Updating Dentrix Fees? Here's What Most Practices Forget (Replay from Last Year)

In case you missed it, I'm bringing back one of last year's most viewed and listened-to podcast episodes! Updating fees in Dentrix is an important part of dental practice management, but there's one critical step I frequently see practices overlook: updating the fees on existing treatment plans.

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As dental practices prepare for a new year, updating fee schedules is often on the to-do list. But changing your office fees is only part of the process.

What happens to treatment plans you've already presented? What about insurance fee schedules? And will Dentrix automatically update those fees everywhere?

Let's walk through the process so your team can avoid inaccurate estimates and unnecessary rework.

How Often Should You Update Your Dentrix Fee Schedules?

One of my biggest recommendations is to review and update your fees every 12 to 18 months.

I've worked with practices that haven't increased fees in five years. Suddenly, they realize they're significantly below their market and need a 10%, 15%, or even 20% increase.

That's a big jump for patients.

Instead, I recommend smaller, consistent increases.

For example:

• Preventive and hygiene services: Consider a 2% to 3% increase.
• Restorative procedures: Consider a 5% to 8% increase.
• Other services: Evaluate based on your practice's needs.

These are examples, not universal pricing rules. Your actual increases should reflect your overhead, local market, and financial goals.

The important thing is consistency.

How to Update Fee Schedules in Dentrix

Fortunately, Dentrix makes updating fees relatively simple.

Start in the Office Manager.

Navigate to:

Maintenance → Practice Setup → Fee Schedules

You can also access Fee Schedules through the Reference menu.

Once you're there, select the fee schedule you want to update.

You have two primary options:

1. Update Individual Procedure Fees

Use View/Edit to change fees for specific procedure codes.

This works well when updating contracted insurance fee schedules or making individual adjustments.

2. Increase Fees by Percentage

You can update an entire fee schedule or select specific procedure code ranges.

For example, you might:

• Increase preventive procedures by 3%.
• Increase restorative procedures by 6%.
• Increase implant procedures by 8%.

Dentrix also allows you to round updated fees to the nearest dollar.

Important: Make sure your provider's default fee schedule and the Office Fee Schedule setting point to your current office fees.

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The Most Overlooked Step: Updating Existing Treatment Plan Fees

Here's where I see practices run into trouble.

Updating your Dentrix fee schedule does not automatically update fees on existing treatment plans.

That means your team could present an estimate using outdated fees, even though your office fee schedule has already changed.

Fortunately, Dentrix provides two ways to address this.

Update Treatment Plan Fees Across Multiple Patients

From Fee Schedule Maintenance, select Treatment Plan Fees.

This feature allows you to update existing treatment plan fees using available filters, including certain dates, procedures, and treatment plan expiration settings.

I recommend reviewing these filters carefully, especially if your practice has previously quoted or guaranteed fees.

Understanding how treatment plan case dates and expiration dates affect this process is also important. I explain those connections in From Chart to Chair: How to Master Treatment Planning in Dentrix for Better Case Acceptance.

Because a large update can take time, consider running it outside regular patient hours.

Update Fees for an Individual Patient

You don't need to delete and recreate a treatment plan just because the fees changed.

Open the patient's Treatment Planner and locate the Update Treatment Plan Fees icon, which looks like a green arrow with a dollar sign.

This allows you to refresh treatment plan fees for that patient.

It's especially helpful when a patient changes insurance plans or an existing treatment estimate needs updating.

In fact, one of my favorite rules is simple: If it wasn't treatment planned today, update the fees before presenting the estimate.

I explain why this small habit makes such a difference in If It Wasn't Treatment Planned Today, Update the Fees.

Don't Forget Your Insurance Allowed Amounts

This is another important detail.

If your practice uses the Allowed Amount Method for insurance estimating, updating the insurance fee schedule alone may not be enough.

For example, let's say you've updated your MetLife fee schedule in Dentrix.

If those fees were previously copied into the insurance plan's Allowed Amount Table, that table will not automatically update.

You'll need to copy the updated fee schedule into the Allowed Amount Table again.

Otherwise, your treatment estimates may continue calculating benefits using outdated information.

This is why understanding the difference between the two Dentrix insurance estimating methods is so important.

If you're unsure which method your practice uses, I recommend reviewing my article on the Fee Schedule Method vs. Allowed Amount Method in Dentrix. I explain how each method affects production, patient estimates, and insurance calculations.

The Bottom Line: Make Fee Updates Part of Your Annual Workflow

Updating Dentrix fees shouldn't be something your practice remembers to do every five years.

I recommend making fee reviews part of your regular financial planning.

And when you update fees, remember these three things:

1. Update your office and applicable insurance fee schedules.
2. Review and update existing treatment plan fees.
3. Refresh insurance Allowed Amount Tables when applicable.

A consistent process helps your team present more accurate estimates, maintain reliable financial information, and avoid unnecessary patient confusion.

Your Dentrix software has the tools. The key is knowing which steps need to happen together.

Frequently Asked Questions About Updating Dentrix Fees

Does Dentrix automatically update treatment plan fees when I change my fee schedule?

No. Existing treatment plan fees do not automatically update when you change a fee schedule. Use the Treatment Plan Fees feature or update fees for an individual patient through the Treatment Planner.

How do I increase all fees by a percentage in Dentrix?

Open Fee Schedules in the Office Manager, select the appropriate fee schedule, and use the percentage adjustment option. You can update all procedure codes or select specific ranges.

How often should dental practices update their fees?

I recommend reviewing and considering fee adjustments every 12 to 18 months rather than waiting several years and making one large increase.

Will updating an insurance fee schedule also update the Allowed Amount Table?

No. If you're using the Allowed Amount Method, you'll need to copy the updated insurance fee schedule into the Allowed Amount Table again.

Can I update a patient's treatment plan fees without recreating the treatment plan?

Yes. Open the patient's Treatment Planner and use the Update Treatment Plan Fees feature. This allows you to refresh fees without deleting and rebuilding the treatment plan.

Want to make sure your Dentrix fee schedules and treatment estimates are working correctly?

Schedule a discovery call with me, and let's identify opportunities to improve your financial workflows, treatment estimates, and overall practice efficiency.