Insurance verification is one of the most critical — and time-consuming — tasks in the dental front office. Done well, it prevents claim delays, unexpected denials, and patient frustration. Done poorly, it costs your practice in unpaid claims and lost trust.

But have you ever stopped to calculate the true cost of having your team perform insurance verifications in-house?

Spoiler: It’s higher than you think.

The True Cost of In-House Insurance Verifications

Most practices assign insurance verification to front office staff, assuming it's a standard duty. But let’s break down what it really costs you:

Average Hourly Wage for Front Office Staff (2023-2024):

• $20–$28/hour (national average; source: ADA Dental Staff Wage Report)

Time to Verify One Patient’s Insurance:

• 15 to 30 minutes per patient (depending on plan complexity and portal access)

For a Practice Seeing 20 Patients a Day:

• 5–10 hours per day spent just on verifications

• That’s $100 to $280+ per day in staff wages spent on this task alone

Annual cost estimate:
$200/day × 200 working days = $40,000/year or more on insurance verifications alone.

That’s a big number — especially when staff turnover, training gaps, and verification errors are common.

Cost Is Only One Problem — Errors Are the Other

In-house verifications often come with:

• Inconsistent documentation

• Missed downgrades or exclusions

• Undiscovered waiting periods

• Lost production from last-minute cancellations due to benefit confusion

Even one missed verification can cost hundreds in unpaid claims or treatment delays. And when patients hear “your insurance won’t cover this,” their trust takes a hit.

A Smarter, More Affordable Solution: Verus Dental

What if you could get accurate, same-day insurance verifications done by trained professionals — for a fraction of the cost?

That’s exactly what Verus Dental offers.

Only $15/hour
Fast turnaround
No long-term contracts
Seamless integration with your schedule

At $15/hour, Verus Dental costs 40–60% less than what most offices pay in-house — and often performs more consistently and efficiently.

Real-World Savings Example

Let’s say your practice sees 20 patients a day, and each verification takes 20 minutes. That’s ~7 hours/day of insurance work.

• In-house staff cost: 7 hrs × $25/hr = $175/day

• Verus Dental cost: 7 hrs × $15/hr = $105/day

• Annual savings: ~$14,000+

And that doesn’t even include the hidden cost savings from fewer denials, better treatment acceptance, and reduced stress on your team.

Conclusion: Stop Overpaying for Insurance Verifications

The real cost of insurance verifications isn't just in wages — it's in time, accuracy, and efficiency. Partnering with a specialized service like Verus Dental not only saves money but also ensures consistency, freeing up your team to focus on patient care and production.

Learn more or get started at www.verusdental.com

Benjamin Tuinei

Founder - Veritas Dental Resources, LLC
Phone: 888-808-4513

Services:
PPO Fee Negotiators | PPO Fee Negotiating | Insurance Fee Negotiating
Insurance Credentialing | Insurance Verifications

Websites:
www.VeritasDentalResources.com | www.VerusDental.com