When it comes to full scale dental RCM support, dental billing companies are the optimal choice. Here's why:

Table of Contents

‍
What is a virtual assistant (VA)?
What is a dental billing company?
Key differences in expertise
Task capabilities: VA vs. dental billing company
The impact of software proficiency
Why choose a dental billing company?  

Revenue cycle management (RCM) is essential to the financial stability of any dental practice. However, as insurance billing complexities, insurance company hold times, and patient needs increase, many dental offices face additional challenges like staffing shortages and employee burnout. These issues often make it difficult to maintain smooth operations, leading practices to seek external assistance. Some offices may consider hiring a virtual assistant (VA), assuming it’s a cost-effective alternative to a dental billing company. However, while a VA may offer support at a lower expense, the roles of a VA and a dental billing company are not the same. In this blog, we aim to explain the key differences between the two and why a dental billing company offers specialized services that a VA simply cannot.

What is a Virtual Assistant (VA)?

A virtual assistant is typically a remote administrative professional who can handle a variety of tasks across industries. They typically provide basic office administrative duties, customer service, and clerical tasks. While VAs can offer support for general administrative functions, they may not always have specialized knowledge in dental billing or revenue cycle management. They likely also have not been trained at an expert level in dental practice management softwares.

What is a Dental Billing Company?

A dental billing company is an expert service provider specializing in the intricacies of dental billing and RCM. These companies employ professionals with deep knowledge of dental billing codes, insurance claims processing, and dental software. Their primary focus is on optimizing revenue streams for dental practices, ensuring timely payments and resolving complex insurance denials.

Key Differences in Expertise

A critical distinction between a VA and a dental billing company lies in their expertise. Most VAs are generalists pertaining to  administrative work, but they may lack a deep understanding of dental-specific processes. This can lead to inefficiencies and errors in the RCM process if the VA is not proficient in dental billing codes, insurance policies, or dental practice management software. Most importantly - this can have a negative impact on collections.

In contrast, a dental billing company focuses solely on RCM, employing specialists who are trained to handle billing tasks specific to dental practices. Their familiarity with dental billing codes, claims submissions, and follow-up procedures ensures accuracy and efficiency in handling dental office RCM.

Task Capabilities: VA vs. Dental Billing Company

A VA can potentially assist with tasks such as:

• Scheduling appointments
• General data entry
• Basic insurance verifications

‍

These tasks require only surface-level knowledge of a dental practice’s operations. VAs might not have the experience to handle complex billing tasks, such as processing denied claims, understanding EOBs (Explanation of Benefits), or managing AR (Accounts Receivable) aging reports.

On the other hand, a dental billing company offers services such as:

• Processing insurance claims and appeals
• Handling billing errors and rejected claims
• AR management and aging report analysis
• Posting payments with accurate adjustments when they are needed
• Maximizing revenue collection by minimizing unpaid claims

‍

The above tasks require extensive dental billing knowledge, which a typical VA may not have.

The Impact of Software Proficiency

‍
Dental practice management software plays a crucial role in daily operations and revenue cycle management. Software like Dentrix, Eaglesoft, and Open Dental are common in the industry, but they require a specific skill set to operate effectively, particularly for billing and insurance-related tasks.

While some VAs may have experience with general office management software, they may not have the expertise to use dental-specific platforms proficiently. A dental billing company, on the other hand, is well-versed in these systems and can seamlessly integrate their services with a practice’s existing software. This ensures more efficient billing, fewer errors, and faster payment turnarounds.

Why Choose a Dental Billing Company?

For dental offices looking to optimize their revenue cycle management, a dental billing company is typically the better choice. These companies bring a wealth of specialized knowledge that a generalist VA cannot provide. With their expertise, practices can reduce claim denials, improve cash flow, and ensure that all aspects of dental billing are handled accurately.

Additionally, dental billing companies stay up-to-date with industry changes, including updates to insurance coding and regulations, which helps practices avoid compliance issues. VAs, by contrast, may not have the same level of industry-specific knowledge or the ability to keep up with these changes.

While both virtual assistants and dental billing companies offer valuable services, their roles in dental office revenue cycle management are distinct. A VA can support general administrative tasks, but they may lack the expertise necessary for managing complex dental billing processes. A dental billing company, with its specialized knowledge and proficiency in dental software, offers the comprehensive RCM support that practices need to stay profitable and efficient. Learn more about why you should choose Wisdom by reading out our roots, and our promises.

‍