To ensure your Open Dental Production & Income Reports match your Practice by Numbers (PbN) data, it’s essential to align how insurance write-offs are applied (dated) in both systems.
If these settings are not aligned, you may notice differences in production, collections, and adjustments, even though both systems are technically correct—they’re just reporting the data at different points in time.
Why This Matters
Insurance write-offs are not always finalized on the same day a procedure is completed. Depending on your settings, write-offs can appear:
On the procedure date
On the claim submission date
Or on the insurance payment date
Because of this, mismatched settings can cause:
Reports to look higher or lower than expected
Write-offs to appear in different date ranges
Totals in PbN to not match Open Dental reports
👉 Aligning these settings ensures that both systems are reporting write-offs at the same point in time, resulting in consistent and reliable data.
Step 1: Check Your Setting in Open Dental
In Open Dental, this setting is located in the Production and Income Report.
What to Look For:
Open the Production and Income Report
Locate the “Show Insurance Write-Offs” section
Available Options:
1. Using Insurance Payment Date
Write-offs are applied only when the insurance payment is received
This reflects final, confirmed values only
What this means for reporting:
Write-offs will appear later, not on the procedure date
Reports for recent dates may look higher (less adjusted) until payments are received
2. Using Procedure Date
Write-offs are applied on the date the procedure is completed
What this means for reporting:
Production and write-offs are aligned to the same day
However, values may be estimates, not final amounts
If insurance pays a different amount later, discrepancies may occur
3. Use Initial Claim Date for Estimates, Insurance Payment Date for Adjustments (Recommended)
A write-off estimate is recorded when the claim is submitted
Any adjustments are recorded when the insurance payment is received
What this means for reporting:
You see expected write-offs early
Reports are later updated with actual values
Provides the most complete and accurate financial timeline
Step 2: Match This Setting in PbN
In PbN, this setting is controlled under PMS Sync settings.
How to Update in PbN:
Go to New Settings > Practice > PMS Sync
Scroll to Insurance Settings
Locate Adjustment Date
PbN Options & How They Map to Open Dental:
PbN Setting | Matches Open Dental Option |
Payment Date | Using insurance payment date |
Procedure Date | Using procedure date |
Claim Estimate | Initial claim date for estimates + payment date for adjustments |
PbN Recommended Setting: Claim Estimate
PbN recommends using: Claim Estimate
Why this is recommended:
This option provides the most accurate and complete reporting because it:
Captures expected write-offs at the time of claim submission
Reflects real-time performance more accurately
Updates reports when final insurance payments are received
Helps avoid large reporting shifts when payments come in later
How the Recommended Setting Works (Example Timeline)
Day 1: Procedure Completed
No write-off is recorded yet
Day 2: Claim Submitted
A write-off estimate appears in reports
Day 20: Insurance Payment Received
Any difference between estimate and actual is recorded as a write-off adjustment
👉 This ensures your reports show both expected and actual financial impact.
Common Issue: “Why Don’t My Numbers Match?”
If your reports don’t match between Open Dental and PbN, it is usually because:
The write-off timing settings are different
You are comparing reports using different date ranges
One system is using estimates, while the other is showing final values
For more detailed information, you can refer to the Open Dental help page.