Patients Dental Billing Systems
Introduction
Olvera Dental is a family-owned practice in Tijuana, Mexico, led by Dr. Olvera, a specialist in cosmetic dentistry with over 30 years of experience. The clinic offers high-quality dental care at significantly lower costs, attracting a majority of its patients from the United States who seek affordable, professional treatment across the border.
Identified Challenges
Since most of Olvera Dental’s patients have U.S.-based insurance with out-of-network coverage, the clinic needed a reliable way to generate dental billing forms that complied with U.S. insurance requirements. This process involved:
- Identifying accurate CDT (Current Dental Terminology) codes from the American Dental Association
- Filling out detailed dental claim forms (like ADA Form 2024/2025).
- Managing a time-intensive, manual process for every patient.
The clinic wanted to simplify and digitize this workflow to increase efficiency, reduce human error, and improve the patient experience.
Key Responsibilities
✔ Clietn Management
✔ Research
✔ Wireframing & Prototyping
✔ UI/UX Design
✔ Usability Testing
Main Tools
✔ Figma
✔ Illustrator
✔ Google Drive
Research & User Insights
User Interviews & Pain Points
I conducted interviews with:
- Front desk staff and dental coordinators at Olvera Dental.
- Three U.S.-based patients familiar with insurance claims.
Key Pain Points Identified:
- Staff struggled to find accurate ADA codes.
- Patients often had incomplete or incorrectly filled forms.
- Manual work slowed down appointment scheduling and claim processing.
- Lack of a digital record made it difficult to track submitted claims.
Competitor Analysis & Industry Trends
Most clinics rely on third-party software like Dentrix or Open Dental—complex tools not suited for small cross-border practices. I identified an opportunity to create a lightweight, web-based billing system tailored specifically for small clinics with U.S. patients.
Design Strategy
Key Design Principles
- Efficiency: Minimize repetitive tasks.
- Accuracy: Built-in CDT code search and validation.
- Simplicity: User-friendly UI for non-technical staff.
- Compliance: Forms pre-aligned with U.S. insurance standards.
Wireframing & Prototyping
Using Figma, I created wireframes and interactive prototypes. Key flows included:
- New patient record creation
- Procedure code selection
- Auto-populating ADA dental forms
- Exporting to PDF or printing for patient use
Designs were tested in low and high-fidelity formats with the dental office staff for iterative feedback.
Solution & Implementation
Final Features
- Searchable CDT Code Library (2025): Staff can find and apply the correct codes instantly.
- Smart Form Generator: Dynamically builds dental claim forms based on selected procedures.
- Auto-fill Patient Data: Reduces repetitive typing for frequent patients.
- Export Options: One-click PDF download or print-ready form for insurance submission.
Technology Stack
- Front-end: HTML5, Bootstrap, Figma design system
- Back-end: JavaScript, Node.js, basic Express API
- Security: Local device encryption and form printing to minimize cloud dependency
Results & Impact
Post-Launch Metrics
- 80% reduction in form completion time
- Zero code lookup errors after the launch
- Faster patient processing, especially during busy days
- Positive ROI within the first two months due to time saved
User Feedback
- Staff: “We no longer dread the insurance forms. It’s fast and easy now.”
- Patients: “No delays.”
Conclusion & Future Improvements
The Patient Dental Billing System successfully streamlined one of the most time-consuming processes at Olvera Dental, improving both staff productivity and patient satisfaction. As next steps, we plan to:
- Integrate AI to auto-suggest CDT codes based on procedure descriptions.
- Enable secure cloud backups of claim history.
- Expand functionality to other practices with similar needs.
