Make use of the latest tools in Dentrix to reduce claim delays and denials.
Dental insurance companies require more and more information these days in order to process claims. For many offices, insurance payments make up a large portion of their accounts receivable, so delays in insurance payments can negatively affect their cashflow. This makes it very important for offices to submit dental claims with all of the required attachments and documentation to avoid payment delays.
Dentrix has an automatic attachment feature which helps to remind you what type of attachments are required by each insurance company for specific procedure codes and automatically attaches them to claims when possible. When submitting a claim, Dentrix looks at the procedure codes being submitted and the requirements for those procedures for the insurance carrier. If Dentrix is able to automatically add an attachment such as an X-ray or periodontal charting, the attachments will automatically be added. If Dentrix is unable to add the attachments automatically, you will see a message reminding you that attachments are required for the procedure codes you are submitting. This feature can help your office to submit all the required information on claims the first time the claims are being submitted, which can drastically reduce claim delays and help your office to maintain healthy cash flow.
In January 2024, the American Dental Association will introduce new CDT codes and a new claim form which includes three updates that include a box to enter the payor ID, a box to enter whether services were provided by a locum tenens dentist, and a box to enter the date of the patient’s last SRP.
The fact that there will be a specific place to enter the date of the last SRP is an exciting change since that’s information that is typically required when filing a claim if a patient needs to have SRP again, due to a frequency limitation. Also, if you’re filing a claim for periodontal maintenance, code D4910, insurance companies usually require that you submit the date that the patient had SRP in order to consider the claim.
Updating your office claim format to DX2024 or DX2024F, which is available in the most current version of Dentrix, and submitting the date of the patient’s last SRP when applicable, is another way to make sure your office is submitting all the necessary documentation on dental claims the first time to avoid delays in receiving insurance payments.
Since dental insurance companies require lots of information in order to consider claims for payment, it’s critical to provide them with that information the first time your office submits claims. This will help to prevent delays in your office receiving insurance payments which can affect your cashflow. You can use the automatic attachment feature in Dentrix to ensure that all necessary attachments are being submitted the first time. And the most current ADA claim form allows you to add additional information insurance companies require, including the date of the patient’s last SRP, which is important when submitting claims for SRP or periodontal maintenance.
Learn More
For additional information, read the following:
- Reminder: This Claim Needs an Attachment
- Add Required Attachments to Claims Automatically
- Updating CDT Codes in Dentrix for 2024
By Charlotte Skaggs
Certified Dentrix Trainer and The Dentrix Office Manager columnist
Charlotte Skaggs is the founder of Vector Dental Consulting LLC, a practice management firm focused on taking offices to the next level. Charlotte co-owned and managed a successful dental practice with her husband for 17 years. She has a unique approach to consulting based on the perspective of a practice owner. Charlotte has been using Dentrix for over 20 years and is a certified Dentrix trainer. Contact Charlotte at vectordentalconsulting@gmail.com.
