Dental billing courses aim to provide training in knowledge of dental procedures and proper billing documentation associated with these procedures. Accurate and timely billing is necessary to flawlessly carry out the payment process with insurance companies. Dental billing involves accurate billing to patients, record keeping of all appointments and visits, monitoring insurance premiums, tracking changes in insurance rates etc. There is zero margin for error in each of these tasks, therefore accredited dental billing courses have been designed to train dental assistants in good office practices.
Dental Billing Programs
Dental billing courses are generally offered as part of an associate’s degree in dental assistance or in dental office administration programs. Apart from these, there are a few programs offered by various dental associations which are dedicated to dental billing. Completion of any of these three programs qualifies candidates to work in the dental billing capacity. Associate’s degrees in dental assistance and dental office administration have duration of one to two years. Dedicated dental billing courses may be from four to twelve weeks in duration and cost between $200 and $400. These courses are offered both in classrooms and online.
Admission Criteria and Course Details
Associate degree programs have a broader curriculum which includes detailed oral anatomy, details of dental procedures and equipment etc. The admission criterion for these programs is usually a high school diploma or equivalent degree with a minimum C grade average (may vary depending on program). Short length dental billing courses usually do not have any admission or qualification criteria.
Dental billing curriculum typically includes:
- Dental terminology
- American Dental Association standard codes for specific dental procedures
- Insurance terminology
- Dental billing techniques
- Interpretation of dental documents
- Review of evolving trends in dentistry
Career Prospects
Dental billing jobs are available in every dental clinic or hospital or any other dental care facility. Candidates who have completed dental billing courses as part of their associate’s degree are usually offered higher salaries as compared to those with certifications in dental billing only. There is however a positive outlook for everyone working in the dental assistant capacity. A report by the Bureau of Labor Statistics suggests a faster than average growth in job opportunities in the field of dental assistance and billing. Dental assistants can earn between $25,000 and $35,000 depending upon their qualification and experience.