more about being a remote dental biller with Dental ClaimSupport by visiting our Careers page.