Practice Management |6 min read

5 Dental Management Processes for 2023

5 Dental Management Processes for 2023

At eAssist Dental Solutions, we want to help you maximize your role in your dental practice because you are critical to its success. So, we’ve compiled a list of the top 5 dental management processes you can implement immediately in 2023 so you can have your best year yet!

Make the most of your morning

Do you have a morning huddle each morning? If not, we suggest setting and executing that resolution in 2023. If yes, is it efficient? The purpose of a morning huddle is to ensure that everyone is on the same page and ready to provide the best possible patient care.

Here are some tips for an effective dental practice morning huddle:

  • Keep it short and focused: Limit the huddle to 10 minutes and stick to an agenda. Studies show that short, focused meetings keep everyone engaged and focused.
  • Cover key information: Review the day’s schedule, important patient information, and any special requests or requirements. Discuss any patient billing or treatment concerns, including insurance coverage, accessibility (e.g. wheelchair, interpreter, etc.), or outstanding treatment to be completed.
  • Identify potential challenges: Anticipate any challenges that may arise during the day, such as emergencies or delays, and develop a plan to address them.
  • End with a positive note: End the huddle on a positive note! Use a motivational quote or a group cheer to boost morale and help the team start the day with enthusiasm.

We have a customizable, 10-minute morning huddle template for maximum dental practice efficiency…Click to open pdf in a new window…. Wow your team and elevate your mornings with this morning huddle template that is easy to fill in, print off, and track your team’s progress.

Foster trust & transparency with your patients

The average patient retention in the dental industry is 41%, meaning only 4 out of every 10 new patients return for a next appointment in your dental practice. Dental patient retention rates can vary depending on factors such as the size of your practice, location, and the types of services you offer (e.g. Invisalign). It’s certainly worth noting that patient retention is a key factor in the success of a dental practice, and you can increase your dental patient retention rate with a few little tweaks to your dental billing processes that will build much-needed trust and transparency with your patients.

First, create a Pre-Appointment Readiness Plan…Click to download eBook in a new window…. This consists of the dental billing processes that need to be completed before the patient is seen in the office — everything from scheduling with the correct provider to a complete insurance verification. This will help prevent surprise denials or out-of-pocket costs for your patients. You can also train your staff to understand insurance plans and coverage options to better serve your patients.

Clear communication with patients about billing policies, fees, and payment options is also essential. Make sure your patients understand what services are estimated to be covered by their insurance and what their estimated out-of-pocket investment will be. Offering flexible payment plans and being willing to work with patients who are experiencing financial difficulties will help build trust and loyalty with your patients.

Speaking of financial discussions, they can be difficult. Does your dental practice have a financial form to use for maximum transparency and trust? You can use a financial form to clearly define your dental office’s expectations for outstanding patient balances, payment arrangements, and more! If you need a detailed financial form to use in your practice, don’t worry, we have one for you…Click to open pdf in a new window…!

Verify insurance coverage

Insurance verification can be overwhelming and time-consuming. Full insurance plan benefit breakdowns are not always available through portals, and when you or your staff call to speak to a representative, the wait times can range from 20-45 minutes per verification. This is time that could be better spent focusing on other duties within the office, like making your patients’ experiences amazing.

But insurance verification is important because it helps ensure that your dental practice is aware of your patients’ insurance coverage and the benefits and limitations of that coverage. It is one of the most crucial dental billing processes to prevent avoidable denials, and it builds patient trust when they know you have done your due diligence in getting all the information you can to give them the most accurate treatment plan possible.

Commit to team meetings

The dental practice that grows together, succeeds together! In 2023, commit to weekly team meetings to cross-train, identify dental billing trends and where processes can improve, etc, etc. We have a list of team meeting themes…Click to open pdf in a new window… for you, that gives the perfect mix of variety and consistency to your continued improvement.

On weeks or months where you want to cross-train — this is not only very efficient, it can also come in handy during short-staffing periods — you can use this cross-training list…Click to open pdf in a new window… as a guide!

Invest in dental billing outsourcing

Did you know you can streamline your dental billing processes? A lot of Office Managers think, “But what would I do if I didn’t have the dental billing tasks to complete?” Let’s explore that. With remote dental billing specialists taking care of the dental billing processes for you (e.g. A/R follow-up, insurance payment posting, etc.), here are a few things you would have time — or more time — to do:

  • Set scheduling and production goals
  • Implement financial processes for patient treatment
  • Build a Pre-Appointment Readiness Plan
  • Actively listen and engage with patients during treatment plan presentation
  • Implement a post-treatment call process
  • Develop a cross-training system for your dental team
  • Hold daily morning huddles and monthly team meetings to address roadblocks, celebrate successes, and suggest improvements
  • Encourage patients to give a review/testimonial

And these are just a few. Outsourcing your dental billing has huge benefits, the biggest of which is more time for you, as the Office Manager, to focus on the high-level tasks and operations.

eAssist is here to support you

eAssist Dental Solutions is here to support you in becoming the best Office Manager you can be. Juggling all of your daily tasks may feel overwhelming. It can feel scary to think about outsourcing the dental billing processes…Click to learn more in a new window…, but it means you have a remote team to collect 100% on every dental claim. This is the peace of mind you deserve.

The official dental billing solution for AADOM

About the Author

Headshot of Courtney Roberts

For the past 16 years, Courtney has passionately served the dental industry in capacities ranging from chairside assisting practice management to dental educator. Her entrepreneurial spirit is her secret sauce to doing what she enjoys most — empowering those around her. Courtney helps clients successfully onboard with the eAssist Dental Solutions platform, ensuring a smooth transition to outsourcing their dental billing. If you want to learn more about how eAssist can be the extra pair of arms you desperately need, email LearnMore@eassist.me.

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