How to Become a Dental Biller or Dental Coder?

Dental billers are professionals who specialize in the process of tracking medical procedures and services as well as patient accounts. In other words, dental billers help dentists track their expenses and bring them down to a reasonable level. Billers may work directly for dentists or dental practices, or they may find employment with an insurance company or third-party vendor that specializes in tracking medical expenses. The latter type of position is typically more common among dental billers. Whether you’re looking to become a dental coder, billing specialist, or both, in this article we’ll cover what it takes to become a dental coder and/or biller. If you’re serious about launching your career in the world of finance and healthcare administration, keep reading to learn more about these two fields and how you can break into them!

What is a Dental Coder?

A dental coder is a healthcare professional who specializes in assigning numerical values to medical information. Dental coders use codes and/or algorithms to represent specific pieces of information about a patient or procedure. For example, a coder may assign the number “76301” to represent “cleaning of teeth.” Dental coders use specialized software to assign data values to specific procedures. These computer programs allow coders to input data very quickly, which is necessary in a dental office where records must be kept up-to-date in real time. On average, dental coders take one to two years to complete their training. Most dental coding schools require that students possess a high school diploma or equivalent and some experience in healthcare administration.

What is a Dental Biller?

A dental biller is a healthcare professional who tracks the amount a patient owes the dentist at the end of a treatment. A dentist typically charges patients a flat fee for procedures, but insurance companies may negotiate discounted prices for services. Dental billers are responsible for collecting this information from patients and insurers. Dental billers use software to itemize patient bills based on procedures performed as well as insurance coverage. This process is called “claims management” and is typically handled by third-party vendors. Billers who work with third-party vendors may be responsible for collecting payment from patients. Billers who work directly with dentists typically specialize in assisting dentists track and collect patient payments.

How to Become a Dental Coder

If you’re interested in becoming a dental coder, you’ll need to earn a dental coding degree. Most coding schools require that students possess a high school diploma or equivalent and some experience in healthcare administration.

How to Become a Dental Biller

If you’re interested in becoming a dental biller, you’ll need to earn a dental billing degree. Most dental billing schools require that students possess a high school diploma or equivalent and some experience in healthcare administration. 

Conclusion

Dentists rely on specialized professionals to help them track their medical expenses, manage patient accounts, and keep their practices running smoothly. If you’re interested in a career that combines the fields of finance and healthcare, becoming a dental biller or coder may be the perfect fit! If you’re interested in pursuing a career as a dental coder or biller, you may want to consider attending a coding or billing school. While dental offices do hire employees who are not professionally trained, it’s important to note that oral health professionals who do not specialize in coding or billing may not make as much money as those who do.