I'm Sarah Beth Herman, the CEO of dentistry support.  I am really excited because in this episode, I'm going to be talking how exactly to start a dental billing company. With over 25 years of experience and five successful businesses under my belt. Including our sister company dentistry support academy or DS academy. I have accumulated a wealth of knowledge on dental billing. This episode is going to guide you through the essential components of building a robust and thriving dental business. 

Now, the first thing I want to talk about is that, yes, I'm going to teach you how to build a dental billing company, but many of the philosophies that I have adopted over the years are  philosophies that you can adopt in any business. So we're going to talk all dental in this episode, but I want you to know if you're not in the dental industry and you've picked up this episode. 

You're. You're still going to get a few carrots that will help you and your business  and we'll help you decide if you want to start a business and begin that life of an entrepreneur.

 As you're listening to this episode, you might have stumbled upon it because your office manager wanted to train you on understanding dental billing, or maybe your dentist hired you. And you don't have experience in dentistry and you want a little bit more help, or maybe you've been in dentistry for 20 years, and you just want some new carrots, new things to take away, to share with your team, to help train them up in the way that you want them to go. Now you also might be an experienced dental practice that knows everything there is to know about how to do dental billing. Awesome. 

I'm still glad you're here. And I still think you're going to find a lot of great things in this episode. As I start off explaining what dental billing is. Even if you find yourself wanting to fast forward, listen up, because there might be a way I explain something  you might find helpful in how to explain this to a future team member of yours. And I have always been of the mindset that we should be trying to train up our future generations because there's nothing good that comes from gatekeeping. 

Anyone who has a mindset of an entrepreneur or a go getter, they're going to find out the information anyways. And wouldn't you want to know that everybody that's in the industry would benefit from everyone in the industry. That's how I think I want everyone on the same page. I want everyone to be able to be profitable together there are over 500,000 dental practices in the United States alone. And there's no way I can service all of them. 

So why not make our community better together? Let's get right into it. Understanding dental billing. So how does dental billing work? Dental billing involves submitting and following up on claims with dental and medical insurance companies to receive payment for services rendered by a dentist. This process requires understanding various coding systems, insurance policies, and regulatory requirements such as HIPAA compliance or Phi compliance. Efficient dental billing ensures that dental practices get paid in the same month that services were rendered. And that it's done so accurately now, oftentimes some of those two aspects are missed and these are crucial for maintaining  financial health of a dental business. The dental billing process is multifaceted and it begins with a patient  the moment you answer the phone. 

When you answer the phone, you are excepting someone into the dental practice. Who's going to start to receive services and has intent to pay, or has the means to pay, or has the insurance company that would pay for their services. So the dental billing process begins when the patient is on the phone and. Then as they receive dental services. The billing process involves several steps. 

So the reason I mentioned when they're on the phone is because the very first step of dental billing is beginning at that point, the patient registration that is collecting patient information, including insurance details and understanding how they intend to pay for services. Next is verification of benefits confirming the patient's insurance coverage and benefits. And understanding the limitations, their dental insurance is a relationship between the patient and the insurance company. 

It is not a relationship between. The dental office and the patient or the dental office and the insurance company. Make sure you define that in your practice. Next is service coding using the correct dental codes to describe the services provided.  Next is claim submission, sending the claim to the insurance company for reimbursement. And then follow up tracking the claim status and addressing any issues or rejections, and  finally patient billing. 

So billing the patient for any remaining balance after the insurance payment. Now in some dental practices, you may find that your dentist or your office has a policy where you don't bill anything until after insurance pays on the contrary, you might have a policy where your patient pays everything upfront and you simply reimburse the patient. 

Once the insurance pays. Or you might have a hybrid of the two where the patient comes in and they have a dental insurance. And then once the patient has a treatment plan, the patient will pay their portion. You will send the bill to the insurance for the remaining amount. And if there happens to be a dollar amount leftover, you'll send a statement to the patient. Whatever works for your practice. 

You may just find that some of the information I share with you  is conflicting either way, just know that those are the typical policies you find in a dental practice.   Your job is to learn to close the revenue cycle. Learn the revenue cycle, know the revenue cycle and master the revenue cycle, refining and retuning your best practices until you have accomplished everything that encompasses closing the revenue cycle. Let's take a step into how to start your dental billing company. 

 Maybe, you know, everything I just shared with you on what is dental billing. Awesome.  Now you're thinking  I'm so great at dental billing that my expertise needs to be in dental offices everywhere. 

 I need to start a dental billing company because I am an expert. Awesome. I love that about you. I love that you are encouraged to do so. Let's get into what you need to know.   The key steps to starting your dental billing company. Number one.  Learn dental billing.  You might have just said to me, I just told you I'm really good at dental billing. I don't need to learn it. No, that's not accurate. You do need to keep learning it. You need to learn everything you could possibly learn and then some, and then go learn a little bit more. Before you get into business learning, dental billing is so important. Our online school dentistry support academy offers pace approved courses that provide a comprehensive training in dental billing. We also provide CE courses to professionals in dentistry. These courses cover everything from understanding dental codes, to navigating insurance policies and managing  patient billing. Now you might be thinking, wow, that was a really nice commercial. You gave us.  I gave it to you because I've compiled everything that my 400 plus employees. I have put together. Learned from continued to grow from mistakes. 

We've made improvements. We've made. Ways that we've grown practices beyond what they ever thought they would get to just by  truly understanding dental billing.  Now, when I say learn dental billing. I mean, these four things. Number one, dental codes 

learn the intricacies of CDT codes.  CDT stands for current dental terminology. These are the codes that are used to describe dental procedures. Oftentimes I meet professionals in dentistry who feel they are very strong in dental billing. But they don't know all the codes. They know the code that they're used to. 

They know the codes that their dentist has used or their last three dentists they've worked for have used. But when you haven't worked in every specialty or you haven't worked where someone has required you to know everything. You might just be an expert in your lane.  The second is insurance policies understanding the different types of dental insurance plans and how they affect billing.  There's also the element of in and out of network insurances, umbrella plans. 

There are changes to insurance plans that happen. Mid-year. There are consistently evolving insurance plans, new types of plans coming out all the time and policies and regulations that it's almost impossible to keep up with. Understanding the people that should be in your corner regarding dental insurance or medical insurance, as it pertains to dental is very important. Number three is billing software. Get hands on experience with billing softwares.  There are so many dental softwares that exist out there. And it feels like, oh, they're just all one in the same. And in some respects you're right. When Dentrix first came out that system coding was sold to a lot of different dental software companies.  When you go from one dental software to another, you might find similarities and that's because the original coding that was created. A hundred years ago was sold to a lot of different people. 

And then they took that coding and made modifications to what they saw fit and designing a software that would be appealing to dental practices. So there's one little carrot you might take with you somewhere.  

Every dental practice is going to do things different. So as you learn dental softwares, you need to have the open mind that when you get a new client, they might use that software a little bit differently than another client.  It doesn't necessarily mean that when you go get training for Dentrix, open dental, easy dental. Eaglesoft or care stack, No matter what, even if you learn all these systems backwards and forwards, It doesn't mean that it's going to immediately make you successful at billing for a dental practice. 

It means you're understanding the basic modules in their system so that you know how to respond. When a client tells you, this is how I work in the system. And number four regulatory compliance. You need to be up to date with regulations that affect dentistry, remote businesses, and anything that has to do with HIPAA. 

Make sure that you understand how you are bound to those things before you create the business. You'll need to get  a great insurance person or broker, whatever you want to call them, because they'll need to point you in the right direction for insurances that you will need to protect your business. Number two business fundamentals. Starting a dental billing company requires more than just the technical knowledge of dental billing. These are three fundamental steps that I discuss with every client I mentor and every professional who wants to start a dental business.  Number one before you start anything with your business, I want you to open a savings  this helps keep personal and business finances, separate simplifying your accounting and your tax filing. Believe me. I personally have made mistakes, intermingling those, and I've had to learn from those mistakes the hard way. 

So make sure you open a savings account and you do it right from the beginning. Number two is mindset and intuition. Cultivate a positive mindset and learn to trust your intuition. These qualities are so important when making business decisions a strong mindset helps you navigate challenges while intuition guides you in making the right calls. And number three is marketing understanding, grasp the nuances of dental marketing and digital marketing and paper marketing and all the things that go along with Uh,  understanding marketing strategies from a social media to SEO standing helps you attract and retain clients. 

Marketing is not just about promotion. It's about communicating your value proposition to potential clients and solving a problem.  

The next thing I want to talk about is staying updated with trends and technology. The dental billing industry is constantly evolving. There are so many new technologies and trends emerging regularly. My biggest encouragement to you is to stay updated with these changes and understand that it is not just something suggested that you do. It is something that you absolutely need to do. You have to maintain your competitive edge. 

 Join industry forums, attend webinars, and consistently educate yourself on the latest advancements. Understand what AI is and how this is impacting you. If you want to be part of a great group where we have a lot of awesome discussions, head to the dental collaborative on Facebook or on LinkedIn. 

And we are constantly talking about the latest and greatest items in there. You can also find free training on our website. Dentistry support.com forward slash free training. There is a ton of free training material I provide for the dental community that you can learn in your business, and it will truly help you grow and set you apart from all the others.  The next thing we're going to talk about is  technological advancements. In dentistry and in dental billing, you are going to have so many different technological advancements. But the top three that you want to pay attention to is electronic health records. 

So EHR. , utilizing EHR systems to streamline patient information. Now many practices use these and  get yourself familiar with how they work so  your dental billing is not a nightmare. Number two is cloud-based billing softwares.  Make sure that your clients have cloud-based solutions for real-time access and collaboration. 

And then number three, I just mentioned it a few moments ago, artificial intelligence or AI. There are so many different AIS that exist out there. And if it sounds scary, That's okay. You're allowed to have reservations, but what I want you to realize is that AI is coming no matter what. 

You are going to learn from AI, with AI and use AI. No matter what you think.  Embrace it. Now, if you don't run with what's happening in advancements, you're going to get consumed 

they will saturate and cover and push out all of the small dental billing companies that exist because they will be more efficient, more cost effective, and you need to. align yourself with what those look like for the future.  HIPAA compliance is a critical aspect of dental billing. You need to make sure that your business adheres to all patient data, privacy and security regulations, this will not only protect your clients, but also establish your credibility in the industry.  There are several best practices that I have for HIPAA that I  share with as many people as I possibly can. First is data encryption use encryption to protect patient data during transmission and storage, you are never allowed to email or fax over any information about a patient. The reason I'm telling you that you cannot do that is because you may not have the correct encryption. In place and most dental practices are old school. 

They don't like having to put a password in to access something. They don't like to have to go through extra hoops to authenticate themselves. So make sure that you have a process that both protects, but makes it a streamlined process for the dental practice. Number two  access controls, implement strict access controls to limit data access to unauthorized or authorized personnel only.  And  regular audits conduct, regular audits to ensure compliance. And identify. potential vulnerabilities.  When you are talking about your business and how you want to create it and the responsibilities you have.  

 I have seven key aspects to what I believe every business should be built on.  When you're starting a business, you must recognize that your responsibilities extend. Beyond making money, you must also support your industry. Provide value and lead with integrity.  Here's how I'm going to encourage you to do that today.  First provide the service. Offer high quality services don't skimp on anything. 

Don't cut corners just because it'll save you time. Don't cut corners, thinking someone won't catch it. They're going to catch it. To teach the service, educate others in your industry, through training and resources, be the pillar of strength for your industry. You will gain far more relationships and partnerships and clients by being a pillar in the community than you will. 

If you try to gatekeep everything.  Three provide free resources. Share knowledge and tools that help other succeed. I talked about it earlier. You need to learn to work towards contributing to the future generations that will come after you because you will not own this business forever. You will own this business right now and for a while, but then this business will either be sold to someone else, or you will decide to dissolve it when you decide to retire. I provide free resources. 

Now build your network.



 Create jobs contribute to the economy by creating employment opportunities.  Five, expand your services continuously innovate and grow your offerings. If you just say I post payments, someone else out there is going to post payments, research claims, send patient statements. They're going to expand and they're going to be larger than what you have to offer. 

 You constantly need to be evolving and adding more to your resume for what you can offer clients. Learn to be the one resource they go to.  Number six run ethically. Maintain high ethical standards and prioritize people over profits. And number seven care for your industry lead by example and foster a positive impact.  To run a successful business. You need a strong support team. Surround yourself with professionals who can handle areas where you may not be well-versed. Key team members like this can include lawyers, accountants, a marketing team, and it support. When you have a great legal team. You always make sure that you're in legal compliance and that they can handle any legal matters. 

You do not need to stress yourself out with answering different questions or did I do this right? I lean on the team that knows the information. Make sure you have those accountants that manage your finances, your taxes, your accounting needs your marketing team who develop an execute, effective marketing strategies, your it team. 

You're going to need them. If you're going to have a virtual team, or if you're going to work from home for local offices.  

Running a business requires more than just knowledge. You need to be organized and you need to have the right departments in place. You need to have an operations team that manages day-to-day business activities. You need to have a finance team that handles budgeting, accounting and financial planning. Uh, human resources team that oversees hiring training and employee relations, a sales and marketing team that drives revenue growth and brand awareness and customer support. Those that provide excellent service to retain and satisfy your clients. If you have an offsite team, you have got to make sure you have the proper management systems in place. Screen tracking and recording to monitor productivity and ensure accountability. Documentation processes so that you are establishing clear processes for documenting work. Work recording. 

Keeping records of work that's been completed to protect your business and your clients.  

Here at dentistry support, we provide ourselves and maintaining stringent performance metrics that set us apart from our competition. Our commitment to excellence is evident in our goal of minimizing claims aging over 30 days, ensuring that our clients receive  timely payments. We work diligently. On every single claim, every 14 days demonstrating our dedication to efficiency and accuracy.  Unlike many of our competitors, we do not charge a percent of collections making our services more affordable while providing unbeatable value.  We confidently match or beat. Any competitor's price because we believe in the superior quality of our work.  Our trust in our team's expertise and dedication allows us to deliver exceptional services consistently. Reinforcing our position as the best in the industry.  We have an unwavering commitment to high standards and client satisfaction. And that's what sets us apart.  We have team development in place where we have skill assessments, we regularly assess our team skills and identify training needs. 

We have continuing education. Where our team is encouraged to pursue education opportunities and they get  scholarships to our online academy. We have performance feedback where we get constructive feedback to help our team improve and grow.  We have regular best practices where we have a kudos board where our clients submit feedback about our team. Letting us know all of the great things that are happening. Those automatically get alerted to everyone in the company when we receive one. So we can celebrate as a team, all of the ways we are making a difference in dentistry.  

When you're on the verge of starting a business or not. I want you to know that mistakes are inevitable, but how you handle them can make a significant difference.  Approach errors transparently. Communicate openly with your clients and work on solutions promptly. This will build trust and strengthen your relationships with your clients.  

When clients question your work. Approach the situation with strength and knowledge. Show them you are well-versed in dental billing and that you can back your work with industry standards and regulations. When you have confidence like this. It reassures your clients and dental practices of your expertise and reliability.  



 Here at dentistry support, we offer  a wide range of services beyond dental billing. We offer mentoring consulting support services that include a virtual admin eligibility support services, phone services, credentialing, medical billing, and so many more. We also provide pace approved courses through dentistry support academy, focusing on dental billing and other essential skills in the dental practice. Along with training that has nothing to do with dental and is applicable to any industry. Our training programs are designed to equip you with the knowledge and skills you need to Excel in dental billing and in the dental industry as a whole.  

Starting a dental billing company is rewarding. It requires dedication and continuous learning and a positive mindset. Today, as we close out this episode,  our TGM moment today is that you can do this. You have this skill set within you. If you woke up today with the desire to create a business, that means you were created for it. I believe you can do it, but I want to set you up for success. 

I want you to learn from all of the things I've shared with you in today's episode, so that you can be the very best in your industry. The very best in dental billing.  When I first started dentistry support, there was a handful of us. And at the turn of the shutdown in 2020, everything happened to change. And so with that change came many people  who wanted to have virtual teams,  and work for dental practices.  And at the end of the day, only a few will remain standing. 

 I want to make sure that those of us that are. Are the ones that are the most ethical that run the most. Well-rounded at that provide more than just a service to dental offices to make money.  If you are going to be a dental biller virtually, or start a dental billing company. Do so with a heart for the industry and make sure that you link arms with others that are professionals in this same sector.



There is a group of us that hold tightly together and work together to become the very best. 

My encouragement to you is to link arms with us.  Join our different groups. We have online. Ask me questions. You can also be mentored by one of us here at dentistry support or D S academy. We would love to welcome you on board. Thank you so much for listening to this episode of dentistry support the podcast.  I want to be your biggest encouragement, your biggest cheerleader, that if you want to start a business, go do it. If you listen to this episode and you have nothing to do with dentistry, thank you for hearing it. out and thank you for learning. 

What goes into creating this kind of business. I'm excited to see where you go. On this episode, leave us some comments, let us know what your dreams are. We want to root you on pray for you and be there for you in every step of the way. I'll catch you on the  next episode.