Dental Service Organizations, also called by many, Dental Service Companies, is independent trade associations formed in the dental industry to serve dental service providers. They offer technical assistance and business management to dental clinics, including clinical operations. The main function of such organizations is to provide free or low cost professional dental care and to advocate for improved dental services for all patients. Learn more about cosmetic dentist in Millersville. All members of such organizations agree to adhere to a code of ethical practices, conduct competent and unbiased clinical research, provide protection to dental patients against professional liability and abuse of patients, practice competitively, and develop and maintain a strong dental marketing presence.
The primary function of a dental service company is to provide technical assistance to dentists and dental clinics. These companies have come up with a network of dental practice consultants and business managers who will work as business owners for the dental practice on behalf of the dentist. The dentist, in turn, will pay them a fee for providing this professional business management to the clinic. The dentists and their clinics, in turn, will pay a fee to the Dental Service Company for providing the service. There are dentists who are selling their practice to someone else who is going to run the Dental Service Company from the same address.
To join such an organization, one needs to be a practicing dentist and need to belong to a qualifying organization. To qualify, they must have completed a minimum of three years of dental service and have attained a certain level of experience. To become eligible participants in a Dental Service Organization, one needs to contact the organization either by phone or by e-mail. Applicants can also apply online through a designated web site.
To become a non-participating dentist, the individual must register at the state Dental Board and pay the prescribed fee. After registration, the person needs to pay a non-refundable fee to the Board. The applicant then receives a letter of authorization from the Board granting him or her permission to enroll as a non participant in dental service. He or she is then granted a non Participation License. This license does not entitle the person to participate in any dental service plan, however, the license does authorizes him or her to bill patients directly for services provided.
The dental care provider may not bill directly for dental treatment provided, but can bill for indirect medical expenses that are indirectly related to the direct dental treatment provided. In other words, the dentist can bill a patient for his or her dental treatment and not the Dental Service Company. Under these circumstances, the dentist is considered a non participant in the Dental Service Company's plan, though he or she is still entitled to bill for direct dental treatment under the rules set by the State Dental Board.
The dental care provider is also not entitled to receive any payment from the Dental Service Company for previously completed oral surgery. View here for more info about dental implants. However, if the dental care provider elects to accept any payment from the Dental Service Company for such oral surgery after the completion of the procedure, he or she is entitled to make payments only for the actual cost of the dental surgeries performed. Payments for such oral surgery shall be made in the prescribed forms and at prescribed time periods, subject to the provisions of the dental plans. If payment for such oral surgery is denied, the dental provider is entitled to reclaim the payment paid by the Dental Service Company.
Some states also require dentists to be licensed in order to provide health care services to their residents. However, it is not mandatory for dentists to be licensed in order to practice. States that require dentists to be licensed include Arizona, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, Oregon, Pennsylvania, and Washington. Dentists who are not licensed may register with the State Board of License and Certification and submit an application for certification.
Most of the dental practices prefer working with dental insurance companies rather than individual insurance companies directly. In fact, they even prefer working directly with an insurance company because it provides them with greater chances to save on overhead costs. However, most dental business management firms have a separate department where they work on special deals with individual dental insurance companies. In addition, some of these firms also deal with handling transactions for insurance claims, providing consultation to clients on matters related to insurance claims.
In order to become a part of the established practice management firms, dentists need to complete formal training and complete relevant examinations. The training and the examinations are aimed at providing knowledge about the latest technology and practices being used by dental service organizations. Dentists can choose to be involved in the various aspects of practice management through such organizations. Learn more from https://www.britannica.com/science/dentistry.