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At Cornerstone Smile, a busy dental practice serving more than 3,000 patients, the front office team is used to wearing many hats.
When their office manager announced she would be leaving, the team faced a difficult reality: the remaining staff would need to absorb an enormous amount of billing and administrative work. That’s when they decided to partner with Wisdom, leading to a transformation in how their front office operates—reducing stress, improving collections, and giving the team back hours every day.
Results at a Glance
In just three months of working with Wisdom, Cornerstone Smile saw measurable improvements in both efficiency and revenue:
- 72.31% decrease in insurance aging over 30 days
($102,784 → $28,459) - 100% increase in average monthly insurance collections
($45,786 → $91,990)
These changes didn’t happen gradually—they were the result of consistent claims submission, faster follow-ups, and a system that ensured nothing slipped through the cracks.
Meet Cornerstone Smile
Jennifer Cardenas has been part of the Cornerstone Smile team for seven years. As a member of the front office staff, she’s seen firsthand how demanding dental billing and insurance follow-ups can be.
When their office manager gave notice, the team knew they needed a plan.
“We realized we weren’t going to be able to manage the practice, do our day-to-day work, and still take on everything she was doing,” Jennifer explains. “There were only three of us in the front.”
Before Wisdom, Jennifer handled accounts receivable, statements, and insurance follow-ups on top of her regular responsibilities, and it quickly became overwhelming.
The Breaking Point: Falling Behind on AR and Claims
Before partnering with Wisdom, Cornerstone Smile’s billing processes were manual and time-consuming. Jennifer was spending hours every day trying to catch up on AR reports and insurance follow-ups.
“I was getting bombarded,” she says. “I couldn’t do my daily tasks plus all of that.”
As the team became increasingly stretched thin, important tasks began slipping behind. Claims sat unsent, payments were delayed, and statements took weeks to go out.
“When we signed up for Wisdom, there were 28 or 29 claims still sitting in our system that hadn’t even been batched yet,” Jennifer recalls.
The consequences added up quickly. Sometimes crowns completed in January wouldn’t get paid until May or June, and in other cases, claims weren’t sent within insurance deadlines.
“There were claims that fell through the cracks completely, and when we finally caught them it was past the time limit,” she says.
Patients also felt the impact. “Patients would ask, ‘Why are you sending this two months later?’ and I’d have to say, ‘I’m sorry, I finally had a chance to catch up,’” Jennifer explains.
“It was very stressful and time-consuming. Those reports would take me weeks to work through.”
Deciding to Outsource
Cornerstone Smile’s office manager began researching solutions before she left the practice, evaluating multiple vendors before narrowing it down to Wisdom.
Jennifer joined the initial calls with the Wisdom team to learn more. Even though the solution made sense, she admits she was nervous at first.
“I was very scared at first, not because of what Wisdom had to offer, but because I was entering new territory,” she explained. “I wondered how it would work. Would I still be involved? Who would I go to for questions?”
Those fears didn’t last long. “I didn’t know what to expect,” Jennifer says, “but once you start working together, you realize how much support you’re getting.”
The Transition: From Skeptical to Supportive
After onboarding with Wisdom, Jennifer quickly realized she wasn’t losing control of the process—she was gaining support.
“It was totally opposite of what I expected. It’s been amazing,” she says. “I don’t have to worry about anything, and I feel like I have that support system. If I have a question, I know who to go to.”
One feature she especially values is Wisdom’s communication.
“The communication board is amazing. I love it,” Jennifer says. “If I upload something or ask a question, within two or three days it’s either answered or being worked on.”
That structure made it easier for both teams to stay aligned. “Everything is organized. I always know where to go. There’s never a moment where I feel like I don’t know what’s going on.”
Immediate Improvements in Billing and Collections
Once Wisdom began handling the practice’s billing workflow, the difference was immediate.
“Claims get batched instantly, so we don’t have to let things fall through the cracks like before,” Jennifer explains. “Crowns, implant crowns—anything that needs x-rays or narratives—gets sent in a timely manner.”
The improvements quickly showed up in the numbers.
“Our AR is going down, which I love,” Jennifer says. “Our production and payments are entered in a timely manner.”
More importantly, the practice now trusts the accuracy of its financial reports.
“Now when we look at our production and collections, we know the numbers are real,” she says. “We can confidently show the doctor what we actually did that month.”
“The before and after is very drastic,” Jennifer adds.
Saving Hours Every Day
Before Wisdom, Jennifer spent a large portion of each day trying to manage AR. Today, those hours are back.
“I would say Wisdom has saved me about three to four hours a day,” she says.
Instead of spending most of the week chasing insurance claims, the team can now focus on patients and operations.
“Now I can work on credits, take phone calls, handle auditing, insurance breakdowns—everything we didn’t have time for before,” Jennifer says.
The additional capacity also helps the practice grow. “I’m able to call patients and schedule more crowns, more implant crowns. I can schedule new patients that need treatment.”
“The minute we check out a patient, that claim gets sent out. We don’t have to worry about, ‘Did this get sent out? Did that not get sent out?’”
For Cornerstone Smile, outsourcing billing didn’t just reduce workload—it increased opportunity and revenue.
Revenue That Speaks for Itself
“The fact that we're able to triple our income in a month is just amazing,” Jennifer says. “Our numbers for January were amazing, our numbers for February were amazing, and we're off to a good start for March.”
“It’s basically paying for itself. Just look at the numbers—it shows for itself. The numbers don’t lie.”
She also notes that even small changes can make a big difference: “Just two or three patients can easily cover what people are worried about paying for.”
A Healthier Work-Life Balance
Before Wisdom, the stress often followed Jennifer home. Today, that’s changed.
“I am happy when I go home. My kids get to have their mom. I’m not in that mom mode/work mode anymore. My husband gets his wife. I’m able to go home and say, ‘Okay, cool, everything is caught up,’” Jennifer explains.
“My brain turns off at 5 o’clock. I don’t worry about that part of the office anymore.”
Advice for Practices Considering Outsourcing
Onboarding new systems and processes can feel overwhelming, but Jennifer encourages practices to take the leap.
“Honestly, my advice would be to just do it. It really makes life easier,” she says. “Sometimes not knowing what to expect scares people, but once you start working with Wisdom, you realize how much support you’re getting.”
“The communication is transparent and nothing is hidden. You just have to pull the plug—you’ll be happy on the other side. The grass is greener on the other side.”
Looking Back
For Cornerstone Smile, outsourcing billing didn’t just solve a staffing gap—it transformed how their front office operates.
“Everything has been running smoothly so far. I have no complaints whatsoever,” Jennifer says. “You guys are amazing. I could keep saying that forever.”
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