Originally Posted April 7, 2022. Updated June 17, 2025.
Patient billing is a process best handled on a consistent, periodic schedule. Proper setup and a consistency are critical to ensure patients are all billed in a timely manner, for the amounts they owe, and without anyone slipping through the cracks.
For all our Billing-related webinars, check out our Billing Playlist on YouTube.
Billing Options
Want to make sure you’re billing the correct patients? Make sure to use billing options to build the list of patients, so no one gets missed, and everyone gets the information they need.
Filters
Use filters to determine who shows up on the billing list. You can decide if you want to include patients who have insurance pending, have a balance less than a specific dollar amount, and more!
TECH TIP: Click Save As Default to save your filter settings for next time!
Dunning Messages
You can use dunning messages to add messages to statements and emails for specific patients. These can be added for patients who are above a certain age of account or billing type.
Billing Defaults
Use billing defaults to determine how statements are viewed or sent, and even utilize the Message-to-Pay feature to send an email or text message (if using Integrated Texting) to patients with a link to pay online!
Create the Billing List
Once you have determined all of the above settings, you can click Create to generate the list of patients.
You can view patient statements after the list has been generated, or right-click to go directly to their account.
Once you have the patients selected, click Send to send patient statements.
– If mailing statements, a PDF will generate with all statements. Print from the PDF window.
– If sending electronically, the statements will be sent to the third-party set up for patient billing.
Need help with collections?
Our friends at Transworld Systems Inc. (TSI) can help.
Watch this webinar to learn how the integration automates when patients are sent to collections, removing that stress for your staff.
Our support team is here for you! If you have a simple question about Billing, try our online chat. If you need us to remote-connect to troubleshoot, we’re only a phone call away.
Information in this post reflects features available in Open Dental Version 24.4. For the most up-to-date information, please visit our manual.