ADA: Use 2012 version of dental claim form

Every dentist should be using the 2012 version of the ADA Dental Claim Form to avoid delayed payment and claims processing problems, according to the Association.

The ADA and the National Association of Dental Plans are pushing their members to only use the 2012 form and not any other version in an effort to speed up claim processing for both sides.

"There are some offices with older versions of the ADA form," said Dr. Ron Riggins, chair of the ADA Council on Dental Benefit Programs. "But they are obsolete and difficult to process. National Association of Dental Plans members tell us that when they receive an old form — 2006 or earlier — special manual intervention is needed, which affects timely and efficient adjudication and reimbursement."

Many dentists are submitting claims electronically but there are a good amount who still use the paper form exclusively or depending on the circumstance. When a paper form is submitted, it's scanned to convert it to an electronic version. Many times, if a dentist uses an outdated form, the computer program will flag it, even for something miniscule, and indicate it needs a manual review, said Evelyn Ireland, executive director of the National Association of Dental Plans.  

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