At SB Dental Solutions Dental Billing Company, we’ve seen many dental practices that are bogged down by the intricacies of insurance, coding, patient payments, and so on. But it doesn’t have to be that way. We offer easy, hands-off solutions for our clients that improve their revenue and relieve their staff from the most arduous aspects of dental office finance. Here are some of the tedious dental billing tasks that we easily implement for our clients:
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The American Association of Endodontics (AAE) has declared May national “Save Your Tooth Month.” At risk teeth that require complex endodontic treatment often get postponed due to financial concerns, time constraints, or dental anxiety which can lead to the loss of natural teeth. However, the AAE has decided to take this opportunity to encourage patients to complete needed treatment, concentrate on prevention through hygiene, and receive frequent screenings.
According to the AAE, saving natural teeth has important impacts on health and quality of life. The AAE also points out that extracting salvageable teeth causes complications because, “Tooth extraction often is more painful than the infection itself, and replacing an extracted tooth with an artificial one requires additional dental visits that can quickly add up.” Patient education is key. Many are unaware that with advanced endodontic procedures and techniques, Endodontists can treat even severely treated teeth. Natural tooth retention is correlated with better nutrition and longevity, especially in elderly populations. The message behind the AAE’s focus on tooth retention comes from the stunning health outcomes from tooth retention. Endodontic Practices can participate in Save Your Tooth Month by informing their patients how endodontic procedures cure pain, infection, and traumatic tooth damage. Reaching out through local and traditional media can help get the message out about natural tooth retention. In addition to improving patient outcomes, education can help endodontic offices meet their financial goals. To ensure the expert handling of increased business from Save Your Tooth Month observances, reach out to the dental billing experts at SB Dental Solutions Dental Billing Company. We specialize in Endodontic Dental billing, which means that our highly trained staff have the expertise needed to help your practice thrive. Keep your patients and your profits healthy with professional billing specialists, and celebrate Save Your Tooth Month along with us and the AAE. Patient follow-through can present one of the most difficult aspects of endodontic practice. As your endodontic billing specialist, SB Dental Solutions Dental Billing company shares our clients’ concerns regarding incomplete planned treatments. In many cases, fear accounts for the lack of patient follow-through. After all, root canals are one of the most common phobias in the United States. However, research into endodontic treatment now suggests that root canal work isn't as scary as it seems.
According to a study from the University of Adelaide, when researchers surveyed over one thousand randomly selected dental patients, “Patients who had root canal work reported similar oral health-related quality of life as people who had other types of dental work.” The study compared root canals to other treatments, such as tooth extraction, restorations, repairs, gum treatment, and cleanings. Not only did root canals prove no worse in terms of pain during treatment and recovery, but patients benefited from the endodontic interventions as they cured the pain of dental infection. Hopefully, endodontists will find these results helpful in encouraging their fearful patients to complete needed treatment. Rossi-Fedele, Professor at the Adelaide school of dentistry and co-author of the study emphasizes the importance of considering patient perspectives in dentistry, saying: “Treatment outcomes need to be re-examined from a patient-based perspective using self-reported measures as this more accurately reflects the patients' perception of treatment outcomes and the effect it has on their overall well-being. "Patient-reported treatment outcomes are now the principal driving force behind treatment needs, as opposed to clinician-based treatment outcomes. "With this change in emphasis, the perspectives of patients and their relatives are important factors in identifying need for treatment, treatment planning, and determining outcomes from any health care intervention as part of shared decision making.” By listening to patient perspectives, fears, and feedback, endodontists will see better patient follow-through and higher patient satisfaction. Better follow-through and satisfaction will allow endodontists to bill more complete root canals, improve their revenue, and reap the rewards of specialized endodontic billing assistance. A 2021 American Dental Association (ADA) report finds an increase in stress related dental conditions. Recent times have presented many increased stressors across the world, from massive wide-spread wildfires to a global pandemic larger than any in over 100 years. Unstable world and US economic futures, record unemployment rates, and social and political upheaval also contribute to higher rates of anxiety, stress, and panic related health complications. Dental disease is no different.
According to the ADA instances of grinding and clenching teeth have increased by 71% in the last year. The report also found 63% more chipped or cracked teeth, and 62% more Temporomandibular Joint Disorder (TMJ or TMD) related symptoms. What’s more, the vast majority of Dentists surveyed have observed that these stress-related symptoms have increased in their practice, with 70% of respondents reporting the trend. According to ADA representatives, global conditions relate directly to these findings. The report added, “Our polling has served as a barometer for pandemic stress affecting patients and communities seen through the eyes of dentists. The increase over time suggests stress-related conditions have become substantially more prevalent since the recent COVID-19.” Meanwhile, after a significant portion of Americans were vaccinated, dental office patients report higher levels of confidence in returning to the dentist. 90% of patients report that they’ve already been back to the dentist or plan to go soon. Dentists can expect an increased patient load in addition to increases in treatment for stress-related conditions. This means a major expansion of insurance verifications, claims submissions, patient bills, and all dental billing responsibilities. What can SB Dental Solutions Dental Billing Company do to help with this increase? By relieving your staff of the burden of dental billing, we allow our clients more time and resources to address patient concerns. We can ensure better reimbursement for treating stress-conditions by assessing insurance contracts and staying informed of billing guidelines in these areas. Finally, we offer accurate patient portion estimates and handle payment plans, which helps remove financial barriers to cosmetic restorations for stress related chips or cracks. SB Dental Solutions Dental Billing Company is always keeping an eye out for changes in the dental billing field. Lately, a lot of chatter centers around the dental insurance market and their continued combination with the larger healthcare industry.
According to research by West Monroe Partners, the dental insurance industry threatens to shrink and merge with the larger insurance Industry. West Monroe surveyed industry professionals and found, “The portion of health plans offering adult dental benefits has quite doubled since 2018.” Meanwhile, a third of West Monroe’s survey respondents speculated that stand-alone dental payers’ market share will fall to 90% by 2025 (from around 97% today), and one in five believe it'll drop below 85%. This comes as no surprise, as a similar 2017 survey determined that around 96% of insurers believe the two markets will ultimately merge into one. Inflexible Dental Insurance Companies get Left Behind As a result of these shifts, industry leaders predict that individual dental insurance providers must either evolve, partner with medical insurance, or decline due to emerging competition. While some dental insurance companies will fall victim to the changing tide, many insurers acknowledge the approaching change, and they’re getting ready. In fact, some view convergence as a good chance to partner with and “embed” their dental benefits in new health plans. The Upshot for Dentists The changing industry does pose some risk to dental insurance companies that refuse to adapt, but it also offers an opportunity for providers and payers alike to extend holistic, value-based treatment to more patients for a lower price. For one thing, dental coverage is the strongest determinant of whether a patient will schedule regular dental appointments, which should increase the subsequent volume of patients. Secondly, access to insurance coverage may increase case acceptance for expensive dental procedures like Endodontic restorations. Finally, merging medical and dental records allow for better knowledge-sharing and cooperation between providers. Yes, dental practices will have to adapt to new insurance plans, unfamiliar pay structures, and growing consumer demand for value-based care. But, thankfully, these industry shifts need not disrupt day-to-day dental practice. Our clients can depend upon highly trained dental billing professionals to navigate the changing landscape of dental insurance and reimbursement. Call today to learn more about our Dental Billing Solutions! Correct dental billing enables dental offices to receive proper compensation, but many hard-working dental practices struggle with simple mistakes. Even the smallest errors can lead to an automatic claim denial until corrected. Furthermore, inaccurate dental billing not only harms the dentist’s bottom line, but it also harms patients if they’re charged incorrectly. Thankfully, there is an easy solution. Outsourcing the dental billing process to a team of dedicated professionals improves precision and efficiency and saves dental offices valuable time and energy. But accurate billing begins with the dental practice itself. To get the best results from outsourcing to SB Dental Solutions Dental Billing Company, look out for these common mistakes:
Is your dental practice a woman friendly workplace? Early March marks international Women’s Day, prompting many to reflect on the changing face of women in the workplace. Meanwhile the dental industry has seen an increasing number of women becoming dentists, with the American Dental HYPERLINK "https://www.ada.org/en/science-research/health-policy-institute/dental-statistics/workforce"Association reporting that women make up nearly 35% of providers. Additionally, women account for the vast majority of dental assistants, hygienists, and reception staff in the US. With all this in mind, creating a workplace that considers the specific needs of women can improve a dental office’s overall effectiveness. So what can dental providers and office managers do to ensure their dental practice is gender inclusive?
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May 2023
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