Estela Vargas and Belle DuCharme

Insurance
Busting the myth of ‘once perio, always perio'
The myth of “once perio maintenance, always perio maintenance” continues to hamper billing systems in dental practices. It's OK to alternate between prophy and perio maintenance codes, according to Estela Vargas, CRDH, and Belle DuCharme.
November 27, 2023
Coding Billing Woman
Insurance
Defining multiple surface restorations for insurance reimbursement
Submitting a successful claim for a multisurface restoration on one tooth can be tricky. Coding expert Estela Vargas, RDH, and Belle DuCharme offer tips to ensure you get paid.
September 7, 2023
Dental Procedure Patient
Insurance
Avoid fraud in your forecast: Experts answer 3 dental billing questions
Do you know what fraud looks like? Two coding experts review frequently asked dental billing questions.
July 19, 2023
Coding Billing Woman
Insurance
Dental hygienist responsibilities in coding dental claims
While most dental hygienists cannot legally diagnose dental disease, they still have a legal responsibility to properly code what they do. Coding expert Estela Vargas shares tips for coding common dental hygiene treatments.
January 31, 2023
2022 04 08 16 47 4860 2022 04 08 Vargas Estela 400
Insurance
How to appeal claim denials for crowns and cracked teeth
One of the most common denials from insurance plans is for crowns. Coding expert Estela Vargas shares her tips for ensuring you get paid for crowns, a common denial scenario, and a sample letter to use if you need to appeal a claim.
October 19, 2022
2022 04 08 16 47 4860 2022 04 08 Vargas Estela 400
Insurance
How to get paid for dental implants
September is National Dental Implant Awareness Month. However, awareness of implants only goes so far if your patients can't afford them. Coding expert Estela Vargas shares tips on how to get paid for dental implants from insurance and elsewhere.
September 18, 2022
2022 04 08 16 47 4860 2022 04 08 Vargas Estela 400
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Top Stories
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Legal Issues
Iowa dentist, charged with incompetence, surrenders license
A central Iowa dentist agreed to surrender her license after being charged with professional incompetence in the case of a patient who lost six teeth.
Toddler Boy Apinya 400
Pediatrics
Breastfeeding may not be a risk factor for caries, but these are
Perio Probe Zlikovec
Dental Hygiene
Dental endoscopy: A hygienist's perspective on transforming periodontal care
Middle Age Man Toothache Deagreez 400
Orofacial Pain
1st known case of high blood pressure drug-induced toothache
Scientist Bioprinting Luchshchen F 400
Orofacial Pain
3D bioprinting may help heal trigeminal nerve damage
More in Home
Iowa dentist, charged with incompetence, surrenders license
By Clark Kauffman
A central Iowa dentist agreed to surrender her license after being charged with professional incompetence in the case of a patient who lost six teeth.
October 16, 2025
Adobe Stock/Семен Саливанчук.
Breastfeeding may not be a risk factor for caries, but these are
By Ava Barros
Certain factors, but not breastfeeding, may boost children’s risk of tooth decay, reports research published in BMC Oral Health.
October 16, 2025
Toddler Boy Apinya 400
Dental endoscopy: A hygienist's perspective on transforming periodontal care
By Tracee Dahm
Tracee Dahm interviews Marvelyn Navarro, RDH, about how periodontal endoscopy is improving periodontal treatment and outcomes.
October 16, 2025
Perio Probe Zlikovec
1st known case of high blood pressure drug-induced toothache
By Melissa Busch
High blood pressure medication caused a recurring toothache in a 45-year-old man in possibly the first reported case of its kind, according to a case report.
October 16, 2025
Middle Age Man Toothache Deagreez 400
3D bioprinting may help heal trigeminal nerve damage
By Karie Neeley Anderson
Using 3D printing, researchers may have developed a solution to help damaged nerves heal following dental surgery.
October 16, 2025
Scientist Bioprinting Luchshchen F 400
Buffered anesthesia rivalry heats up in dental industry
By DrBicuspid.com staff writers
Three companies are vying to be the best-in-class anesthetic, but the ultimate winner may be dental patients.
October 16, 2025
Dental Anesthesia Injection Lumeez23 Peopleimagescom
Dentist arrested for criminal conduct
By Melissa Busch
A dentist was arrested on October 9 and arraigned for criminal conduct.
October 15, 2025
Doctor Handcuffs
The most reliable dentures may start with this scanner
By Ava Barros
One scanner type outperformed intraoral scanners in replicating removable complete dentures, reports a study published in the Journal of the American Dental Association.
October 15, 2025
Dentures Upper Lower
Clinical tip: Adopt digital technology and communicate effectively
By Kevin Henry
Dr. Ahmad Al-Hassiny shares his thoughts on the importance of adopting digital dentistry and having impeccable communication skills.
October 15, 2025
Ahmad Al Hassiny 400
Opinion: Why dentists should prioritize open data
By Rick Garofolo
Dentistry is trailing medicine in data interoperability because of technical barriers and competition, and it's hindering care and efficiency, writes Rick Garofolo.
October 15, 2025
Dentist Smartphone
Kid hospitalized for not eating, drinking after dental surgery
By Melissa Busch
A child was hospitalized after refusing to eat, drink, or even swallow saliva for a week following dental surgery, according to a case report.
October 14, 2025
Child Hospital 400
Got oral pain, inflammation? Maybe it's CBD to the rescue
By Ava Barros
A recently published review reported significant reductions in chronic orofacial pain, post-op dental pain, TMD, and bruxism.
October 14, 2025
Cbd Oil 24 K Production
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