Estela Vargas and Belle DuCharme

Insurance
Busting the myth of ‘once perio, always perio'
The myth of “once perio maintenance, always perio maintenance” continues to hamper billing systems in dental practices. It's OK to alternate between prophy and perio maintenance codes, according to Estela Vargas, CRDH, and Belle DuCharme.
November 27, 2023
Coding Billing Woman
Insurance
Defining multiple surface restorations for insurance reimbursement
Submitting a successful claim for a multisurface restoration on one tooth can be tricky. Coding expert Estela Vargas, RDH, and Belle DuCharme offer tips to ensure you get paid.
September 7, 2023
Dental Procedure Patient
Insurance
Avoid fraud in your forecast: Experts answer 3 dental billing questions
Do you know what fraud looks like? Two coding experts review frequently asked dental billing questions.
July 19, 2023
Coding Billing Woman
Insurance
Dental hygienist responsibilities in coding dental claims
While most dental hygienists cannot legally diagnose dental disease, they still have a legal responsibility to properly code what they do. Coding expert Estela Vargas shares tips for coding common dental hygiene treatments.
January 31, 2023
2022 04 08 16 47 4860 2022 04 08 Vargas Estela 400
Insurance
How to appeal claim denials for crowns and cracked teeth
One of the most common denials from insurance plans is for crowns. Coding expert Estela Vargas shares her tips for ensuring you get paid for crowns, a common denial scenario, and a sample letter to use if you need to appeal a claim.
October 19, 2022
2022 04 08 16 47 4860 2022 04 08 Vargas Estela 400
Insurance
How to get paid for dental implants
September is National Dental Implant Awareness Month. However, awareness of implants only goes so far if your patients can't afford them. Coding expert Estela Vargas shares tips on how to get paid for dental implants from insurance and elsewhere.
September 18, 2022
2022 04 08 16 47 4860 2022 04 08 Vargas Estela 400
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Top Stories
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Regulatory Updates
Dentist loses license for 10 years due to patient's death
A dentist who lost his license after a patient who was allegedly given too much sedation during treatment and died cannot practice dentistry for at least 10 years.
Dentist Payment Credit Card
Practice Trends
Q&A on credit cards in the dental practice, surcharging, and more
2025 03 19 Scott Clifford 400
Podcasts
Podcast: This big mistake can make it easier for dental embezzlers
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Good neighbors may curb brain decline in those with tooth loss
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Dentist loses license for 10 years due to patient's death
By Melissa Busch
A dentist who lost his license after a patient who was allegedly given too much sedation during treatment and died cannot practice dentistry for at least 10 years.
March 20, 2025
Regulatory Decision Redaktion93
Q&A on credit cards in the dental practice, surcharging, and more
By Kevin Henry
With more dental practices asking about surcharging and passing along credit card fees to patients, we spoke with an expert to get answers to your questions.
March 20, 2025
Dentist Payment Credit Card
Podcast: This big mistake can make it easier for dental embezzlers
By Kevin Henry
Prosperident's Scott Clifford joins the podcast to discuss a case involving embezzlement from multiple dental practices and a simple step that likely could have prevented it.
March 20, 2025
2025 03 19 Scott Clifford 400
Good neighbors may curb brain decline in those with tooth loss
By Melissa Busch
Neighborhood cohesion may mitigate the negative effects tooth loss has on cognitive decline, according to a study.
March 20, 2025
Volunteer Older Woman Ocskay Bence
1st reported case of small intestine tumor spreading to the TMJ
By Melissa Busch
A small intestine neuroendocrine carcinoma metastasized to the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) in a man, which is believed the first reported case of its kind.
March 19, 2025
Dentist Ct Pavel Siamionov
Clinical tip: When to do and not to do flapless dental implant surgery
By Kevin Henry
In this clinical tip, courtesy of CDOCS, Dr. Farhad Boltchi dives into the world of dental implants and lists the warning signs and green lights when it comes to flapless surgery.
March 19, 2025
Dr. Farhad Boltchi.
Avoid these 5 billing practices to keep patients happy
By Julia Nevodcikova
Do your patients complain about your billing? Perhaps it's time to take a deep dive into your systems, writes Julia Nevodcikova.
March 19, 2025
Nevodcikova Julia 400
Woman arrested for running illegal dental practice
By Melissa Busch
A woman was arrested for allegedly operating an illegal dental business from a home without a license, and this may not have been her only location.
March 18, 2025
Woman Handcuffs
Caries may be linked to osteoporosis
By Ava Barros
Severe caries may be associated with an increased risk of osteoporosis, supporting the potential connection between oral and systemic bone health, asserts a study published in BMC Oral Health.
March 18, 2025
Older Woman Dentist
The biggest billing mistakes dental practices are already making in 2025
By Ashley Bond
It's estimated that dentists and dental practice owners lose up to 10% of their hard-earned revenue due to billing errors and ineffective collection processes. Ashley Bond has some tips to help you keep money in your pockets.
March 18, 2025
Bond Ashley 400
Advancements in periodontal and peri-implant disease classification: Insights from Dr. Gustavo Avila-Ortiz
By Kevin Henry
Here is a closer, in-depth look at the updated framework for diagnosing and treating periodontal and peri-implant diseases and conditions.
March 18, 2025
2025 03 18 Gustavo Avila Ortiz 400
School employee steals and resells $158K in gold dental items
By Melissa Busch
A dental school employee was arrested for allegedly stealing about $158,000 worth of gold alloy dental products from the university.
March 17, 2025
Handcuffs
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