dental practice

Resilient Dental Practices During and After the Pandemic

September 25, 2021

The methods for patient care in dental practices changed drastically in 2020. In March 2020, the CDC released a statement recommending that dental practices postpone elective procedures, surgeries, and non-urgent visits. Although the recommendations have been updated and more elective procedures were allowed, the COVID-19 virus is still present, and it is unknown what the future holds for businesses and healthcare.

Due to the pandemic, dental practices had to get creative with how they cared for patients, with many adopting virtual services to provide care. Let’s talk about some ways that dental practices have maintained their business during the pandemic that are still being utilized today.

Loans and Grants

Due to the need to cancel and postpone many patient appointments, dental practices had to investigate ways to sustain themselves financially for the short term. The CARES Act, introduced in 2020, included financial assistance for businesses, including paycheck protection programs, emergency Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL), delayed payroll tax payments, enhanced unemployment benefits, and more. Small Business Administration loans were available to assist with payroll-related costs, mortgage payments, and even utilities. These financial options were very beneficial to dental practices in 2020, and some benefits are still being used today as some practices still struggle to return to normalcy.

Review of Insurance Plans

Another way that dental practices could help their revenue during the pandemic is to audit their fee schedules with insurance plans. Typically, contracts are due for negotiation after two years. The purpose of reviewing fees is to maintain the price of services and prevent inflation and neglect. Investigate to see which insurance fees are due for negotiation. Before negotiating, review some negotiating tips to ensure you are getting the best fees. Communicate regularly with insurance providers and team members about changes in plans.

Chart Auditing

Understandably, patients over the last year and a half have likely suffered from financial hardships. You may not have been auditing charts as frequently due to giving patients a grace period to bring their accounts up to date. However, now that things are getting back to normal, it would be a good time to audit patient charts for late payments and missed payments. When reaching out to patients to collect a payment, ensure they are aware of your payment plan options, and assist them in working out a plan that will work for them and the dental practice.

Updating Your Dental Practice’s Website

Recently, people have been using the internet more than ever. When businesses were shut down for the pandemic, many began to utilize electronic means of communication. Your business website is especially important to maintain patient contact, educate patients, manage appointments, and receive payment for services. An easy-to-use and visually appealing website is also a marketing strategy to attract new clients. If your website has not been recently updated or is not user-friendly, make some updates to attract new patients and promote better communication with them. Once updated, track your website metrics and monitor for needed improvements and changes.

Promoting a Better Office Culture

Staffing changes, layoffs, and financial hardships have likely impacted your office culture. Take note of your staff’s needs during this difficult time. Promote a positive work environment by being helpful and maintaining a positive attitude. Ask your team what you can do to make their time at work more enjoyable. Review some tips for improving your office culture. Happy staff is more likely to stay with their jobs. And patients will also benefit from the positive and healing environment.

Improve Communication

Communication has changed from in-person to mostly virtual over the last year. Your staff has likely perfected the various forms of virtual communication with the use of telehealth. But some people may be a little rusty with in-person communications now that dental practices have reopened. Review patient communication basics with your team. Encourage clear, detailed, and frequent communication with patients before, during, and after their visit. Notate some important communication tips to share with your team.

Update Procedures and Equipment

Now would be a perfect time to update your systems, equipment, and even protocols for your dental office. Advanced patient care is needed during this time to really recover from possible losses. Patients will be impressed by advanced technologies and improved treatment options. Once necessary improvements and updates are made, promote the changes on your website, social media, and by word of mouth to attract new patients.

Outsourcing

Outsourcing your negotiations and credentialing could be very beneficial as your dental practice recovers from 2020. A team of professionals would assist in the following:

negotiation of PPO fees
credentialing providers,
reviewing your current processes for possible improvement

PPO Negotiation Solutions can also provide education on how to better improve your processes, recover losses and ensure better financial outcomes. Call or click today to let them improve your dental practice and assist with recovery opportunities.

Five Medical Billing and Practice Tips

July 8, 2021

Medical billing and coding for your dental practice can seem overwhelming. Taking a proactive approach to your medical billing process can save costs and lead to increased revenue for your dental practice. Being proactive means preventing problems before they happen. This can be done by establishing a clear collections process for patients, minimizing claims and coding errors, quickly responding to denied claims, and staying informed on the latest healthcare regulations. If these steps are not giving you the results you want, outsourcing to a professional company is also an option.

Establish a Clear Process for Payment Collection

A step-by-step process for payment collection should be available for patients upon entering your dental practice. Patients should have a clear understanding of what they should be expected to pay at their visit. This can be done by providing an agreement in their new-patient paperwork. Some practices also post signage to remind patients that they may be responsible for copays or out-of-pocket costs at the time of their visit.

Another way to ensure that payment is collected is to be sure the patient demographics and contact information is correct. Patient addresses, phone numbers, and insurance information should be verified at each visit. When insurance is verified with patients, make it a habit to also very eligibility. Patients may be mailed a bill for services, but also consider options for electronic billing via patient portals or a website.

Electronic billing can be an easier, hassle-free way for patients to pay their bills and can avoid missed or late payments. This can save time from a team member making follow-up payment calls. Ensure patients are aware of the various ways that they can pay for services, including financing options or other payment plans, and the methods of payment accepted at your dental practice.

Minimize Claim and Coding Errors

It can be easy to make a medical bill error. If a medical claim is rejected, the cycle for acceptance can take weeks to receive insurance reimbursement. Common sources of error to be aware of include incorrect patient information (name, birth date), incorrect billing information, duplicate billing, poor provider documentation of dental visit or procedure and missing procedural codes.

Double-check claims prior to submitting for diagnosis code errors. ICD codes should be specific to avoid claim denials. An article in Business News Daily calls auditing for errors “scrubbing,” which “generates cleaner claims, a reduction in denials and improved payor communication.” The article also suggests using technology as a way of error prevention.

Certain software automates steps in the claims process, such as “suggesting medical codes” and “checking medical claims against common insurance payor rules.” Use of this technology can save your practice time and money. The cost of the software and the time invested in training your team to use it can usually be recovered by the added revenue you will realize from reduced coding errors.

Respond to Denied and Rejected Claims

It is important to differentiate between rejected claims and denied claims. Claims can be rejected due to an error, like an incorrect patient name or incorrect insurance identification number. In that case, the claim could be resubmitted. It is an avoidable process that costs your dental practice more time and money.

A claim that has been denied has been deemed unpayable by the insurance company, usually due to contract terms. A denied claim may be appealed by the patient. This is a lengthy process for the patient and the dental practice, and may require more documentation on the part of the practice. Regardless of the reason for rejection or denial, prompt handling of the claim will result in faster reimbursement. Be ready to cooperate with patients who appeal rejected claims in order to facilitate faster payment.

Stay Informed

Healthcare is constantly changing and so are best patient care practices. To maximize your dental practice’s revenue, you should stay updated on the latest healthcare and dental care regulations. Medicare billing regulations are important to follow. It is likely that a significant amount of your patient population is covered by Medicare, and thus, errors could affect reimbursement rates.

Also, keep updated on problem patient payment accounts. For example, patients whose accounts are routinely late or are behind in payments should be regularly reminded to make payments, or possibly outsourced to a collection agency. Using the latest billing and coding software, as mentioned above, can also help you keep track of problem patients and make routine contacts to remind them of payment.

Consider Outsourcing

A vast amount of work goes into running a dental practice. From patient management to staff management to billing and claims management, there is a lot to manage! Sometimes, errors can fall through the cracks when there are so many other concerning issues, leading to denials, rejections and decreased revenue. Outsourcing medical billing to a professional company that specializes in these services can have several benefits.

Strategic Practice Solutions can offer dedicated staffing to handle claims processing, allowing you to have more time to focus on patient care. They are completely knowledgeable about the most recent healthcare rules and dental care regulations, so you do not have to worry about missing important information and updates. Other benefits include faster claim submissions and decreased claim errors. These professionals know dental coding and claims, and especially the most problematic ones. They can prevent many coding and billing problems that cause you headaches.

How to Improve Patient Communication

June 8, 2021

Good provider-to-patient communication is essential in a dental practice. Studies have shown the value and essential relationships between good provider communication and positive patient outcomes. In a rapidly changing healthcare world where more technology is utilized, it’s important to improve and maintain good communication with patients.

This article will discuss more about why communication is important. And, what steps you can take to improve communication in your dental practice. Also, it includes maintaining positive nonverbal communication, being respectful of patients, simplifying patient interactions, making good first and final impressions.

What are the Benefits of Improved Communication?

The most obvious benefit of improved communication is patient satisfaction. People like to be well-informed about their health care status and plan of care. When patients are satisfied with the communication between themselves and their dental care provider, they are more likely to return to the same dental practice for their oral care needs.

There is a correlation between adverse events with patients and poor communication. An article that summarizes a Health Grades report from May 2012 demonstrates that this has been true for years. In the report, hospitals that were ranked by patients in the top percentages for nursing and physician communication had lower rates of adverse patient safety events. For example, bedsores occurred approximately 46% more frequently in hospitals that patients had ranked in the lowest 10% for provider communication.

An article by TeamHealth lists several more benefits, including patient adherence, lower readmission rates, improved mortality rates, lower malpractice risk, and reduction in care costs. Also noted are reduced adverse advents and medical errors. Simply improving how a practitioner communicates with a patient can have a drastic effect on both the patient and the entire medical or dental practice.

How can you improve patient communication in your dental practice?

Improve Nonverbal Communication

Sometimes our actions speak louder than words. Possibly, the easiest changes we can make in the way we communicate is in our nonverbal communication. Examples of negative nonverbal communication include frowning, foot-tapping, crossing arms, rolling eyes, grunting, or sighing. Our non-verbal communication can present as being pushy, impatient, or uncaring even if that is not our intention. Be mindful of how you appear to your patients. Maintaining an open stance and smiling can make all the difference in an encounter.

Be Respectful

This point can seem obvious; however, there are some things people do unintentionally that can make others feel disrespected. Typically, one could say to follow the “golden rule” that states to treat others the way you want to be treated. But in today’s world, we often come across many cultural differences, and not everyone wishes to be treated the same. There are few pointers, though, that can generally be used across the board to show respect.

One of those ways is through active listening. Active listening involves maintaining eye contact, focusing on your patient, and asking appropriate questions to ensure that you understand your patient correctly. This lets your patient know that you are engaged and care about their well-being.

Another way to show respect is to greet patients by their formal names. Examples are Mrs. Jones or Mr. Smith. If you know your patient well, or if they have asked, it is acceptable to call them by their first names, but using a name can make an encounter more personable.

Make Interactions Easier

As dental providers, we can sometimes get caught up in the medical jargon when explaining a diagnosis and processes to patients. And, patients may not always stop you to ask questions when they do not understand. This can lead to non-compliance, mistakes, and patient dissatisfaction. Try to simplify the conversation and use layman’s terms when discussing each patient’s dental diagnosis and treatment options. Use short sentences and allow ample time for patients to respond with questions. Finally, provide simple written instructions, if necessary, to ensure that patients do not forget important topics that were discussed at their visit.

End on a Good Note

We discussed the importance of greetings and first impressions, but last impressions are also important. After the completion of a dental care visit, follow up by asking the patient if there are more questions or concerns that you, as their dental provider, could address during the visit. Summarize the visit and review the next steps, including follow-up appointments, testing, and treatment plans.

It can be helpful to end the visit with positive words, such as, “I hope you feel better now” or “Hang in there, you are making progress!” A positive ending to every dental visit will make a patient feel cared for, important and valued, and much more likely to return to your dental practice.

Consult an Expert

Have you tried to improve communication in the workplace but still feel like you could use some more training? Consult a professional agency that specializes in workplace communications. Strategic Practice Solutions provides private consulting and team member review to provide a customized approach to help your business thrive.

5 Tips to Grow Your Dental Practice

May 3, 2021

Every dental practice wants to experience healthy growth. It is important to continue working on ways to improve and grow your dental practice. Patient satisfaction and safety are the goals, but financial success and the satisfaction of your team members are also important for success! Some tips include setting short and long-term goals, investing in your team, maintaining a positive work environment, and increase or change your marketing strategies. Let’s explore these in more detail.

Set Goals

Identify what needs you have in your practice. Notice trends and analyze data. One business blog suggests using tools to assess your needs, such as SWOT analysis, benchmarking, market research, trend analysis, and attending webinars. Once you have identified your needs, set your goals. Goals should be specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound (S.M.A.R.T. goals). Always set a time frame to achieve each goal and prioritize your goals for orderly pursuit and success.

In order to achieve a goal, you need a plan. How much time do you expect to need to achieve your short and long-term goals? Obtain resources, set your budget, and assign responsibilities to those participating in the process. It is helpful to measure results throughout the process as well as at the end. Measuring results can assist in the setting of new goals. Never stop asking, “How can we do this better?”

Invest in Your Team

Team members should be adequately trained for the position they hold and have the tools needed to perform efficiently. This could include leadership training, sales training and human resource training. Don’t forget opportunities for professional advancement. Having good and open communication with your team allows them to communicate their workplace needs. Well-trained employees can make all the difference in a successful thriving business.

Investing in your team does not just apply to their training, however. Treat your team members with respect. Invest in what will make them satisfied working at your business. Show them appreciation often and be sure to inquire about what would help the workplace morale. Happy team members are more likely to invest time and effort into their work, leading to increased revenue and patient satisfaction for your practice. What are some ways that you are currently investing in your team? How could you improve?

Maintain a Positive Culture

A positive work environment is essential to a successful business. Your team should be clear on expectations and standards. Positive culture should carry over to patient care. Patients then should also be clear on expectations and standards. Positive work environments can be obtained by keeping a positive attitude, having open communication with team members, and maintaining a culture of respect. Allow for your team members’ feedback – good and bad! Prioritize respect, diversity, and inclusivity.

Maintaining a positive culture also means ensuring that you are hiring the right team members into your culture. When hiring new staff, keep your current staff dynamics and needs in mind. It could be helpful to do peer interviews and invite your team members’ opinions on the potential hire. Hiring the wrong person could have a negative effect on your practice culture. Your practice’s culture is what you make it!

Increase Marketing

News flash! You need patients to have a dental practice! Your biggest marketer is a body of satisfied patients; with this dynamic at work, your business will grow through word-of-mouth advertising, which is really the best form of marketing. As a dental provider, you need to ensure that your current patients trust you to provide them with quality care and invest in their health.

Take it up a notch and do follow-up personal calls to patients or send personalized mail. Begin a regular monthly email newsletter to keep your patients informed. People value trust and respect, especially with their health care providers. Direct connection establishes loyalty. Loyal patients will continue investing in your business and market your business, as well. Social media is another popular way to market your business.

If you do not already have a website, get one and keep it updated with the services you offer, schedules, and even a bio profile of your employees to make it personable. Promoting ads on social media platforms is another option. According to an ad by Forbes, social media marketing is critical, with almost a third of 16-24 year-olds learning about new products and services through paid ads on popular social media platforms. It goes on to state that social media is a popular way that customers hear about new products.

Get Professional Help

A professional company to assist in marketing your practice is also an option. Some companies can not only assist in marketing but also provide training and marketing strategy management. If you are not familiar with managing a website or social media, consider hiring a professional to do so. It can make all the difference when looking to gain new clientele.

Strategic Practice Solutions is your one-stop shop for assistance with training your team, setting your goals, and being proactive in growing your dental practice. Do not settle for mediocre when you can accomplish more with the help of a team of experts. We are ready to help you be successful! Contact us today and start growing your business!

How to Make UCR Work for Your Practice

April 25, 2021

How your dental practice gets paid is of supreme importance. There are numerous elements that surround the entire area of accounts receivables, and it literally “pays” be know how these aspects factor into your overall income strategy. A working knowledge of UCR can actually benefit your dental practice and help you avoid financial losses.

First, let us define what UCR is as it pertains to dentistry. The acronym stands for usual, customary and reasonable. However, to many dentistry practices, it seems rather unreasonable and not at all fair. Basically, the term UCR applies to the fees and reimbursements that insurance companies pay to dentistry offices for services. It has been adopted by dentistry and can be found on EOB (Explanation of Benefits) forms that offices use to request reimbursement from insurance plans. Since the reimbursement amounts can often seem unfair, here are some ways to make UCR work for your practice and avoid taking a financial loss.

Understanding UCR

UCR is not actually a number; instead, it is a range of numbers based on percentages. Insurance companies will pay out a certain percentage based on the cost of a dental procedure. Even though it is based on percentages, there is also a cap on how much the company will pay for each procedure and insurance will pay out whichever cost is less. Zip code and percentage plays a large factor in determining UCR at insurance companies. Geographical area has some weigh-in on the amount that insurance will pay. Let us look at an example.

In your geographical area, let us assume that the majority of dentists chart $200 for a crown; so, the insurance company would set the fee at $200. Let us say that your office charges $150 for crowns. A patient’s insurance plan pays 50% toward the charge, which is $75, leaving a $75 remaining balance. In another scenario, let us say your office charges more than the average $200; say you charge $300. Insurance would still pay 50%, or $150 and there would be a $150 balance remaining.

How UCR Affects Your Practice

Dentist offices may be forced to lower charges for services in their area to retain clients. However, lowering charges for services too much can result in a financial loss to the business. Knowing UCR levels could mean increased revenue for your business.

An article details a hypothetical scenario about an average dentist office’s profit: “…dental practice grossing $400,000 per year. The average overhead in a $400,000 practice is 70 percent. If our hypothetical office is open 40 hours per week, 50 weeks per year, then the dentist works 2,000 hours per year. The office overhead is $280,000. Total overhead ($280,000) divided by 2,000 hours gives us an hourly overhead of $140. That is the fixed overhead before the doctor is paid a single penny.

Now say a patient were to come in needing a prophylactic cleaning and claimed it to be covered at 100%.” …the office submits the claim form. The fee for the cleaning was $85, the overhead cost was $140, and the doctor`s/hygienist`s salary must be added to that. The office just lost $55, plus the salary of the doctor/hygienist.”

In another explanation of the effects on patients and business, it is stated, “In situations where a single company serves one geographical area, their usual, customary and reasonable fee schedule affects the prices of dental services in the area. Where a dentist charges more than the set usual, customary and reasonable fees, they have no option but to lower their fees in line with the average charges in the area. Consequently, when a dentist realizes that they charge less than what is set in their area of practice, the chances are that they will raise their fees.”

How to Make UCR Work for You

One item on your agenda should be analyzing your fees. By assuming that you will only be reimbursed 70%, for example, you could be losing money. Different plans could be paying 80% or even 90% but could be reimbursing you less money because you are charging less for your services. Routinely monitor your EOBs (explanation of benefits) and find out which plans cover at what percentages.

Pre-certification and pre-authorization are easy steps to take to ensure maximum benefits. Pre-certification verifies that a patient is active with an insurance plan. Pre-authorization involves submitting a request for treatment to insurance for payment. Some insurance companies require this for payment! Verifying benefits can be combined with the pre-authorization process. You want to be sure that the procedure you are requesting to be performed is covered under the patient’s insurance plan.

So how can companies like PPO Negotiation Solutions help your business? PPO Negotiation Solutions has an eight-step process to save you money and increase your revenue. Part of that process is to evaluate your current UCR and PPO fee schedules in comparison with other dental practices in your area. Also work on PPO fee negotiations, provider credentialing, and staff education. Let the experts educate you and set you on the path to success. Call or click today!

How to Build a Successful Dental Practice

April 2, 2021

Dental medicine is a thriving industry with enormous potential. However, that does not guarantee that your dental practice will automatically become successful. Dental medicine has evolved over recent years to become more advanced, more appealing and more comfortable for patients.

The modern dental practice has numerous moving parts and functional systems to keep it operating at peak efficiency. Modern medical care, including dentistry, is a complicated combination of treating patients and running a business. Both sides of the equation must be balanced in order to build and maintain a successful dental practice.

This is where many dental practitioners experience a serious disconnect – they fell in love with dental medicine but likely choke when dealing with all the necessary evils of the business component. A successful dental practice requires acumen in both areas: dental care and business management.

PPO Negotiation Solutions knows what it takes to make your dental practice successful. Whether you are just starting out in practice or you’ve been in business for years, we can offer suggestions and solutions to transform your dental practice from serious drudge to unparalleled success. Here are some basic strategies we suggest.

Competitive Branding

A successful dental practice sets itself apart from the local competition. Learn about the target population in your area, their needs and desires for dental care. Then, find a way to meet those needs and desires with your own competitive advantages. These unique advantages are the major focus of your sales and marketing strategies. Highlight what makes you different and better than the other local dental practices.

It is not enough to feature what every other dental office in the area provides. Some cool amenities and a fancy building still houses the same dental care options that most other dentists offer. You must determine what makes you stand apart from the rest and make that a major focus.

For example, children’s dentists were scare in a particular area, although there were several dental practices from which to choose. One particular dental practice opened with unique branding that focused more on pediatric dentistry, even featuring a circus design motif and décor. Their business almost exploded with growth virtually overnight.

Competent Care

Competitive branding will attract clients, competent care will keep them coming back for years. You must attract and recruit talented and skilled practitioners who know their business. They are the face and hands of your dental practice, and they are the single most important factor that will cause clients to return or go elsewhere.

Skills and personal interactions are equally important. Kind and compassionate treatment combined with unsurpassed dental treatments are a winning combination that will keep your practice thriving. The right team exudes an atmosphere of teamwork and family. That kind of office culture is a huge plus for attracting and keeping quality team members.

Don’t underestimate the success power of a great team, nor the destructive power of an unhappy or problematic team. It may pay off in the long term to contract with professional recruitment services to help you screen and evaluate candidates. This is especially true if in addition to owning the practice, you also personally provide full-time dental services.

Comprehensive Services

Modern people are busy – the number one barrier to most people receiving dental care is a busy schedule. You can trump this argument by providing a comprehensive array of dental services to meet any need. Beyond providing excellent care, you must provide the full range of dental services that your clientele may need.

Patients no longer wish to go to several dental specialists’ offices for numerous appointments. They want one dentist and one office to handle their dental needs. This includes everything from pediatric dentistry to basic and emergency care to replacing teeth in their older years. While recruiting a talented and skilled team, be sure to adequately cover all the bases so you can offer every dental option under one roof.

Dental technology has expanded to include advanced imaging, lab and treatment options that can all be housed in a single practice. It may require a challenging investment up front, but your clients will be more than happy to stick with your dental practice when they can enjoy the latest and best dental care in one place and with one team they know and trust.

Make It Easy for Clients to Get Care

Most people are only offered dental care as an addition to regular insurance coverage, meaning it is often viewed as an extra burden. As of 2019, the CDC reported that only 50.2% of adults between the ages of 18–64 enjoyed the benefit of dental insurance coverage. This means that approximately half of your target clientele have no assistance with paying for dental care.

Targeting this half will require adding some creative payment options that make it easy for clients to get the care they want and need. Flexible financing options can open the door for many of these potential clients when they have no dental insurance coverage. Moreover, many others who do have insurance have limited coverage that does not completely pay for some treatments. Take the necessary steps to accept numerous types of payment, including as many insurance companies as possible, cash, credit and debit payments and some sort of easily-obtained financing.

Be Proactive in Asking for Referrals

Word-of-mouth referrals are still the number-one method of gaining clients. People give considerable credence to the word of those they know and trust. So, make it easy for your clients to refer other clients. Ask for referrals and provide different strategies for obtaining them in different settings.

There are ways to point people to online referral pages through your email, ads and patient communications. Provide in-office referral cards and ask your clients for online reviews. Provide the necessary links to these sites and offer incentives for those who provide referrals or testimonials about their care.

Your Ultimate Success Depends on Clients

How do you build a successful dental practice? It all revolves around your clients. Targeting your ideal customer, providing them with unsurpassed dental care and a pleasant experience while at your office and maintaining a focus on attraction and service will keep clients returning for dental care over the long haul.

This means that your patients must inform every choice you make for your dental practice, including marketing, amenities, staffing and services. The client is your source of revenue, so prioritizing their experience is the key to creating and maintaining a successful dental practice.

PPO Negotiation Solutions offers many solutions to enrich your dental practice operations and profitability. Contact us today for a consultation and learn more about how we can help you build a successful dental practice.