Got questions? Send Ericka a Text!

Your billing should not feel like a surprise every month. When collections swing up and down, it’s rarely because “insurance is just hard” it’s usually because the foundation was never built correctly. I walk through the core projects I use to make dental billing predictable, measurable, and strong enough to support growth, not just survive the next slow week. 

We start where the money actually begins: UCR fee positioning. I explain why raising fees by a random percentage can backfire, how NDAS market percentile data helps you choose an intentional fee strategy, and how Fair Health can help you spot check codes using real claims trends. From there, we move into employer research so you stop signing PPO contracts based on guesswork and start aligning with the plans your patient base truly carries. Then we do the math most offices skip: fee schedule analysis that compares reimbursements to UCR and shows your real write off risk by procedure. 

Next, I zoom out into business model strategy: traditional in network PPO, a hybrid out of network approach with key plans, and the realities of fee for service based on local demographics and discretionary income. To make all this usable, I share how to build a billing command center, clean up practice management setup with clear write off and adjustment categories, and tighten procedure mapping and coding structure so compliance and revenue meet in the middle. If you want your dental revenue cycle to run on data instead of stress, hit play, then subscribe, share this with your office manager, and leave a review so more practices can build billing that actually gets paid.

Download "The Most Underused Codes in Dentistry - And How to Get Them Paid" checklist here:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfxnnfSlNd0NPhMoBWq-1D_xU5R8LS4xPhHNKIjfLQwStOUag/viewform?usp=header

Register for the free one-hour webinar on Wednesday, April 29, 2026, here:

https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/ABKZUAxNQEynSqUET8SwAg

Schedule a billing chat with Ericka:

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

DM Ericka on Instagram to join the wait list for Elevate Billing & Coding:

@dental_billing_coach

Email Ericka:
[email protected]

Email Jen:

[email protected]

Grab the Hygiene Billing and Coding Playbook Here:

https://stan.store/hygieneunlocked

Email Ed:

[email protected]

Schedule a demo with MaxAssist to unlock scheduleing potential here:

https://maxassist.com/book-a-demo-fortune-billing/

Perio performance formula:

 (D4341+D4342+D4346+D4355+D4910)/(D4341+D4342+D...

Got questions? Send Ericka a Text!

If your practice feels slammed but collections still don’t line up with production, that’s not “just insurance.” That’s a billing system problem, and it’s fixable. We walk through the exact framework we’ve used to help hundreds of dental offices and group practices streamline dental billing, reduce denial chaos, and create predictable cash flow without gatekeeping or overcomplicating the work.

We break billing down into six pillars that build on each other: foundation, roles, workflows, compliance, metrics, and growth. You’ll hear what “foundation” really means in a dental revenue cycle, including practice management software setup, accurate codes, mapped procedures, fee schedules that match payer contracts, and credentialing that prevents avoidable delays. We also share why every practice needs a billing command center, a single source of truth for portals, passwords, processes, and payer details, so the department doesn’t collapse when one person is out.

Then we move into role ownership and workflow engine design so claim follow-up, denial management, and old AR cleanup stop being optional. We talk about using simple project management tools to keep billing work on a calendar, why consistency is what drives consistent insurance collections and patient collections, and how compliance and documentation protect everything you’ve built. We close with the metrics that matter, like insurance AR over 60 days, write-offs, and collection percentages, plus the reality that clean reports aren’t always honest reports, and why a growth loop of training and auditing keeps your billing department future-proof.

Subscribe for the next six weeks of step-by-step dental billing structure, share this with your team, and leave a review telling us which pillar you want to fix first.

Download "The Most Underused Codes in Dentistry - And How to Get Them Paid" checklist here:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfxnnfSlNd0NPhMoBWq-1D_xU5R8LS4xPhHNKIjfLQwStOUag/viewform?usp=header

Register for the free one-hour webinar on Wednesday, April 29, 2026, here:

https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/ABKZUAxNQEynSqUET8SwAg

Schedule a billing chat with Ericka:

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

DM Ericka on Instagram to join the wait list for Elevate Billing & Coding:

@dental_billing_coach

Email Ericka:
[email protected]

Email Jen:

[email protected]

Grab the Hygiene Billing and Coding Playbook Here:

https://stan.store/hygieneunlocked

Email Ed:

[email protected]

Schedule a demo with MaxAssist to unlock scheduleing potential here:

https://maxassist.com/book-a-demo-fortune-billing/

Perio performance formula:

 (D4341+D4342+D4346+D4355+D4910)/(D4341+D4342+D...

Got questions? Send Ericka a Text!

Prop 56 is on the way out, and if your practice depends on Denti-Cal reimbursements, the impact won’t be theoretical. I’m joined by Adriana, a seasoned dental billing pro who’s built her reputation on getting Denti-Cal approvals by mastering what most offices miss: the documentation details, the authorization sequence, and the fine-print rules that don’t show up in generic trainings. We talk candidly about what changes when add-on payments disappear and why offices that rely on Denti-Cal as their “bread and butter” need a plan before fee schedules snap back to lower base rates. 

We also break down the real Denti-Cal workflow for major treatment: how to think about the TAR process, what a NOAA is, why the DCN matters, and how a CIF fits in when Denti-Cal asks for more information. Adriana shares practical experience on authorizing complex cases like root canals with post and core buildups and crowns, plus why “just bill it like a PPO” is a fast track to denials. You’ll hear the specific habits that help approvals come back faster, including the right x-rays, clear narratives, and knowing when the “safe route” is smarter than bundling everything at once. 

Finally, we get into the stuff that saves offices from painful surprises: emergency code misuse that can trigger scrutiny, provider-specific authorizations that may need deletion before another office can treat, and why eligibility checks must go deeper than a simple “eligible” status. We also highlight missed opportunities like disability-related time billing that often gets denied without the right narrative, even when the patient’s aid code suggests coverage. If you work Denti-Cal claims, verify benefits, or manage a Medi-Cal patient base, this is the playbook you’ll want open on your desk. 

Subscribe for more practical dental billing guidance, share this with a teammate who fights denials every week, and leave a review if these Denti-Cal breakdowns help your office. What’s the most confusing Denti-Cal denial you want us to tackle next?

Download "The Most Underused Codes in Dentistry - And How to Get Them Paid" checklist here:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfxnnfSlNd0NPhMoBWq-1D_xU5R8LS4xPhHNKIjfLQwStOUag/viewform?usp=header

Register for the free one-hour webinar on Wednesday, April 29, 2026, here:

https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/ABKZUAxNQEynSqUET8SwAg

Schedule a billing chat with Ericka:

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

DM Ericka on Instagram to join the wait list for Elevate Billing & Coding:

@dental_billing_coach

Email Ericka:
[email protected]

Email Jen:

[email protected]

Grab the Hygiene Billing and Coding Playbook Here:

https://stan.store/hygieneunlocked

Email Ed:

[email protected]

Schedule a demo with MaxAssist to unlock scheduleing potential here:

https://maxassist.com/book-a-demo-fortune-billing/

Perio performance formula:

 (D4341+D4342+D4346+D4355+D4910)/(D4341+D4342+D...

Got questions? Send Ericka a Text!

Your medical insurance may be able to cover wisdom teeth extractions, and the reason most people never find out is painfully simple: nobody asks the right way. We sit down with Jen from Hygiene Unlocked and unpack a real, recent moment where a medical insurance rep insisted “that’s dental” until Jen pushed for an actual code check. Once the CPT and diagnosis pairing was reviewed, the answer changed, and so did the entire cost picture.

We get practical about dental medical billing: how to think in medical necessity instead of “dental vs medical”, how ICD-10 diagnosis codes tell the story that justifies treatment, and why cross-coding matters when an oral surgery plan only lists dental codes. We also talk about the everyday realities of calling payers, including how reps default to in-network benefits, how to confirm out-of-network coverage, and why you should always get a call reference number so you can appeal bad information later.

The takeaway is bigger than wisdom teeth. When we treat the mouth like it’s separate from the body, patients lose benefits they pay for and offices miss legitimate reimbursement. If you want a clearer, more defensible process for wisdom teeth extraction billing, CPT coding, ICD-10 documentation, and CMS-1500 claims, this conversation will change how you look at your next treatment plan. Subscribe, share this with a biller or office manager, and leave a review with your biggest medical billing question.

Download "The Most Underused Codes in Dentistry - And How to Get Them Paid" checklist here:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfxnnfSlNd0NPhMoBWq-1D_xU5R8LS4xPhHNKIjfLQwStOUag/viewform?usp=header

Register for the free one-hour webinar on Wednesday, April 29, 2026, here:

https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/ABKZUAxNQEynSqUET8SwAg

Schedule a billing chat with Ericka:

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

DM Ericka on Instagram to join the wait list for Elevate Billing & Coding:

@dental_billing_coach

Email Ericka:
[email protected]

Email Jen:

[email protected]

Grab the Hygiene Billing and Coding Playbook Here:

https://stan.store/hygieneunlocked

Email Ed:

[email protected]

Schedule a demo with MaxAssist to unlock scheduleing potential here:

https://maxassist.com/book-a-demo-fortune-billing/

Perio performance formula:

 (D4341+D4342+D4346+D4355+D4910)/(D4341+D4342+D...

Got questions? Send Ericka a Text!

What if the number on your AR report is giving you false comfort and your patient ledgers are quietly wrong? We dig into a hard truth from dental billing and revenue cycle management: most practices have never audited their ledgers line by line, which means balances, credits, adjustments, and write-offs can be fundamentally inaccurate. That is not just a money problem. It is a patient trust problem, and it can become a compliance problem fast.

We get practical about reading dental practice reports the right way, starting with the biggest mistake we see: lumping patient AR and insurance AR into one number. Those buckets behave differently, follow different rules, and demand different follow-up. We also talk about aging, why over-90-day AR often has low collectability, and why an AR cleanup project should be treated as a cleanup project so you can get clean reports and real visibility.

Then we break down the biller levels that determine whether your practice protects revenue or leaks it: A players, B players, and C players. A player billers dissect the EOB, compare it to the breakdown of benefits, challenge underpayments and denials, and understand key rules like prompt pay law and the right to recovery. We also shine a light on the most neglected report in dentistry, the credit balance report, and why patient credits can turn into unclaimed property obligations depending on your state.

If you want clarity on what is really happening in your billing system, take the next step: book the free billing strategy call, then share this with a practice owner who needs to hear it. Subscribe, leave a review, and tell us what part of your billing process you want to tighten up next.

Download "The Most Underused Codes in Dentistry - And How to Get Them Paid" checklist here:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfxnnfSlNd0NPhMoBWq-1D_xU5R8LS4xPhHNKIjfLQwStOUag/viewform?usp=header

Register for the free one-hour webinar on Wednesday, April 29, 2026, here:

https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/ABKZUAxNQEynSqUET8SwAg

Schedule a billing chat with Ericka:

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

DM Ericka on Instagram to join the wait list for Elevate Billing & Coding:

@dental_billing_coach

Email Ericka:
[email protected]

Email Jen:

[email protected]

Grab the Hygiene Billing and Coding Playbook Here:

https://stan.store/hygieneunlocked

Email Ed:

[email protected]

Schedule a demo with MaxAssist to unlock scheduleing potential here:

https://maxassist.com/book-a-demo-fortune-billing/

Perio performance formula:

 (D4341+D4342+D4346+D4355+D4910)/(D4341+D4342+D...

Got questions? Send Ericka a Text!

Hiring someone with no dental experience can feel like a gamble, but it doesn’t have to. I walk through the same onboarding system I’ve used for years to turn true beginners into capable, confident front office team members without wrecking your schedule, your claims, or your cash flow. The punchline is simple: when you build the foundation first, everything else speeds up. 

We start where most offices should start but rarely do: the CDT book. I explain how to teach categories of service so a new hire can navigate quickly, then how to break down the anatomy of a CDT code (alphanumeric, nomenclature, descriptor) so they’re not memorising numbers, they’re learning a language. That one shift improves dental billing accuracy, treatment plan coding, and insurance claim outcomes because your team stops guessing and starts verifying. 

Then we make it practical for real-world dental practice management. I share how to pull your most commonly used codes, tab the CDT by category, and build simple worksheets that help a newbie connect clinical procedures to correct dental codes in a safe practice environment. We also talk about the mindset piece: hiring is a business decision, and onboarding needs a strategy plus a clear expectation of mutual investment. 

If you want fewer billing mistakes, faster ramp-up time, and a stronger dental front office system, hit play, then subscribe, share this with a practice owner friend, and leave a review with the training challenge you’re facing right now.

Download "The Most Underused Codes in Dentistry - And How to Get Them Paid" checklist here:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfxnnfSlNd0NPhMoBWq-1D_xU5R8LS4xPhHNKIjfLQwStOUag/viewform?usp=header

Register for the free one-hour webinar on Wednesday, April 29, 2026, here:

https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/ABKZUAxNQEynSqUET8SwAg

Schedule a billing chat with Ericka:

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

DM Ericka on Instagram to join the wait list for Elevate Billing & Coding:

@dental_billing_coach

Email Ericka:
[email protected]

Email Jen:

[email protected]

Grab the Hygiene Billing and Coding Playbook Here:

https://stan.store/hygieneunlocked

Email Ed:

[email protected]

Schedule a demo with MaxAssist to unlock scheduleing potential here:

https://maxassist.com/book-a-demo-fortune-billing/

Perio performance formula:

 (D4341+D4342+D4346+D4355+D4910)/(D4341+D4342+D...

Got questions? Send Ericka a Text!

Your insurance AR report can look perfect while your practice quietly bleeds money. I’m Erica Aguilar, and I’m pulling back the curtain on the uncomfortable truth: “clean” dental insurance accounts receivable can be manufactured, and the prettiest numbers on your aging report might be the biggest warning sign.

We walk through a real-world story of “Biller Betty” and the fast moves that make an insurance AR cleanup look successful without improving collections at all. I explain the three biggest red flags I see in dental billing and revenue cycle management: heavy adjustments disguised as contractual write-offs, shifting denied balances to patient responsibility instead of appealing, and deleting then recreating claims to make them look fresh. That last one is especially dangerous because it wipes out your original claim submission date, weakens your prompt pay position, and can trigger timely filing problems.

Then we get practical. I share the performance percentages I want you monitoring so you can run your billing department like a business: what healthy 0 to 30 day insurance AR can look like, how to keep older buckets from getting heavy, and how to audit any “cleanup” by separating what was actually collected from what was adjusted or shifted. We also talk denial strategy, appeals, when to involve the insurance commissioner, and the 24-hour, 48-hour, and seven-day follow-up system that prevents claims from aging just because they never truly landed on file.

If this helped you, subscribe, share the episode with a practice owner or biller, and leave a review so more teams stop trusting “clean AR” and start measuring real performance.

Download "The Most Underused Codes in Dentistry - And How to Get Them Paid" checklist here:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfxnnfSlNd0NPhMoBWq-1D_xU5R8LS4xPhHNKIjfLQwStOUag/viewform?usp=header

Register for the free one-hour webinar on Wednesday, April 29, 2026, here:

https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/ABKZUAxNQEynSqUET8SwAg

Schedule a billing chat with Ericka:

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

DM Ericka on Instagram to join the wait list for Elevate Billing & Coding:

@dental_billing_coach

Email Ericka:
[email protected]

Email Jen:

[email protected]

Grab the Hygiene Billing and Coding Playbook Here:

https://stan.store/hygieneunlocked

Email Ed:

[email protected]

Schedule a demo with MaxAssist to unlock scheduleing potential here:

https://maxassist.com/book-a-demo-fortune-billing/

Perio performance formula:

 (D4341+D4342+D4346+D4355+D4910)/(D4341+D4342+D...

Got questions? Send Ericka a Text!

Profit doesn’t come from working harder or cramming more patients into the schedule. Real profit comes from running your billing department like a business within a business—and using it to lift EBITDA, create predictable cash flow, and make smarter decisions across the practice.

We walk through a clear definition of EBITDA and why serious owners, lenders, and buyers use it to judge operational health. Then we connect the dots between daily billing work and big-picture results: coding accuracy as revenue capture, denial management as a cost-to-collect reducer, and AR velocity as the engine of cash strength. You’ll hear why sloppy billing erodes margins from both sides—less revenue in, higher expenses out—and how a systems-first approach flips that script with cleaner claims, faster payments, and fewer reworks.

From there, we get tactical. We outline the metrics that matter—first-pass claim rate, average days in AR, denial rate by payer, write-off trends, appeal success—and how to use them to forecast collections, control overhead, and plan staffing without panic. We dig into the definition of an unreasonable denial and share a practical escalation and appeal playbook that speeds recovery while protecting productivity. Finally, we make the case for a living billing manual: documented workflows for claim submission, clearinghouse and payer receipt verification, EFT reconciliation, and standardized follow-up so the whole team moves in sync.

If you’re ready to replace checklists with outcomes and turn billing into a true profit engine, this conversation lays out the path. Subscribe, share with a fellow office leader, and leave a quick review to help more practices build healthy, sustainable profitability.

Download "The Most Underused Codes in Dentistry - And How to Get Them Paid" checklist here:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfxnnfSlNd0NPhMoBWq-1D_xU5R8LS4xPhHNKIjfLQwStOUag/viewform?usp=header

Register for the free one-hour webinar on Wednesday, April 29, 2026, here:

https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/ABKZUAxNQEynSqUET8SwAg

Schedule a billing chat with Ericka:

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

DM Ericka on Instagram to join the wait list for Elevate Billing & Coding:

@dental_billing_coach

Email Ericka:
[email protected]

Email Jen:

[email protected]

Grab the Hygiene Billing and Coding Playbook Here:

https://stan.store/hygieneunlocked

Email Ed:

[email protected]

Schedule a demo with MaxAssist to unlock scheduleing potential here:

https://maxassist.com/book-a-demo-fortune-billing/

Perio performance formula:

 (D4341+D4342+D4346+D4355+D4910)/(D4341+D4342+D...

Got questions? Send Ericka a Text!

A weekend meetup in Phoenix turned into a deep dive on the “harmless” shortcuts that quietly drain dental practices and invite compliance trouble. We compare notes from a brutal 2025 billing case, unpack the defensiveness that often surfaces when a third party steps in, and show how audit trails reveal everything from embezzlement red flags to training gaps and inefficiencies you’ll never see on a P&L.

We get practical fast. You’ll hear why copay waivers and frequency misses aren’t favors, they’re liabilities; how a real chart prep process (CPP) prevents four- and five-figure monthly losses; and why templates should be fillable, not filled, to protect patient specificity and accuracy. We talk clinical notes as legal defense, route slips that actually bridge back-to-front, and the non-negotiable role of periodontal charting. If AI is reading your claims, missing perio data is a hard stop. We also tackle credentialing vs contracting, rendering provider rules, and the spreadsheet every office manager needs to track participation status and re-credentialing dates.

On the clinical side, we break down case acceptance without pressure: narrate findings, ask better questions, and move patients appropriately from prophy to SRP or 4346 when gingivitis is the true diagnosis. And yes, we address the controversy head-on—billing 4346 is about medical necessity and compliance, not what pays 100 percent. Bill what you do, document why you did it, and let systems carry the weight.

If you want fewer denials, stronger compliance, and calmer nights, this conversation gives you the scripts, checklists, and mindset to get there. Subscribe, share with a colleague who needs the nudge, and leave a review telling us your biggest compliance headache—we might tackle it next.

Download "The Most Underused Codes in Dentistry - And How to Get Them Paid" checklist here:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfxnnfSlNd0NPhMoBWq-1D_xU5R8LS4xPhHNKIjfLQwStOUag/viewform?usp=header

Register for the free one-hour webinar on Wednesday, April 29, 2026, here:

https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/ABKZUAxNQEynSqUET8SwAg

Schedule a billing chat with Ericka:

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

DM Ericka on Instagram to join the wait list for Elevate Billing & Coding:

@dental_billing_coach

Email Ericka:
[email protected]

Email Jen:

[email protected]

Grab the Hygiene Billing and Coding Playbook Here:

https://stan.store/hygieneunlocked

Email Ed:

[email protected]

Schedule a demo with MaxAssist to unlock scheduleing potential here:

https://maxassist.com/book-a-demo-fortune-billing/

Perio performance formula:

 (D4341+D4342+D4346+D4355+D4910)/(D4341+D4342+D...

Got questions? Send Ericka a Text!

We show how chart prep sets expectations and end of day confirms reality, so money stops leaking and compliance issues get fixed the same day. A practical checklist, time blocking, and coaching turn chaos into a repeatable close that protects revenue and trust.

• redefining end of day as daily accountability 
• chart prep for expectations, end of day for verification 
• composite case of a busy office with open charts and rolled balances 
• building a lean checklist that closes every visit 
• spotting patterns: missed copays, incomplete notes, idle claims 
• coaching conversations that improve collections and documentation 
• blackout time to finish reconciliation without interruptions 
• route slips or digital equivalents for clear expectations 
• daily compliance as a habit, not an annual event 
• financial stability through same‑day close and follow‑up

You can go grab the chart prep and the end‑of‑day checklist, and there’s a little guide in there on how to implement it in the show notes if you want to implement this right away 
If this series has been helpful for you friends, I’d really appreciate it if you would leave us a review 
Make sure you’re subscribed so you don’t miss part three 
And if this episode made you think of your doctor or your office manager, share it with them

Get the Chart Prep + End of Day Checklist and Guide for Only $19 Here:

https://ericka-aguilar-dental-billing-expert.kit.com/products/chart-prep-checklis

Download "The Most Underused Codes in Dentistry - And How to Get Them Paid" checklist here:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfxnnfSlNd0NPhMoBWq-1D_xU5R8LS4xPhHNKIjfLQwStOUag/viewform?usp=header

Register for the free one-hour webinar on Wednesday, April 29, 2026, here:

https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/ABKZUAxNQEynSqUET8SwAg

Schedule a billing chat with Ericka:

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

DM Ericka on Instagram to join the wait list for Elevate Billing & Coding:

@dental_billing_coach

Email Ericka:
[email protected]

Email Jen:

[email protected]

Grab the Hygiene Billing and Coding Playbook Here:

https://stan.store/hygieneunlocked

Email Ed:

[email protected]

Schedule a demo with MaxAssist to unlock scheduleing potential here:

https://maxassist.com/book-a-demo-fortune-billing/

Perio performance formula:

 (D4341+D4342+D4346+D4355+D4910)/(D4341+D4342+D...