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March 12, 2025 · 6 min read
Dental EOB Explained: How to Read Your Explanation of Benefits
Learn how to read a dental EOB, spot allowed amounts, and use the details to lower your out-of-pocket costs.
What a dental EOB is (and is not)
An Explanation of Benefits is a statement from your insurer. It is not a bill. It shows how the claim was processed, what the plan allows, and what you may owe.
Key lines to find on every EOB
The EOB has a few numbers that matter most. These are the figures you use to compare and negotiate.
- Billed amount: what the office charged.
- Allowed amount: the maximum the plan accepts.
- Plan paid: what insurance covered.
- Patient responsibility: what you owe after coverage.
- Remarks or denial codes: why something was reduced or denied.
How to use the EOB to negotiate
If the allowed amount is much lower than the billed amount, ask the office to match it or explain the gap in writing.
- Confirm what is written off versus balance billed.
- Check for alternate benefits that reduce coverage.
- Ask for a corrected claim if a code looks wrong.
Next steps to lower your dental bill
Use the EOB to request a predetermination for future work and compare quotes from other offices using the same CDT codes.
Want help decoding your EOB?
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