Uncategorized

Managing a dental office comes with a variety of responsibilities—from ensuring patient comfort to maintaining top-notch clinical standards. However, one critical component that often causes stress for dental professionals is medical billing. According to 2740 Consulting, dentists in the U.S. have a yearly claim collection rate of only about 84 percent. This often results from inefficient dental billing practices, like errors during the claim submission process and poor recordkeeping/follow-ups. Navigating medical billing in a dental office can often feel like entering a maze with complex codes, fluctuating insurance policies, and […]

Dental X-rays are a critical diagnostic tool in modern dentistry, helping professionals detect issues that aren’t visible to the naked eye. But not all X-rays are created equal. While both intraoral and extraoral X-rays serve the same overarching purpose – helping dentists visualize teeth, bones, and tissues – they differ significantly in technique, purpose, and scope. Let’s break down the differences to help you better understand which imaging type suits which clinical need. What Are Intraoral X-Rays? Intraoral X-rays are taken from inside the mouth. These are the most common […]

Starting January 1, 2025, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will require the inclusion of ICD-10 diagnosis codes on dental claims submitted via the 837D or 2024 ADA claim forms. This mandate aims to enhance the specificity and accuracy of dental service reporting, ensuring that claims are processed efficiently and in alignment with standardized medical coding practices. Understanding ICD-10 Codes The International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision (ICD-10), is a globally recognized system for coding diagnoses and health conditions. Its detailed structure allows for precise documentation of patient […]

Routine checkups are an essential part of maintaining good health and preventing disease. By seeing a doctor or other healthcare provider regularly, you can catch health problems early, when they’re more likely to be treatable. There are many types of routine checkups, and the frequency with which you should get them will depend on factors like age, family history, and overall health. Checkups that people should get regularly include physical exams, vision and hearing tests, as well as screenings for cancer and other diseases. Getting routine checkups can help to […]

Smiling has been shown to have a positive effect on physical and psychological health. Researchers have found that a smile can offer the same level of brain stimulation as 2,000 chocolate bars. Smiling relieves stress, helps promote social connections, and causes your brain to release dopamine and serotonin. Smiling provides you with a way to help your brain interpret the world more positively, and it can reduce the negative effects of stress on your body. The right dentists can help you to reap the benefits of smiling. Through the use […]

Adults over 65 face a myriad of dental health problems and affordable dental care can be a challenge. According to the CDC, around 1 in 5 adults aged 65 or older have lost all of their teeth and wear dentures. Unfortunately, having missing teeth or wearing dentures can affect nutrition. People with dentures may not be able to chew things such as fruits or vegetables, which can either be tough or full of seeds that may inevitably cause denture damage or discomfort. There are several reasons that seniors may have […]

Due to current CDC Covid-19 guidelines, experts recommend the use of personal protective equipment when seeing patients. This is particularly important during procedures likely to generate splashing of body fluids. This includes eye protection (goggles, protective eyewear, or a full-face shield), gowns or protective clothing, gloves, surgical masks, and an N95 respirator during aerosol-generating procedures. All of this necessary equipment will increase the cost of each patient visit, which is why it is so important to properly bill for additional PPE so providers won’t have to cover the expenses unnecessarily. […]

Electronic prescriptions and prescription drug monitoring programs are becoming more relevant than ever before. Not only are federal and state regulations implementing  e-prescribing mandates, but also big pharmacies such as Walmart. The company recently announced that it will require e-prescriptions for controlled substances as of January 1st, 2020 in an effort to help "curb opioid abuse and misuse." The rise of drug-related deaths poses a big challenge to communities, governments and healthcare providers. According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data, around 71,000 people died from a drug overdose […]