Unlock Hidden Revenue: 6 Game-Changing Myths About Medical Billing That Are Costing Your Dental Practice Serious Money
Don't sleep on these profit opportunities. It's time to disrupt the status quo and maximize your practice's earning potential.
Chris Farrugia, DDS, DABSB
Chief Dental Officer
Dr. Chris P. Farrugia is a nationally recognized speaker, teacher, and leader in the subjects of digital dentistry, dental sleep medicine and medical billing by dental practices. Dr. Farrugia brings to Nexus a wealth of knowledge and experience gleaned from his professional journey through the clinical practice of dentistry. Medical insurance provides benefits for services provided by dentists including exams, radiographs, imaging, and a variety of surgical and non-surgical therapies. These services are routinely under- or uncompensated to dental practitioners. A nationally recognized expert in medical billing by dental practices and author of five books on the subject, Dr. Farrugia enjoys spreading the message of accessing medical benefits for services so that dentists can be properly compensated for what they know and do. He has spoken to and taught thousands of dentists nationwide who want to advance their practices through a marriage of digital (CBCT) imaging, digital restorative dentistry, successful implementation of dental sleep medicine into their practice, and better compensation for services rendered via medical billing. After a decade of practicing Dental Sleep Medicine (DSM) and achieving Diplomate status with the American Board of Sleep and Breathing, Dr. Farrugia transitioned from general dentistry to the exclusive practice of TMD and DSM in 2018. When not travelling, speaking or teaching, Dr. Farrugia practices in northwest Florida.
Ready to revolutionize your revenue stream? You’re about to discover why thousands of dental practices are missing out on massive reimbursement opportunities – and how you can flip the script starting today.
Here’s the bottom line: The biggest barrier between your practice and significantly higher revenues isn’t what you think. It’s not complicated procedures, expensive equipment, or lengthy training programs. It’s knowledge gaps and outdated mindsets that are literally costing you thousands every month.
Let’s demolish the myths holding your practice back and unlock the revenue potential that’s been hiding in plain sight.
MYTH #1: “Dentists Can’t Bill Medical Insurance”
REALITY CHECK: This Limiting Belief Is Costing You Big Time
Plot twist: You’ve been operating under a massive misconception that’s been artificially capping your income.
MYTH #1: “Dentists Can’t Bill Medical Insurance”
REALITY CHECK: This Limiting Belief Is Costing You Big Time
Plot twist: You’ve been operating under a massive misconception that’s been artificially capping your income.
Here’s what the disruptors already know: Dentistry isn’t separate from medicine – that’s just outdated thinking. While everyone else is stuck in the “dental insurance only” mindset, forward-thinking practices are tapping into medical insurance reimbursements like pros.
The game-changer? Your scope of practice is way broader than you realize. The ADA doesn’t even mention “teeth” in their official definition of dental practice. Mind = blown, right?
Bottom line: As a licensed healthcare provider, you’re sitting on untapped revenue streams. Services beyond teeth? Those are medical insurance goldmines waiting to be claimed.
MYTH #2: “Medical Billing Is Too Complex to Master”
REALITY CHECK: This Is Just Another Profitable Skill to Add to Your Arsenal
REALITY CHECK: This Is Just Another Profitable Skill to Add to Your Arsenal
Let’s get real: Every game-changing addition to your practice felt overwhelming at first. Remember when digital X-rays seemed impossible? Now they’re second nature.
The secret sauce? Like any high-ROI investment, medical billing requires:
- Strategic planning (not guesswork)
- Proper training (not trial and error)
- Systematic implementation (not chaos)
Pro tip: Whether you handle it in-house or outsource, the practices crushing it with medical billing all have one thing in common – they treated it like the revenue-driving business strategy it is.
MYTH #3: “Medical Billing Only Works If You Have CT Technology”
REALITY CHECK: You’re Already Sitting on Multiple Revenue Opportunities
This myth is keeping average practices average while smart practices are monetizing services they’re already providing.
Your existing revenue goldmine includes:
- Patient exams (you’re doing these daily!)
- Consultations (instant money makers)
- 2D radiographs (orthopantograms, lateral cephs – ca-ching!)
- Trauma treatments (maxillofacial area including teeth)
- Reconstructive procedures (surgical and prosthetic)
- TMD and bruxism appliances (huge opportunity!)
- Sleep apnea equipment (growing market!)
- And so much more (seriously, the list goes on…)
- The ADA’s official definition proves it: Your practice covers “evaluation, diagnosis, prevention and/or treatment of diseases, disorders and/or conditions of the oral cavity, maxillofacial area and/or adjacent and associated structures.”
Translation: You’re already a medical provider – now it’s time to get paid like one.
MYTH #4: “My Team Doesn’t Have Bandwidth for This”
REALITY CHECK: Smart Systems Create Effortless Workflows
Here’s what successful practices discovered: Medical billing isn’t a time vampire – poor planning is.
The efficiency formula:
- Invest in proper training (front-load the work)
- Implement proven protocols (eliminate guesswork)
- Choose the right cases (maximize success rate)
- Watch it run on autopilot (just like your other systems)
Result? Medical billing becomes as seamless as processing regular dental claims. The practices winning with this strategy aren’t superhuman – they’re just systematic.
MYTH #5: “I Only Need Dental Coding Knowledge”
REALITY CHECK: The Industry Has Already Shifted – Are You Keeping Up?
Wake-up call: The 2012 ADA dental claim form update was a crystal-clear signal that the industry is evolving.
What changed everything: The form now includes:
- Medical diagnosis codes
- Diagnosis pointers
- Place of service codes
Translation: You’re not just reporting WHAT you did anymore – you need to explain WHY treatment was necessary.
The competitive advantage: Practices that master this shift are positioning themselves for long-term success while others get left behind.
The competitive advantage: Practices that master this shift are positioning themselves for long-term success while others get left behind.
MYTH #6: “High Deductibles Kill Payment Opportunities”
REALITY CHECK: You’re Asking the Wrong Questions
Most practices focus on: “What’s the deductible?” Winning practices ask: “How will the deductible be applied?”
Here’s the insider knowledge: The federal government’s definition includes this game-changing phrase: “The deductible may not apply to all services.”
Real-world scenario: A $500 claim with a $1,000 unmet deductible could still result in full payment if the deductible doesn’t apply to your specific procedures.
Strategy shift: Focus on policy-specific provisions rather than making assumptions. High-quality plans often have more favorable deductible applications than budget options.
The Ultimate Success Factor: Master Case Selection
Here’s where most practices fail: They try to get medical coverage for dental procedures.
The winning approach: Clearly distinguish between:
The winning approach: Clearly distinguish between:
- Dental procedures (teeth-focused)
- Medical procedures (everything else you do)
The money-making mindset shift: Not everything you do is “dental” just because you’re a dentist. Those “beyond the teeth” services? That’s where medical insurance pays big.
Ready to Maximize Your Revenue Potential?
The practices already winning with medical billing share one thing: They stopped believing limiting myths and started implementing proven strategies.
Your next move? Choose whether you want to keep operating under outdated assumptions or join the practices that are maximizing their revenue potential with medical billing.
The opportunity is real. The strategies are proven. The only question is: Are you ready to level up?
Ready to transform your practice’s revenue potential? The practices already implementing these strategies aren’t looking back – they’re too busy counting their increased reimbursements.
