Set the frequency for regular cleaning and perio maintenance

[brentwood]

I found that more and more insrurance plans count perio maintenance in the frequency for cleaning. Is there a way to set that in Open Dental? Thanks.

[brentwood]

Does anyone know? Otherwise I will call support on Monday. I need a way for Open Dental to calculate the co-pay correctly. Thanks.

[jordansparks]

Are you talking about in the Ins Plan Benefits window rather than in the Recall section? That window says that frequencies do not affect estimate calculations.

[brentwood]

I would like to be able to enter the information that regular cleaning and perio maintenace counted together toward the cleaning frequency, AND Open Dental will be able to calculate the co-pay correctly for this situation.

[jordansparks]

I still don't understand. Open Dental will already consider both prophy and perio regardless of which recall type the patient is. You are going to have to pick a recall type. I would probably say the patient is a perio type. As a completely separate issue, what co-pay? Are you talking about on the treatment plan? What kind of insurance. I don't have nearly enough information about what you are trying to do. Why would the frequency have anything at all to do with your treatment plan? Wouldn't you just enter both procedures on the TP if necessary?

[brentwood]

Sorry that I didn't make myself clear. Let me give you an example on that. Assume that an insurance company counts perio maintenance and regular cleaning together in the frequency of cleaning and thy are allowed twice a year. The patient is on perio recall schedule. After he comes here two times (one regular and one perio), he has to pay his cleaning for ther rest of the year all out of his pocket since insurance won't cover it any more. But I don't see a way for Open Dental to calculate the co-pay for that correctly. Thanks.

[jordansparks]

OK, got it. If you open the Ins Plan window, and then open the Benefit window within that, you will see the area for frequencies. It says there that frequencies do not affect estimate calculations. It other words, what you are asking for is not yet a feature of the software.

It's request #1390.

[Tracey]

I am wondering if it is at all possible to add something to the program. In the insurance plan, information box - there is a section for frequencies for x-rays, exams, and panorex. It would be of great help if a section for cleanings could be added. This would be very helpful as some insurance carriers cover them 2x per year, some cover them every 6 months, and some so as far ar 4 times per year because of perio. Is this at all possible?

[jordansparks]

Yes, certainly. You would put it into the feature request system if it was not already there. Make sure to search first.

[Tracey]

thank you - I don't think I have ever done that before. I will go there now and check. Thanks Dr Sparks