When most people think about their general and family dentist, one of the questions they don’t typically ask – at least not upfront – is “What are their billing practices? How efficiently do their back-office systems run?”

But beyond being a concern for dentists and their staff, back-office procedures do have an impact on the care that dental practitioners are able to provide for their patients. For instance,

• Inefficient billing means it can take longer to process claims with your insurance company
• When the staff spends more time on billing, they have less time to spend getting to know their patients
• A dentist who’s thinking about the finances of the practice is less focused on the teeth in front of them
• Confusing billing systems can unintentionally lead to more overdue bills, which can turn into unpleasant experiences for dentists, staff, and patients alike
• Billing claims to insurance companies must follow proper procedures in order to be covered – back-office staff need to know what they’re doing to obtain the results patients need

For these reasons, Dr. Seth of Main Street Dental Gresham uses a service called eAssist Dental Solutions to manage patient billing. This service has helped the practice so much that Main Street Dental was recently featured in a case study on eAssist’s website.

From the article:

[Dr. Seth] knows his patients are benefitting as well, due to the efficiencies gained in the office. Instead of being on hold with an insurance company, the office manager is able to focus on and connect with the patient as soon as they walk in. He is thankful that, “Through eAssist, we have all the benefits updated ahead of time. There’s no question about treatment plans or coverage, or if we can take certain x-rays or do fluoride. It’s just all done and in the system, which makes for such a smooth patient experience on the back end.” In turn, he can have better communication with his patients, without having to worry about how they’re going to pay, or the collections process. He enjoys the fact that “I can be with my patients in the moment, learning about whatever is important to them to share with me about their lives.”

Perhaps the two biggest benefits of all are that Dr. Monson can now “show up and put all my passion, my energy towards patients and team members, and not have to worry about those things.” And, when he’s not there, he knows “the business is running, and the work is getting done. I can be present with my wife and two young sons (BOTH of whom are now healthy, happy, active little boys!), and enjoy family vacations because of the peace of mind I now have.”

From https://dentalbilling.com/case-studies/dr-seth-monson/. Accessed 1/27/2020.

While back-office billing may still not be something you think about as a patient, it makes a big difference in your experience with the general and family dentists at Main Street Dental Gresham.