NMDA Journal Fall 2018

27 nmdental.org A whitepaper available through the Center for Professional Success offers an introduction to understanding dental benefits, including descriptions of types of dental plans, financing, management, coordination of benefits, and relationships with third-party payers. In addition, the Center hosts a series of 20-minute video tutorials designed to help dental professionals understand how third-party programs interface with dental offices. Each video in the series examines a crucial aspect about third-party programs, including: • Signing the Contract: Understanding PPOs • Common Processing Policies • Coding on a Claim Form • Avoiding Claim Errors & Addressing Denials • Discount Dental Plans and In-office Dental Plans • Complying with Commercial Dental Plans Audits/Reviews • Bitewings and Extraoral Image Procedure Codes • Coordinating Benefits: How Much of My Fee Should I Write-Off? • Making Sense of EOB Language The Center includes reference and educational material that provides an in-depth look at specific services that are documented and reported with their own unique Code on Dental Procedures and Nomenclature (CDT) codes. A related FAQ section answers some of the most common questions dentists may have regarding CDT codes. At some point you may wish to renegotiate or end a contract to be a provider for a specific benefits company. Your contract will usually stipulate a specific process to terminate a relationship with that payer. The carrier may require a specific notice period along with other requirements. Be sure to read and comply with all requirements when terminating your contracted participating status. The Center offers several resources to assist with contract termination. 6. CAREER The Career section offers information on a variety of career options, and is designed to help dentists identify and achieve their career goals. When opening a new dental practice, there are many things to consider, including licenses, local requirements, supplies, insurance, infection control, and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) rules. The Center for Professional success offers a checklist and related resources to use as a starting point to address many of the issues dentists encounter when opening new practices. The Center includes information on maintaining success throughout the stages of a dental practice, including the importance of continuing education, effective communications with your team, identifying and retaining best staff candidates througheffectivehiringandtrainingprocesses,andunderstanding how the information in financial reports impacts your practice. Some dentists choose to pursue non-clinical dental career opportunities. The Center for Professional Success offers a variety of career resources to help you make an informed decision on which career path may be best for you, including a self-assessment exercise designed to help you assess your background and experience. Based upon your answers, you will be given some suggested options for a start to your alternate career search. Finally, the Center offers resources for dentists seeking to retire or close their practice. “A Guide to Closing a Dental Practice,” is designed to help you through the process. Covered topics include: • Announcing the closing • Transferring patient records • Revising your insurance portfolio • Special considerations for professional liability insurance policies • Handling staff • Selling your practice The document also includes sample letters and checklists, and tips for getting the best price when selling your practice. OTHER RESOURCES The above are just a fraction of the resources available on the Center for Professional Success website at Success. ADA.org . Other materials include every issue of “Dental Practice Success” —a quarterly magazine-style publication that brings together well-known dental practice management counselors who serve up the best advice on a wide range of topics; the Guidelines for Practice Success™—ethical, voluntary practice management guidelines developed with the input of dental practice management consultants and content authorities; a wide and growing variety of whitepapers covering important topics to the field of dentistry; and coming this fall, a new series of podcasts covering many non-clinical aspects of dental practice. The ADA seeks to be the first place members go to get specific, reliable information on all aspects of dental practice at every stage of their professional journey. The Center for Professional Success was created to fulfil that goal, and it becomes more valuable every year.