Most dental practices collect around 91% of what they’re owed. That missing 9% adds up—fast. Between insurance denials, overdue accounts, and patients caught off guard by costs, your cash flow can quietly take a hit month after month.
At Core Advisors, we work with practices like yours every day, and we’ve found that improving collections doesn’t mean becoming aggressive or awkward. It means putting a few simple, consistent systems in place.
Here’s how we teach our clients to take control and improve dental collections—without turning your front desk into a call center.
Talk Money Early (and Often)
One of the most common issues we see is that money conversations happen too late. You finish the procedure, the patient heads to the front desk, and only then do fees come up—usually followed by some form of surprise, confusion, or delay.
Instead, the fee discussion should start before the patient ever sits in the chair. When you present a treatment plan, walk them through what insurance is expected to cover and what their portion will likely be. Most patients appreciate the transparency. They’re not trying to get out of paying—they just want to know what to expect. If you can confidently explain the numbers upfront, it builds trust and makes payment feel like part of the process, not a surprise at the end.
It also helps to have a clear payment policy and make it standard to collect patient portions on the day of service. When a patient heads to checkout, it should be routine: “We’ll take care of today’s payment now,” not a question or a negotiation. Over time, this creates a culture in your office where paying at the time of service is just what people do.
And for bigger treatment plans, don’t be afraid to offer financing. Whether it’s a third-party option like CareCredit or an in-house plan with clear terms, giving patients a way to spread out payments can help them say yes to care—and help you avoid unpaid balances that drag on for months.
Get Ahead of Insurance Delays
If you’ve ever had a clean claim take 30 days to process, only to get denied because of a small coding error, you’re not alone. Insurance issues are one of the biggest culprits behind slow collections—but with a few changes, you can take back some control.
Start by verifying insurance benefits before treatment. That includes checking the annual max, waiting periods, and any frequency limitations. When you have that info upfront, you avoid performing services that won’t be covered—and you can communicate expected costs to the patient right away.
Then make sure every claim goes out clean. One wrong birthdate or missing attachment can delay payment by weeks. Training your team on common coding issues—and using software tools to catch errors before submissio—can make a huge difference.
Also, don’t wait until the end of the week to send out claims. Submitting daily gets you paid faster and gives you more time to address any issues that pop up. If a claim hasn’t been paid by day 20, it’s time to follow up. That’s the sweet spot where you’re still early enough to get it back on track before it turns into a bigger issue.
If insurance billing is eating up too much of your team’s time, there’s nothing wrong with bringing in help. Whether that’s a part-time insurance coordinator or a billing service, outsourcing the complex parts can actually increase what you collect—and free your staff to focus on patient care.
Stop Letting Accounts Get Stale
Most dentists don’t love chasing down past-due balances. And honestly, your team probably doesn’t either. That’s why overdue accounts often fall to the bottom of the to-do list—and the longer they sit, the harder they are to collect.
That’s where a system makes all the difference.
Start by knowing your numbers. Run an aging report monthly so you know what’s 30, 60, or 90+ days overdue. If more than 15–18% of your A/R is over 90 days, it’s time to prioritize follow-ups.
Follow-up doesn’t have to be confrontational—it just has to be consistent. A reminder text at 30 days, a phone call at 60, a formal letter at 90. Nothing aggressive, just a steady signal that the account hasn’t been forgotten.
And if you’re still sending paper statements with a “Please call us to pay” line, it’s time to upgrade. Text messages have nearly a 100% open rate, and when you include a secure payment link, many patients pay right then and there. Make it easy, and they’re more likely to take care of it.
If you’ve done all of the above and a balance still isn’t resolved after 90 or 120 days, it’s worth having a plan for next steps. Whether that’s a final notice or turning it over to collections depends on your tolerance, but the longer you wait, the less you’re likely to collect. Sometimes, a clear deadline is what gets someone to act.
Empower Your Team to Handle It
Here’s the part most dentists overlook: collections come down to your team. You can have the best systems in place, but if your staff is uncomfortable asking for payment or unclear on your policies, things will fall through the cracks.
That’s why training matters. Role-play common scenarios. Give your team scripts that feel natural. Help them feel confident saying, “Today’s visit comes to $120. Would you like to pay by card or Apple Pay?” That’s not pushy. It’s professional.
It also helps to assign responsibility. Someone should be in charge of reviewing the A/R list and making sure reminders go out each week. And when collections improve, celebrate that. Recognize the team’s effort. People respond when they feel like their work matters.
If you’re short-staffed or feeling stretched thin, it’s okay to get support. Whether that’s bringing in a consultant, using billing software, or outsourcing certain parts of the process, the goal is the same: to run a healthy practice without constantly stressing about money.
You Deserve to Get Paid
You went to school for years.
You put your patients first.
You invest in your team, your equipment, and your training.
Getting paid on time isn’t too much to ask—it’s part of running a sustainable practice.
Improving collections doesn’t require overhauling your entire office. It just means putting better habits in place: clear conversations, consistent systems, and a confident team. And if you need help building that?
That’s where we come in.
At Core Advisors, we help dentists take control of their finances—without losing focus on patient care. Whether you’re dealing with insurance bottlenecks, overdue accounts, or a team that just needs a little guidance, we’re here to help.
Ready to get started? Book a call with us. We’ll help you collect more of what you’ve earned, and spend less time chasing it.
Until next time.
