The word “outsourcing” can have a negative connotation, especially in the United States. It often refers to taking business and jobs and shipping them overseas to save money with mixed results in terms of the quality of customer service and product. However, when it comes to dentistry, the decision between outsourcing dental billing or hiring your own in-house specialist isn’t as clear cut. To make this choice, you need to consider the pros and cons of both options!
Advantages of In-House Dental Billing
Your business is more than just your livelihood: it represents your reputation, your life’s work, your figurative career baby! As a result, you may enjoy being able to see all the individual cogs working to make your business keep running smoothly. Having an in-house insurance coordinator can allow you to have more oversight and direct contact with this financial side.
Disadvantages of In-House Dental Billing
Every employee you hire comes not only with a salary but also with benefits, taxes, and costs for training. In 2025, according to salary.com, which estimates and calculates salaries based on job postings online, the average salary for dental billing specialists across the country is about $63,500 per year, which equates to about $5,292 a month. Also, when you factor in vacation or paid time off, time for training, as well as high employee turnover, hiring this specialist can still result in delays in payments. Plus, you become limited to applicants in your location, which means your available options could be few.
Advantages of Outsourcing Dental Billing
Compared to hiring your own dental billing specialist, outsourcing is significantly less expensive. Although your cost may depend on how much revenue you bring in monthly, typically the fee for outsourcing is a small percentage, meaning that you’re sure to save substantially by outsourcing!
In addition, a company specializing in dental billing will take care of vetting their team members and educating them on software and innovations, which means you don’t have to spend extra on training. The outsource team should always have employees working to keep your billing on track without worries about individual turnover or vacation time.
With these dental billing experts, you are also likely to experience fewer claim denials and delays in payment. A third-party keeping an eye on your practice’s finances can also reduce the risk of fraud or embezzlement, helping you continue to have a strong reputation in the community.
Disadvantages of Outsourcing Dental Billing
When you have someone working on a task for your business remotely, you have less direct supervision. You can’t just walk down the hall and ask them a question. However, if the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in any lessons for companies, one is that accurate, good work can be completed remotely, especially when your outsourcing company sends you a clear, comprehensive report every week. You may not see them working behind the scenes, but your team is only a message or Zoom call away if you have questions or concerns. In other words, as long as the outsource company is easy to contact and communicate with, you can still have peace of mind and transparency over billing.
In the end, although you know your business best, you might want to consider this option for dental billing. It could not only save you money but also increase your revenue and help your practice work more efficiently.
About Dental Support Specialties
The team at Dental Support Specialties consists of dental billing experts with decades of experience. As a client, you don’t have to worry about training us in your software or office workflows. We can quickly become familiar and start being a supportive extension of your in-office team. To learn more about our services, reach out to us to schedule a consultation!