S2 Episode 2: How We start our Day in Eligibility Support

This episode of Inside Dentistry Support focuses on effective strategies for working in the Eligibility department at Dentistry Support. It emphasizes the importance of starting the day by digitally checking in with the team to ensure visibility in a fully virtual environment. The script then outlines essential tasks, such as checking in with assigned offices for updates, adhering to specific verification timelines, and following standard operating procedures documented in the office's Wiki pages. Best practices for verifying insurance benefits are discussed, highlighting the need for accuracy, clear communication, and proactive thinking to build trust with dental office clients. The episode concludes with a reminder that team members are not just completing tasks but are critical to the success of real dental practices, stressing the importance of human care, consistency, and reliability in their daily work.

Transcript

   📍 Hey team. Welcome back to Inside Dentistry Support. This is technically season two, episode two, and we are continuing our focus on one of our most essential departments here at Dentistry Support. Eligibility. Now that you understand what eligibility support is today, we're going to walk through what your day should look like and when you work in this department, everything that you do in your day, it really does matter.

This episode is going to set you up to succeed, not just in tasks, but in mentality. So let's get right into it. Your day begins with something that may seem small, but it is actually really powerful. That is letting the team know that you are here. We work in a fully virtual environment, and that means presence is everything.

Saying good morning. I'm here or tagging your team leader in teams to check in. It's about really being there for them. It's not sucking up. It's showing that you're supporting your team, you're setting the pace. It's about being intentional. We don't have a break room, a small talk area or office chatter that we can have here and there in a random corner or random office.

Our presence is just digital, and it matters that you show up. On time and with visibility, leadership is watching. Your team is watching. Your future here is being built each and every day by how you choose to show up. Do you notice that other team members aren't showing up? Do you notice that other team members aren't checking in or out?

I don't want you to pay attention to them. I want you to put your head down, hear this very episode, and choose to set a different tone. Once you've checked in with your team, the next step is to check in with your assigned office. Have there been any updates since yesterday's completed work? Did the schedule change?

Did they add patients and submit an immediate insurance verification request? Are there any new requests that were simply messaged within teams? Are there urgent reverifications, same day add-ons? Is there a question about someone that was verified the previous day that needs to be answered? Are there patients with Medicaid plans that require day of checks?

I never want you to assume. Always communicate. Use the group channel for the office and monitor it like you would if you were walking through the office hallway. If you had a client walk in and ask you a question, you would tend to them immediately because they just walked in the door. That's how we treat it virtually.

Every office has a different eligibility verification timeline. As the eligibility support team members, you are expected to know this. Some offices want 24 hours in advance, some offices, 48 hours, some 72-hour checks, or even seven-day advance verifications. You must be aware of which patients require same day rechecks, particularly for Medicaid or state-based plans.

Know your office. Know where you're at. Know if something needs to be communicated to the office, if things are behind or if things are ahead. Every office has its own standard operating procedures and eligibility templates. We call these our Wiki pages. These are not optional things. Even if you did something different in another office or at a different company, or you thought things were different, you always want to open the Wiki page for the specific office that you are working in.

This is your guide to be successful. You will find your templates all in Microsoft Teams inside the office's dedicated channel. The SOPs, or standard operating procedures are listed in the Wiki section for each office. If you discover updates, new preferences or changes during your work, you are expected to submit those updates for the wiki or request the update immediately.

Why? Because if you are out sick tomorrow, someone will need to step in and if your instructions weren't updated, the office will suffer. We serve our dental practices and that means we protect their processes, not just complete their task. Here are a few best practices when verifying benefits in your daily schedule.

When you're verifying insurance, of course you know now accuracy really matters. Never assume that you know a plan just because you've seen it before. Always check frequencies, waiting periods. Age limitations and plan maximums. Always note alternate benefits. Make sure breakdowns are written out clearly for the front office to understand.

Fill out every box in any box you didn't fill out. You need to explain why, what happened. Find out if the plan has an umbrella. Ask questions about the fee schedule. Ask if the plan is administered by any other company. Keep it clean. Don't just copy and paste information from portals without an explanation.

You are not just filling out a form. You are making someone's morning easier. You are helping a patient understand their treatment plan. You are helping an office know how to collect money so they can continue. To see patients, you are making it possible for dentistry support to exist because our clients trust you because your information is accurate and they totally believe we can do the job.

We use a verification tracking sheet for a reason. This isn't just an extra step, an extra space we want you to work in. It is essential. You need to keep this updated as you work. Let your team upload or know if you've finished with a particular patient and you're ready to move on and they can upload that flag.

Anything urgent or incomplete clearly make a note so your team understands. Also make it a habit to use phrases like on it. Working on this now just posted Needs a recheck flagged in tracker? Use simple quick words. Be visible in our virtual office space. Your communication is your presence. Don't be scared to respond to a dentistry support team member. Again, your communication is your presence. If we don't hear from you, we think you have abandoned your post. We need to know from you. Often watch your alerts, watch your reminders. Your performance is measured because it has to be.

Track your time properly using time, doctor, make sure you're on pace to hit the minimum daily metrics for your assigned office. And don't forget to submit your daily recap. This is non-negotiable. If you don't complete what is required, it reflects in your HR or human resources file. And if we lose a client due to low performance, that affects everyone.

This episode focuses strictly on dental insurance eligibility. Medical verification is a separate service with its own systems. Steps, and team members don't cross lines or make assumptions. Know the difference. If you see a medical insurance, come our way, simply let the office know we only provide dental insurance eligibility unless they have that additional support.

In that case, you would forward it to the appropriate team member. Here are a few final thoughts. You are not a task robot. You are a critical part of real dental practices and real dental offices daily duties. We tell our clients we are their dedicated eligibility team, and we mean that. We say that we will be consistent, clear, and ahead of schedule, and we mean that too.

But here's the truth, if we are not excellent. AI or artificial intelligence will replace us. We have to bring what automation can't, and that is human care, proactive thinking and reliability. Every day you show dental offices why working with real people is still the best choice. That's why we fight for our place in their practices, not with pride, but with consistency.

So, show up, speak up, and keep showing them why dentistry support is the best in this industry. You are not just clicking buttons, you are protecting patients, empowering practices, and building your career.  📍 I'll see you on the next episode.