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Standard Operating Procedures for Your Dental Practice

Standard Operating Procedures (also known as SOPs) are instructions specific to your dental practice. SOPs help all employees understand how to perform daily activities because SOPs act like a to-do list for all employees. While many practices have SOPs, every set of SOPs are not the same. SOPs are created with your dental practice and staff in mind because every practice and every team has different needs and abilities. If you’re curious about the importance of SOPs or if you’re interested in creating your personalized set of SOPs, we can help you get started. 

Where Do I Begin?

Since SOPs act as guidelines for your practice, you should begin by identifying every process occurring in your practice. Nothing is too big or too small to write down. Creating SOPs by starting with the simplest process may make creating SOPs easier for you. For example, if you start with something small, like staff meetings, you’ll want to think about how staff meetings typically go in your practice. Do you begin a staff meeting by discussing an agenda for the meeting with your staff members? Do you close by opening the floor for questions? Whatever your style is, jot down all the details step-by-step. 

To continue the process of creating SOPs for your practice, get your staff involved. Clinical employees should be involved in creating SOPs related to clinical practice; office staff should be involved in creating SOPs for office practice. Your staff are the ones who execute the procedures you’re listing, so make sure to discuss the typical workflow with them.

Why Do I Need Standard Operating Procedures?

SOPs are a great form of communication because that’s exactly what they’re made for. Communication is essential to any relationship, including a working relationship. When procedures are carefully outlined and documented, it communicates clear expectations for all parties involved. You are aware of what your employees will do every time they begin a procedure. Your employees know what they can expect from you when working as a team, and where they should follow up with care after you have done your part in a procedure. 

SOPs are also helpful to ensure patient safety. With SOPs, employees know what to expect during every step of every process, beginning with a patient entering the door. When procedures are regulated, you can ensure that the steps you and your team are taking to treat patients are the steps that will bring about the best possible outcome. SOPs may add a layer of protection for your practice in this way. If a patient experiences an unexpected reaction due to a procedure, your process can be validated. 

How Do I Implement Standard Operating Procedures?

You can implement SOPs in multiple ways across your dental practice. Start by implementing them from the very beginning when onboarding new employees. Every company has some orientation or introductory training when an employee. Your dental practice is likely no different, so use that as a time to identify what your employee can expect. You might even find that SOPs promote employee retention because there are no surprises for either party in the future. A new employee will know how your practice runs from the very beginning, and you will have communicated their roles and expectations within your practice. 

Another way to implement SOPs is to make copies of the appropriate set of procedures and hang them where employees can utilize them. Your employees should be able to access SOPs at any point when they may need to review the steps for a specific task or treatment. Another helpful way to remind your employees that the SOPs are to be used is to place copies of SOPs for each of your processes in a notebook where employees can locate it when necessary 

Because SOPs are guidelines that should help your dental staff, SOPs are living documents. Nothing stays the same for too long; as time goes on, there will be changes in the dental industry. You and your dental staff may realize that a way that was once a standard practice could use an update. Just as humans always have room to improve, so do your SOPs.

If you’re looking for more ideas on how to keep growing your successful dental practice, PPO Negotiation Solutions can help. We offer consultations to identify your needs and complementary assessments to see where we can positively impact your dental practice. Schedule a time to speak with us today and let us help you maximize your profits!

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Dental Industry Trends

Projections for the dental industry are looking up, with an estimated 2% growth in business coming within the next several years. Technology, treatments, and consumer habits are sure to evolve more as the future unfolds. So it’s important to know what’s coming next. If you’re looking to lead your dental practice into great success for the new year, it’s important to be aware of changes with your customers and changes in the market. Check out some trends that may help you to create positive growth for your business in the new year.

Online Presence

If you didn’t already know, your online presence is incredibly important. Digital marketing is a trend that won’t be dying out anytime soon. Over the past year, 63% of businesses have increased their budget for digital marketing to reach clients where they spend a significant amount of time – online.

This is a positive thing for your practice because you can reach a larger audience than just by word of mouth or printed advertisements. Digital marketing is also popular because it is cost-effective. By creating a website, you get to control the content that potential and current patients see. It’s also budget-friendly, since it costs as little as $10-20 per month to have your own domain (my-dental-practice.com).

Another positive aspect of digital marketing is social media. Social media is a free platform designed for interaction and sharing. The average American spends around two hours a day on social media, so creating a presence to be part of that world is beneficial for your practice. Social media also makes it easy for satisfied customers to leave comments, reviews, and testimonials. Wherein these can help to generate more business for your practice.

Digital Dentistry

Coming out of a global pandemic, so many average, everyday parts of our lives like buying groceries or chatting with friends have been transformed so they can function in an online setting. Healthcare is one of the many parts that also had to make a transition. While dentistry is a service that does require a patient to be in-person most of the time, dentists are still finding more creative ways to work in an online world to provide great patient care.

Getting an appointment at a local dental practice can be challenging. And may even prevent some patients from getting the proper dental care. The option of telehealth offers the flexibility and ease of addressing some problems without the visit to the office, which increases the likelihood of gaining patients as well as retaining patients who appreciate the options your practice is able to provide.

Not only does it benefit the patient, but you and your dental staff reap the benefits, too. With fewer in-office appointments for simple services, you have more time to focus on the patients who need in-office services the most. Here are some of the things that can now be done via telehealth:

  • consultation and treatment for tooth pain
  • evaluating potential gum disease with a photo or video
  • beginning the process of tooth repair
  • assessing bite alignment

3D Printing

If you haven’t noticed the pattern already, technology is playing a big part in dental practices lately. Another technological advancement trending in the dental industry is 3D printing. In t he past, dental practices may have needed to use an outside contractor to complete the following jobs:

  • dentures
  • crowns
  • other equipment molded to a patient’s mouth

Now, more practices can get the job done in-house. Meaning, less expense for the patient and less time to get a patient what they need. This technology may just be the cause for the rise in popularity of more aesthetically pleasing methods of straightening teeth, like clear teeth aligners. The market for these clear aligners has grown around 23% and online searches for clear aligners have increased by 53% in the past five years.

Laser Dentistry

Another useful tool becoming more popular with patients is replacing the traditional dental drill. Performing a dental procedure with a laser allows dentists to provide routine care such as:

  • removing cavities
  • reshaping fillings
  • speeding up the process of some cosmetic dentistry (like whitening procedures).

Without using a drill for some procedures, patients feel less pain during and after the process. And experience reduced healing time post-op.

A study has also shown that infection is less likely after a procedure, as the laser has an incredible reduction rate of bacteria in the mouth – even more effective than traditional hydrogen peroxide. Laser dentistry procedures are generally on the more expensive side of treatment options. However, patients are still choosing laser procedures over more traditional methods of dental care. This is due to the added benefits of quicker, less invasive procedures that offer fewer negative side effects.

It’s plain to see that technology has made great advancements in many areas of life, including dentistry. The most common trends of today and the ones likely to lead us into the future are centered around an online presence and the use of technology to enhance the procedures that patients need to maintain proper oral health. Digital marketing, 3D printing, and laser procedures are just a few highlights of an ever-changing practice.

As you adopt these and other technological advances to improve your dental practice, you may be able to raise your rates for certain procedures. Schedule a consultation with PPO Negotiations today to learn more about negotiating better fees from insurance companies and how we can help.

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Why Are Dental Insurance Claims Denied?

There are many reasons why dental insurance claims may be denied. Some claims tend to be more frequently denied than others. More information may be requested to decide whether the claim will be accepted or denied especially in surgical procedures.

Whatever the reason may be, when a claim is denied, it can be very frustrating for all parties involved. Your patient may not be able to get the care they need. Or, they may end up with a much higher cost for a procedure. And your practice may end up with a longer wait time to be reimbursed for your service as well. That is why it’s important to understand why claims get denied. When you do, your dental practice can provide patients with the best possible care. 

Using an Incorrect Dental Code

The American Dental Association (ADA) recognized a need in the dental community to educate dentists and dental staff on how to respond to claim rejections. One of the multiple possibilities the ADA lists as a reason for a denied claim is improper coding. Dental insurance claims need to be coded correctly when they are submitted to insurance in order for the claim to be processed successfully. That means that an incorrect code can have a big impact on whether a claim is successful or not. 

Be careful that the diagnosis, service and procedure listed match the most current code. The code may be a CDT code or an ICD-10-CM code. They may change as frequently as every year, so it can be difficult to remember each and every change. That makes this one of the top reasons for a claim denial. Prioritize learning these codes to avoid making mistakes that may be costly.

Having Incorrect Patient Information

Technology is used in so many ways that make our world an easier and more convenient place. That includes the use of technology to file and review insurance claims. Unfortunately, a claim may be denied very quickly for something as simple as misinformation. It’s difficult for a software to recognize mismatched information, even if it’s as simple as a single letter difference in a name or an incorrect number in a birth date. When entering insurance IDs, names, dates and other identifying information, make sure you’re entering information with care and double check that no corrections need to be made before you submit the final claim. 

Unverified Patient Benefits

Another potential reason for a claim denial is because the patient’s insurance doesn’t get verified before a procedure or treatment. To make things easier for your practice, it’s a good idea for a receptionist or member of your dental office staff to ask about insurance coverage before a patient even enters the office. This ensures that the patient does actually have insurance to process, that their benefits are active and that you are getting the most up-to-date information as possible, so claims don’t get denied for incorrect or out of date information. 

Even if a patient has the same insurance company, the benefits or group number could have changed. This also provides an extra service for your patient. When a procedure is checked against insurance benefits, your patients also get the comfort of knowing what they can expect. Patients may be more at ease when they are aware of what costs to them may be and whether insurance will cover a specific procedure or not. This saves your practice time and money while also bringing some comfort to your patient.

Timeliness of the Claim

There are so many possibilities for insurance coverage, it’s hard to even name them all. Even if your dental practice only accepts a select few insurance coverages, that doesn’t mean it’s any easier to remember each company’s deadline for filing a claim. Claims that are filed outside of an insurance company’s specified time frame will be denied. Some insurance companies may have a time limit of a year while others may allow 180 days. It may even be a time span as short as 90 days. To avoid a claim being denied and to ensure that you or your dental staff have the easiest job possible, make your best effort to file a claim as soon as a service or treatment has been completed. 

If your dental practice is struggling with getting dental insurance claims approved by insurance companies, review these items. You may find that some of these simple solutions like double checking for human error with patient information, educating yourself on dental codes, verifying insurance benefits and entering claims in a timely manner may save you and your office staff from extra work.

If you’re looking to make your dental practice the most effective it can be, contact PPO Negotiation Solutions for more assistance with money and time-saving claim filing expertise. 

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Strategies to Reduce Dental Patient No-Shows

Anyone whose job includes seeing clients or patients for a living understands that no-shows are one of the most difficult and irritating parts of the job. There are numerous reasons why a patient may be a no-show to an appointment. We all understand busy schedules, so it’s likely that a client may forget. Clients may find it difficult to keep appointments if they have anxiety surrounding dental work, struggle with the cost of a dental visit or if their appointment gets lost in the day-to-day hustle and bustle.

If you’re searching for ways to combat patient no-shows due to reasons like forgetful or fearful patients, try these ideas to lessen patient no-shows, increase your profits and improve your patient care.

Dentophobia

Almost everyone has heard another person say they are scared of the dentist. Chances are, if you’re the dentist, you’re wondering why people think you’re that bad. Fear of the dentist is normally caused by negative past experiences.

Consider for a moment that you’re not in a dentist office, but in a restaurant setting. You enter the restaurant and wait at the door for someone to greet you and show you to a seat. It takes a few minutes for anyone to acknowledge you’re there. When a staff member finally shows you to your table, you wait even longer for someone to bring you a menu or take your drink order. The restaurant feels unkempt and your meal is low quality. You feel like you’re being ignored and when you are acknowledged, the staff is less than friendly. Considering the poor service, it’s not likely you’ll return to that restaurant again. And you certainly aren’t going to recommend it.

In the same way, your patients should also be thought of as customers that can choose your business. Or, choose another dental practice. If patients feel at ease with you and your dental staff, they’re more likely to be more comfortable when you’re assisting them with their dental hygiene. From the moment a patient walks in the door of your practice, an impression is being made.

Patients are less likely to feel nervous or afraid of having dental work when:

  • they are met with a clean and welcoming environment
  • greeted warmly
  • they are shown gentle and effective care

Financial Worries

Many patients may make appointments and decide not to keep them if they feel they can’t afford their care. It may be easier for a patient to no-show an appointment rather than call to cancel and feel pressured to reschedule when they know they can’t afford the service. And that may be because of the following reasons:

  • they have an insurance lapse
  • don’t have insurance at all
  • worried about co-pays or deductibles

Patients who frequently miss appointments for fear of the cost may end up needing more extensive dental work. Which, can ultimately lead to a much bigger cost for their care.

To offset worries and stress for the patient, staff at your practice can assist patients by researching what procedures are covered by insurance and what the expected cost may be, depending on their coverage. Even patients without insurance can benefit from alternative payment options. This is to ensure they are able to get the dental care they need while keeping costs as low as possible.

If possible, offer discounted self-pay options for customers paying costs out-of-pocket. Even patients with insurance could appreciate different payment methods like financing options or monthly payments.

Prioritize Patient Relationships

Patients feel connected when their care is prioritized through things like great customer service and concern for their finances, so they may be more likely to keep dental appointments when they feel you are providing the personalized service they are seeking. Monthly newsletters going out to your patients via email is one way to ensure strong relationships. Patients will be able to feel like they are still staying up to date about things happening at your practice. These include policy changes, updated hours, periodic special offers or new staff.

Social media marketing can also be a great way to ensure patients are connected with your practice. There are few people who don’t have social media, so chances are, if patients are made aware they can see everything you’re up to as they’re scrolling through Instagram, Twitter or Facebook, they will gladly give you a like and a follow. Social media platforms are also a great area for patients to review your business, which can easily attract new patients.

No ideas to enhance your patient’s experience in your dental office will eliminate no-shows entirely. Focusing on increased patient customer service, decreasing patient financial worries and prioritizing relationships are just a few ways to try and reduce the number of no-shows at your practice.

After reading these ideas, you can brainstorm more ways to lower your number of no-shows and check out other ideas from PPO Negotiation Solutions to make your dental practice as successful as possible!

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Dental Practice Business Plans

Creating effective business plans for your dental practice is essential for success! The plan should include detailed information on how to turn your goals into a reality, and should include market analysis, marketing, cash flow charts, competition analysis, and other such things necessary to achieve both short- and long-term goals. A business plan is an invaluable tool to assist your practice in forging a path toward long-term growth and success. You can follow the same general guidelines to create a business plan as other small businesses.

In order to begin a step-by-step guideline for you to follow toward success, have you considered describing in detail what you envision when you think of your dental practice? Do you have a specific marketing plan in mind? Who does your market consist of, and are they making the right or wrong choices for their dental health? How will you determine prices of services? What type of payment system are you considering for your patients? Do you have a strategy for the growth of your practice?

Executive Summary

The first section of your business plan should include the executive summary. It is a short section that provides a summary of your business plans that would allow a reader to quickly learn the key points of the business and its main purpose, consisting of no more than two pages. The summary will be important when you begin to approach lenders for the dental practice. It should be both persuasive and compelling to entice potential lenders to fund your new business. It must express clearly the vision for your dental practice and how you intend to make it a success. Typically, it will be the final piece written for your business plan, as it will consist of a synopsis of all the areas of your plan, and will have to be put in order before placing it in writing.

Products and Services

There should also be a section setting out the products and services your dental practice will provide. If you intend to purchase a dental practice that is already established, make sure and list in detail the changes you intend to integrate as the new owner of the practice.

Management 

How will your dental practice be managed? Include this section in your business plan too. Will it be structured as a partnership, corporation, or limited liability corporation? A list of personnel, along with their responsibilities, should be included. List professional advisors such as the following:

  • financial partners
  • insurance agents
  • real estate agents
  • attorneys
  • business associates

This will serve as proof to lenders that you have a plan for the functioning of the office and your support team.

Competitor Analysis and Marketing Plan

This section of your business plan should include any relative data about your competition in the nearby area. Moreover, include your competitors’ attempts at marketing and detail your own marketing plan. Provide an overview of your intended market and type of patients you intend to target. List such details as your prospective patients’ income level, age, and lifestyle. State precisely how you are going to make your dental practice stand out from the others in the community and attract and keep customers. Set out and thoroughly explain any approaches you intend to take in your dental practice. This section should include website design information.

Financial Plan

This is the most important section of your business plans. A sound financial plan will be crucial to the approval of loan proposals by potential lenders. You should take care to plan this carefully and record it in great detail. Include any and all relevant financial information. Consider including items such as 12-24 month projected income, cash flow chart, personal financial statement, startup fund allocation, collateral, etc. 

Financial Documents

Include all supporting documentation a potential lender would need to review in order to extend credit to your dental practice. You may want to include present business financial statements if available, recent credit reports, aging account schedule if there is one, up to three years of financial statements, and prospective forecasts, cash flows, etc. Financial documents must be 90 or less days old. Only then will lenders consider it as current.

Operations

This section will detail all the day-to-day operations of your practice. It will be the last and longest section of the business plan. Provide all information that will allow lenders to see how your practice will function. Include such things as office hours, days of operation, equipment and supplies, suppliers list, equipment maintenance schedules, patient flow, and dental insurances you will use.

Dental practices which are already up and operating may need to update their business plans as well if they plan on expansion. Here are some of the covered sections:

  • updates to the dental practice’s financial position
  • current accounts payables
  • current lenders
  • competitor analysis
  • cost analysis

The team at PPO Negotiation Solutions are trusted partners to hundreds of dental practices. With 30 years of experience, they have an impeccable reputation. Are you a startup practice, fee-for-service practice, established practice, looking to add an associate, or looking to purchase a practice? Contact them today to learn more about their process and get a complementary assessment and/or schedule a consultation!

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Why Should You Outsource Credentialing?

The process of credentialing verifies dentists and those who assist them are properly trained and certified and have the experience to provide dental services to patients. It also ensures high standards of safety are met. If a dental office does not have the proper medical credentialing, it typically cannot obtain reimbursements from insurance services including Medicaid/Medicare. All types of medical software are designed to be utilized by offices that are medically credentialed. There is no way to thrive in the dental industry without proper credentialing.

It is of the utmost importance that all dental professionals have an understanding of medical credentialing. It is paramount to make sure all medical professionals are proven qualified to treat patients. The process of keeping up with credentialing is difficult and time-consuming; however, it is necessary so everyone in your dental practice remains in-network to decrease the chance for loss of income.

Credentialing does require a mountain of paperwork, which includes proof of the following:

  • education
  • residency
  • training
  • work history
  • licenses if required
  • specialty certificates
  • malpractice history.

The process must be repeated every 2-3 years to remain in the insurance network. 

Let’s take a look at some reasons your dental practice should outsource the credentialing process. Save your dental staff the headaches, as well as make the process go smoothly and end positively for everyone. 

Avoid Missed Deadlines

Did you know you can fail to re-credential just by missing the deadline date? This can cause the serious problem of falling out of network and will cost your practice in the long run. If you outsource, this issue can be avoided. The party you choose to complete these actions for you will track the schedules, send reminders, and make sure all required paperwork is submitted correctly and on time. Problem solved!

Reduce Staff Stress

It requires so much time to credential, and it puts a ton of stress on your administrative team. Not only are they required to keep up their regular routine, but they also have the added burden of all the other paperwork. If you choose to outsource the work, you can rest in knowing you have an experienced and knowledgeable team that knows the process well. As a result, the credentialing and re-credentialing will be done correctly and will leave your dental team free to focus on your patients.

Improve Accuracy and Efficiency

Whomever you choose to outsource your credentialing services will have the most up-to-date software to assist them with the process. This will reduce the chance of manual errors in spreadsheets, paper documents, and checklists spread everywhere. Cloud-based systems make it much easier to verify, update, and check for errors.

Get a Better Fee Schedule

If you decide to re-credential, you may just quickly begin the process without thinking about reviewing the terms of your current contract with the insurance provider and missing out on the opportunity to negotiate something better. If you outsource, you will have the benefit of an experienced representative to look over your previous contract and advise you whether to renew, renegotiate, or look for other options.

Get the Support You Need

If you outsource, you also have the opportunity to choose how much support you want or need by utilizing your chosen credentialing source to access tools to assist you with tracking information you require, such as licenses, fee schedules, and deadline reminders. You will also have personal support from someone who is experienced and can answer any questions you may encounter.

Having fully credentialed dentists and staff makes your patients more confident about their dental care. It also makes your dental practice more attractive to other employees such as dentists, hygienists, dental assistants, and support staff. Your professionalism will be irrefutable with access to all your documentation, as well as an assurance to all your current and new patients. Credentialing is proof to private health insurance companies, so your staff can work with patients. It helps to decrease medical errors.

Any new team member candidates should begin the process of credentialing as soon as possible, as it could take up to four months to complete the process. Human resource staff may want to create and prepare credentialing packets to help them. It is important to try to identify any delays that could be encountered during credentialing new hires, so your dental practice does not skip a beat in patient care and revenue continues to flow.

PPO Negotiation Solutions is a trusted partner to many dental practices just like yours. We have built an impeccable reputation after 30 years of experience. Our unique process helps to save your dental practice time and increases your new patient prospects. PPO Negotiation Solutions helps you operate your dental office with PPOs from a position of power! Contact us today!

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