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What happens when you try to end something, only to discover it's just beginning? After announcing what I thought would be the final episode of the Dental Billing Podcast, something extraordinary happened—hundreds of messages flooded in from listeners who weren't ready to say goodbye. From tearful voicemails to heartfelt emails, the message was clear: this podcast had become more than just a billing resource. It had become a lifeline.

These messages revealed something powerful about our community. Ashley from Dallas shared that after 17 years in dental billing, this was the first time she felt truly seen. Teresa from Arizona mentioned her therapist made an exception to allow her to listen to this work-related podcast because "it supports your mental health." Nina from Chicago explained how the podcast helped her recover from burnout when "billing was breaking me." What started as technical guidance had evolved into something deeply personal and necessary.

Moving forward, the Dental Billing Podcast will continue with an expanded vision. We'll maintain our commitment to sharp, accurate billing information—fighting back unreasonable denials, clarifying coding confusion, and exposing insurance company tactics. But we're also embracing what our community clearly needs: conversations about mental health, burnout prevention, and practical tools for thriving in a chaotic industry. We'll bring in licensed therapists, wellness coaches, and trauma-informed practitioners alongside powerhouse billers and respected consultants to address both the technical and emotional aspects of dental administration.

This evolution reflects a simple truth: you're not just a biller or office manager—you're a human being trying to make a difference in a broken system. Whether you're looking for denial management strategies, nervous system regulation techniques, or simply the comfort of knowing you're not alone, this podcast remains a safe space for your questions, your growth, and your hope. Email me your topics, leave a review to help others find us, and know that we're in this together—not ending, but expanding.

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Would you like to set-up a billing consultation with Ericka? She would love the opportunity to discuss your billing questions and see how Fortune Billing Solutions may help you.

Email Ericka:
[email protected]

Schedule a call with Ericka:

https://calendly.com/ericka-dentalbillingdoneright/30min

Perio performance formula:

(D4341+D4342+D4346+D4355+D4910)/(D4341+D4342+D4346+D4355+D4910+D1110)

Got questions? Send Ericka a Text!

Pivotal moments often arrive unexpectedly. After years of helping dental practices decode insurance denials and maximize reimbursements, I've made a significant discovery that's reshaping our journey together. What began as technical discussions about coding and claims consistently opened doors to far deeper conversations about practice culture, team alignment, and leadership challenges.

The highest-performing billing departments I've encountered share one critical element that transcends technical knowledge—they operate within practices where leadership is strong, vision is shared, and team members pull in the same direction. When I stepped into offices to address billing issues, I frequently uncovered symptoms of deeper organizational challenges: fear-based decision-making, reactive management, artificial harmony, and teams trapped in survival mode. These cultural issues were directly impacting financial performance.

That's why this finale of the Dental Billing Podcast marks not an ending but an evolution. While billing expertise remains my foundation and passion, our new "Practice and Purpose" podcast will embrace the whole picture of practice success. We'll explore leadership development, navigating difficult conversations, building high-performing teams, and aligning your practice with your deeper purpose—all while continuing to sprinkle in the billing wisdom you've come to expect.

To my loyal listeners who've shared stories of successfully challenging insurance companies, securing deserved raises, and transforming billing departments: thank you for making this platform sacred. This shift honors the truth of what you've been teaching me all along—that our conversations were always about more than just billing. They were about becoming the leader your practice needs and creating a culture where your team and your purpose can thrive. Join me next week as we begin this expanded journey together, right here in your podcast feed.

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Would you like to set-up a billing consultation with Ericka? She would love the opportunity to discuss your billing questions and see how Fortune Billing Solutions may help you.

Email Ericka:
[email protected]

Schedule a call with Ericka:

https://calendly.com/ericka-dentalbillingdoneright/30min

Perio performance formula:

(D4341+D4342+D4346+D4355+D4910)/(D4341+D4342+D4346+D4355+D4910+D1110)

Got questions? Send Ericka a Text!

Dental insurance companies often deny necessary treatment claims not because they should, but because they can—and we explore how to fight back effectively through appeals and regulatory complaints.

• 59% of denied claims are upheld simply because no appeal is ever filed
• Unreasonable denials occur when patients have benefits but claims are still denied
• State insurance commissioners can investigate denials and prompt payment violations
• Understanding the difference between fully-insured and self-funded (ERISA) plans
• For self-funded plans, complaints must go to the Department of Labor (866-444-3272)
• Gather evidence including denials, submission reports, and clinical notes
• Position your complaint as patient advocacy rather than financial recovery
• Insurance companies cannot dictate treatment or force doctors to work for free

Remember: You're not just a biller—you are the patient advocate and the system of checks and balances they didn't see coming.

Join The Biller Acceleration Mentorship Wait List Here: (Only 5 Spots Left in 2025!!)

https://linktr.ee/dental_billing_coach

Would you like to set-up a billing consultation with Ericka? She would love the opportunity to discuss your billing questions and see how Fortune Billing Solutions may help you.

Email Ericka:
[email protected]

Schedule a call with Ericka:

https://calendly.com/ericka-dentalbillingdoneright/30min

Perio performance formula:

(D4341+D4342+D4346+D4355+D4910)/(D4341+D4342+D4346+D4355+D4910+D1110)

Got questions? Send Ericka a Text!

The entrepreneurial journey can be isolating even when surrounded by loved ones who don't fully understand what we're building. Success looks different for entrepreneurs than those in traditional jobs, and the lack of understanding can create a divide between our business reality and personal relationships.

• We often downplay our professional wins because they don't translate well to those outside our industry
• Traditional security (401k, benefits) looks different for entrepreneurs but is equally valid
• True entrepreneurial success is about freedom and peace, not just financial metrics
• Building a community of like-minded people is essential to combat the isolation
• Office managers experience similar isolation carrying the emotional weight of practices
• Finding your "biz bestie" or mastermind group provides crucial support and understanding
• It's okay to build your business slowly and intentionally
• Even when you question yourself or face setbacks, you're still moving forward

If this episode spoke to you, please share it with someone who needs to hear they matter. Let your office manager, business friends, or team know they are appreciated and seen.

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https://linktr.ee/dental_billing_coach

Would you like to set-up a billing consultation with Ericka? She would love the opportunity to discuss your billing questions and see how Fortune Billing Solutions may help you.

Email Ericka:
[email protected]

Schedule a call with Ericka:

https://calendly.com/ericka-dentalbillingdoneright/30min

Perio performance formula:

(D4341+D4342+D4346+D4355+D4910)/(D4341+D4342+D4346+D4355+D4910+D1110)

Got questions? Send Ericka a Text!

Are you leaving money on the table while your patients remain undertreated? After analyzing over 300 dental practices across the country, I discovered a shocking truth: the average dental practice with a full-time hygienist treats only 17% of the periodontal disease they diagnose. That means 83% of diagnosed disease goes completely untreated—a staggering gap between diagnosis and care.

This episode dives deep into the "hidden opportunity" within your hygiene department by exploring D4346: scaling in the presence of generalized moderate to severe gingival inflammation. This often-misunderstood code bridges the critical gap between a standard prophy (D1110) and scaling and root planing (D4341/D4342). For patients showing clear signs of gingivitis without bone loss—bleeding on probing, inflamed tissue, pseudopockets, and plaque that doesn't respond to routine cleaning—continuing to perform prophies isn't prevention; it's undertreatment.

I walk you through a comprehensive, step-by-step process for properly implementing D4346 in your practice, from accurate diagnosis and bulletproof documentation to effective patient education and ethical billing. We cover common challenges including insurance downgrades, particularly when carriers like Delta may pay less for D4346 than for a prophy, and how to handle these situations without compromising ethics or revenue. The key message: this code is based on diagnosis, not difficulty or time spent, and represents therapeutic care designed to heal tissue, not maintain it.

Whether you're a dental biller, office manager, hygienist, or dentist, this episode provides practical guidance for transforming your approach to gingivitis treatment. The benefits extend beyond proper coding—you'll deliver better care, improve patient outcomes, and optimize practice revenue. Pull a few charts this week and see how many of your "prophy patients" actually qualify for D4346. The results might surprise you.

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Would you like to set-up a billing consultation with Ericka? She would love the opportunity to discuss your billing questions and see how Fortune Billing Solutions may help you.

Email Ericka:
[email protected]

Schedule a call with Ericka:

https://calendly.com/ericka-dentalbillingdoneright/30min

Perio performance formula:

(D4341+D4342+D4346+D4355+D4910)/(D4341+D4342+D4346+D4355+D4910+D1110)

Got questions? Send Ericka a Text!

Dental insurance verification is stuck in the 1990s, but insurance companies have dramatically changed how they operate—leaving dentists with surprise balances, frustrated patients, and a mess of accounts receivable. In this eye-opening episode, I reveal how insurance carriers are secretly leasing networks behind the scenes and potentially pulling your practice into networks you never directly signed with.

Drawing from a recent consultation where a practice saw their AR spike by $70,000 due to inadequate verification, I walk through exactly why checking just the basics—deductibles, maximums, and coverage percentages—is no longer enough. The game has fundamentally changed. Through leased networks and umbrella plans like Connection Dental and DentaMax, carriers can apply completely different fee schedules than you expect, even when you think you're out of network.

Most importantly, I share the specific questions you must ask during insurance verification to protect your practice: Are we in-network or out-of-network with this specific plan? Are we directly contracted or leased through another network? Which fee schedule applies to our office for this plan? Does this patient's plan fall under a specific PPO tier, group or level? These questions will transform how you set up patient accounts and present treatment plans.

Ready to stop the bleeding and take control of your insurance verification process? Download my free verification checklist in the show notes and start mapping your complete network participation status today. Your billing department—and your bank account—will thank you.

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Would you like to set-up a billing consultation with Ericka? She would love the opportunity to discuss your billing questions and see how Fortune Billing Solutions may help you.

Email Ericka:
[email protected]

Schedule a call with Ericka:

https://calendly.com/ericka-dentalbillingdoneright/30min

Perio performance formula:

(D4341+D4342+D4346+D4355+D4910)/(D4341+D4342+D4346+D4355+D4910+D1110)

Got questions? Send Ericka a Text!

Insurance companies are using AI to evaluate dental x-rays, denying claims when specific landmarks aren't visible in the images. This shift means approximately 70% of claims are now processed through artificial intelligence systems that disqualify submissions based on technical deficiencies rather than subjective human review.

• Poor quality x-rays with cone cuts or missing apexes give insurance companies legitimate reasons to deny payment
• Clinical teams need training to understand what qualifying x-rays look like for different procedures
• Billing starts with proper clinical documentation and supporting attachments, not in the billing department
• Digital x-rays allow immediate quality assessment - retake poor images immediately
• Even the best billers can't overcome insufficient evidence when appealing denials
• Creating a list of procedures requiring x-rays and examples of qualifying images can help train staff
• When benefits are available and evidence is sufficient, insurance companies should pay claims
• Proper documentation creates leverage when fighting unreasonable claim denials

If you need help training your clinical teams on how to improve x-ray quality for insurance submissions, I have a step-by-step process available. Send me a message to discuss what's happening in your office.

Join The Biller Acceleration Mentorship Wait List Here: (Only 5 Spots Left in 2025!!)

https://linktr.ee/dental_billing_coach

Would you like to set-up a billing consultation with Ericka? She would love the opportunity to discuss your billing questions and see how Fortune Billing Solutions may help you.

Email Ericka:
[email protected]

Schedule a call with Ericka:

https://calendly.com/ericka-dentalbillingdoneright/30min

Perio performance formula:

(D4341+D4342+D4346+D4355+D4910)/(D4341+D4342+D4346+D4355+D4910+D1110)

Got questions? Send Ericka a Text!

After rebranding my company and going solo without a business partner, I discovered I needed to get intentional about how I showed up, leading to 10x growth for Fortune Billing Solutions in just one year.

• Tracked every minute of my day for two weeks to discover I was creating chaos for myself and my team
• Implemented structured timeblocking for client meetings, discovery calls, team one-on-ones, podcast recording, and CEO strategy
• Created a daily "miracle hour" focused on follow-ups, marketing, outreach and business development
• Organized my week using theme days: Mondays for admin, Tuesdays for client strategy, Wednesdays for creative work, Thursdays for business development, and "Follow-up Fridays"
• Turned off all notifications during deep work hours with only my daughter as a VIP contact
• End each day with a shutdown routine to check accomplishments and set tomorrow's priorities
• Dental billing insight: High patient AR often stems from improper co-pay calculations upfront and improper adjustments on the backend
• Color-code your calendar to make patterns visible: blue for client work, green for business development, yellow for admin, red for distractions

Book a free billing audit with us. We'd love to help you find the billing opportunities hiding in plain sight.

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Would you like to set-up a billing consultation with Ericka? She would love the opportunity to discuss your billing questions and see how Fortune Billing Solutions may help you.

Email Ericka:
[email protected]

Schedule a call with Ericka:

https://calendly.com/ericka-dentalbillingdoneright/30min

Perio performance formula:

(D4341+D4342+D4346+D4355+D4910)/(D4341+D4342+D4346+D4355+D4910+D1110)

Got questions? Send Ericka a Text!

A powerful reading of "Chapter 4: Built from Grit" from the book "I'm Just the Biller" shares the journey from humble beginnings to nationwide success in dental billing education. This authentic narrative speaks directly to the unsung heroes of dental practices, reminding listeners that success isn't about where you start but the invisible grit that carries you forward.

• Started career while dealing with a workplace bully who undermined confidence and flaunted material possessions
• Worked two jobs simultaneously as a dental biller and ER tech to save for first home
• First workshop in 2011 had just nine attendees who paid $19 each
• Evolved from Craigslist marketing to hosting 156 people at the JW Marriott in Los Angeles
• Experienced a full-circle moment when former bully became part of an office requiring billing consultation
• Built a nationwide platform over a decade of dedicated work in dental coding and billing education
• Recognizes that setbacks, disappointments and closed doors ultimately contributed to growth and resilience

Share this episode with your co-worker, office bestie, or that teammate who needs to hear they're just getting started. Follow the show, leave a review, and connect on Instagram @dentalbillingcoach for behind-the-scenes content, billing tips, and support for the people holding the dental profession together.

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Would you like to set-up a billing consultation with Ericka? She would love the opportunity to discuss your billing questions and see how Fortune Billing Solutions may help you.

Email Ericka:
[email protected]

Schedule a call with Ericka:

https://calendly.com/ericka-dentalbillingdoneright/30min

Perio performance formula:

(D4341+D4342+D4346+D4355+D4910)/(D4341+D4342+D4346+D4355+D4910+D1110)

Got questions? Send Ericka a Text!

Artificial intelligence has quietly revolutionized how dental insurance claims are processed, and most dental offices don't even realize it. Today we pull back the curtain on Novo Dynamics and their Novo Health Dental AI system that's scrutinizing your x-rays, documentation, and billing patterns before a human reviewer ever sees your claim.

The game has changed dramatically. Insurance companies have trained AI systems to review claims using very specific criteria determined by their own dental consultants—not treating clinicians. These systems don't just look at individual claims but cross-check x-rays across multiple insurance carriers, analyze your practice's billing patterns, and compare you to other providers in your area. If your practice performs more crowns, SRPs, or implants than what AI considers "average," all your claims face increased scrutiny regardless of their legitimacy.

This technological shift demands we evolve from merely submitting "clean claims" to creating "AI-proof claims." High-quality, clear x-rays that perfectly demonstrate necessity, concise standardized narratives, and meticulous documentation are no longer optional—they're essential. When AI improperly denies claims, request human review promptly. Document patterns of improper denials and report systematic issues to your insurance commissioner. The days of assuming a person will review your claim are over, but by understanding how these systems work, you can adapt your strategies to overcome these new barriers to reimbursement.

Ready to level up your billing skills and connect with fellow dental billers? Join us for our upcoming live workshop in Dallas! Send "Dallas" in a direct message to @dental_billing_coach on Instagram for your chance to win an all-expenses-paid trip to the event. Looking forward to diving deeper into AI and dental billing in our next episode where we'll share real-world denial stories and more strategies to beat the algorithms at their own game.

Join The Biller Acceleration Mentorship Wait List Here: (Only 5 Spots Left in 2025!!)

https://linktr.ee/dental_billing_coach

Would you like to set-up a billing consultation with Ericka? She would love the opportunity to discuss your billing questions and see how Fortune Billing Solutions may help you.

Email Ericka:
[email protected]

Schedule a call with Ericka:

https://calendly.com/ericka-dentalbillingdoneright/30min

Perio performance formula:

(D4341+D4342+D4346+D4355+D4910)/(D4341+D4342+D4346+D4355+D4910+D1110)