Congratulations on taking a significant step towards optimizing your dental practice by enrolling in Dentistry Support® or any other 3rd Party like us! As you enrolled you might be wondering what comes next. This guide will provide a comprehensive overview of what to expect and how our services can seamlessly integrate into your practice, focusing on three crucial areas: phones, eligibility, and dental billing. By the end of this guide, you'll have a clear understanding of how we support your practice and what is expected of your team to ensure a smooth and productive collaboration.
1. Phone Support: Streamlining Communication
How We Support
At Dentistry Support®, we understand that effective communication is the backbone of any successful dental practice. Our phone support service is designed to manage your calls professionally, ensuring that every patient interaction is handled with care and efficiency. Here's how we do it:
Call Management: Our trained professionals handle incoming calls, scheduling appointments, confirming existing ones, and addressing patient inquiries. This ensures that your front desk staff can focus on in-office tasks without being overwhelmed by phone calls.
Patient Communication: We follow up with patients regarding treatment plans, upcoming appointments, and any other necessary communications, ensuring no detail is overlooked.
Emergency Handling: Our team is equipped to manage emergency calls, providing patients with the necessary information and guidance while informing your office of any urgent situations.
What is Expected of Your Office During Onboarding
For our phone support to be effective, your office needs to:
Provide Access: Ensure our team has access to your scheduling software and any necessary communication tools.
Set Clear Guidelines: Communicate your office policies, preferences for appointment scheduling, and any specific instructions for handling patient inquiries.
Regular Updates: Keep us informed about any changes in your schedule, staffing, or office hours to ensure seamless service.
What Your Team Does Once We Are Live
Once we go live with phone support, your team will:
Monitor and Review: Oversee our daily call handling through our recap reports, which provide a high-level overview of call volume, patient interactions, and any urgent issues.
Focus on In-Office Tasks: Redirect their focus to in-office patient care and administrative tasks, knowing that phone communications are managed efficiently.
Engage in Patient Experience: With phone tasks outsourced, team members can enhance patient experience in-office, ensuring every patient feels valued and cared for.
2. Eligibility Verification: Ensuring Coverage and Reducing Denials
How We Support
Eligibility verification is crucial in preventing insurance claim denials and ensuring patients receive the coverage they expect. Our team takes the burden off your shoulders by:
Pre-Appointment Checks: We verify patient insurance coverage before their appointment, ensuring that all necessary information is up-to-date and accurate.
Ongoing Monitoring: We continuously monitor changes in patient insurance status, updating records accordingly
to avoid any surprises at the time of service.
Detailed Reporting: Our team provides detailed reports on eligibility checks, highlighting any issues or discrepancies that need attention.
What is Expected of Your Office During Onboarding
To maximize the benefits of our eligibility verification service, your office should:
Provide Accurate Information: Ensure that patient details and insurance information are correctly entered into your system.
Communicate Changes: Inform us promptly of any updates to patient information or insurance providers.
Review Reports: Regularly review the reports we provide and address any highlighted issues promptly.
What Your Team Does Once We Are Live
Once we go live with eligibility verification, your team will:
Analyze Reports: Regularly review our detailed eligibility reports to stay informed about patient insurance status and address any potential issues proactively.
Focus on Treatment Coordination: With eligibility checks managed by our team, in-office staff can focus on treatment coordination, helping patients understand their coverage and plan their treatments accordingly.
Improve Efficiency: Use the time saved on eligibility checks to streamline other office processes, ensuring a more efficient and effective practice.
3. Dental Billing: Maximizing Revenue and Reducing Errors
How We Support
Dental billing can be a complex and time-consuming task. Our team is here to simplify the process and ensure that your practice maximizes its revenue with minimal errors:
Claim Submission: We handle the submission of insurance claims, ensuring they are correctly completed and submitted promptly.
Payment Posting: Our team posts payments from insurance companies and patients, maintaining accurate financial records.
Denial Management: We track and manage denied claims, working to resolve issues quickly and efficiently to secure the payments you deserve.
Patient Billing: We generate and send patient statements, handling inquiries and payment processing to streamline your billing operations.
What is Expected of Your Office During Onboarding
For our dental billing support to be effective, your office should:
Maintain Accurate Records: Ensure that patient records, treatment details, and insurance information are accurate and up-to-date.
Timely Communication: Inform us of any changes in patient treatment plans or insurance coverage promptly.
Monitor Financial Reports: Regularly review the financial reports we provide and address any discrepancies or concerns.
What Your Team Does Once We Are Live
Once we go live with dental billing support, your team will:
Review Financial Reports: Regularly review our financial reports to stay updated on claim submissions, payments, and any issues that need attention.
Enhance Patient Experience: With billing tasks outsourced, staff can focus on enhancing the patient experience, ensuring clear communication about financial matters and improving overall satisfaction.
Drive Growth: Use the time saved on billing tasks to focus on growth initiatives, such as treatment coordination and expanding service offerings, ensuring your practice continues to thrive.
New Roles for In-Office Staff
With Dentistry Support® handling key administrative tasks, your in-office staff can transition to roles that drive growth and enhance patient care:
Office Management from a 30,000 Ft Vantage Point:
Role: Oversee the overall operations and efficiency of the practice, using our recap reports to monitor performance and address any issues.
Benefits: Provides a comprehensive view of the practice's operations, enabling proactive management and strategic decision-making.
Patient Experience Specialist:
Role: Focus on enhancing the patient experience, from the moment they walk in to the moment they leave, ensuring every interaction is positive and memorable.
Benefits: Increases patient satisfaction and loyalty, leading to better retention and more referrals.
Growth and Treatment Coordinator:
Role: Coordinate treatment plans with patients, helping them understand their options, insurance coverage, and financial responsibilities.
Benefits: Drives practice growth by improving case acceptance rates and ensuring patients receive the care they need.
Leadership and Business Expansion:
Role: Focus on leadership development and business expansion, mentoring new staff, and exploring opportunities to grow the practice.
Benefits: Enhances the practice’s long-term viability and success by fostering a culture of leadership and continuous improvement.
The Value of Mentorship in Dentistry
While third-party support can significantly enhance your practice's efficiency, mentorship plays an equally vital role in personal and professional growth. Here’s why every dentist should consider mentorship:
Long-Term Guidance and Support
Mentorship provides a long-term relationship that goes beyond immediate problem-solving. A mentor can offer:
Expert Insights: Drawing from their extensive experience, mentors provide valuable insights and strategies tailored to your specific challenges and goals.
Accountability: Regular check-ins and goal-setting with a mentor help maintain focus and accountability, driving continuous improvement.
Emotional Support: Navigating the complexities of running a dental practice can be stressful. A mentor offers emotional support, encouragement, and a sounding board for ideas.
Business Evaluation and Efficiency Improvement
A mentor can conduct a thorough evaluation of your practice over a period of six months to a year, identifying areas for improvement:
Operational Efficiency: Assessing your current processes and suggesting changes to enhance efficiency and reduce waste.
Financial Health: Reviewing your financial practices to maximize profitability and sustainability.
Patient Experience: Providing feedback on patient interactions and suggesting improvements to enhance satisfaction and loyalty.
Mentorship Opportunities with Dentistry Support®
At Dentistry Support®, we offer mentorship programs even for those not enrolled in our services. Our experienced mentors can help you:
Evaluate Your Practice: Conduct a detailed evaluation of your business operations, identifying strengths and areas for improvement.
Develop Strategies: Work with you to develop and implement strategies that enhance efficiency, profitability, and patient satisfaction.
Continuous Improvement: Provide ongoing support and guidance to ensure continuous improvement and long-term success.
Starting with Mentorship
If you're unsure about remote support, starting with a mentorship program can be a great way to experience the benefits of external expertise without committing to full support services. Our mentors are here to help you navigate the challenges of running a successful dental practice, providing the support you need to thrive.
In conclusion, integrating Dentistry Support® into your practice can significantly enhance your operational efficiency, financial health, and patient satisfaction. By leveraging our phone support, eligibility verification, and dental billing services, and considering mentorship for long-term growth, you are setting your practice up for success. Welcome to a new era of dental practice management with Dentistry Support®!
Disclaimer:
To learn more about Sarah Beth Herman, the author of all free training content you can read her bio here. These materials are intended to provide helpful information to dentists and dental team members. They are in no way a substitute for actual professional advice based on your unique facts and circumstances. This content is not intended or offered, nor should it be taken, as legal or other professional advice. You should always consult with your own professional advisors (e.g. attorney, accountant, or insurance carrier). To the extent, Dentistry Support ®has included links to any third-party website (s), Dentistry Support ® intends no endorsement of their content and implies no affiliation with the organizations that provide their content. Further, Dentistry Support ® makes no representations or warranties about the information provided on those sites. You can view our privacy policy and terms and conditions by clicking those pages in the footer of our website.
I love the transparency but most especially the details on mentorship and how it provides a long-term relationship that goes beyond immediate problem-solving. Thank you!