Dental documentation isn’t just “paperwork.” It’s your clinical defense, your reimbursement justification, and the only voice you’ll have when no one remembers what actually happened five years from now.

In this episode, Kara Kelley and Amy Wood sit down with Dilaine Gloege, CDA, CPC — one of dentistry’s leading authorities on documentation, coding, billing, payer audits, and cross-coding — to talk about what happens when chart notes are vague, templated, AI-generated, copy/pasted, or written like no one will ever read them.

We discuss:

- Why specificity in clinical notes matters more than ever

- CDT, CPT, and ICD-10 — what they actually do (hint: it’s not just getting paid)

- Where documentation breaks down between front desk → clinical → billing

- Why the narrative is the chart note (not a separate paragraph you recycle forever)

- How AI can help - and how it can immediately get you in trouble

- The real-world consequences of sloppy notes: recoupments, board complaints, audits, and yes… sometimes worse

If you’ve ever said, “We’re just dentistry,” this is your wake-up call. You are a healthcare provider - and the record you create is a legal healthcare record. If it’s not accurate, complete, and specific, everything downstream (coding, claims, reimbursement, liability, clinical continuity) starts to wobble.

This is the episode that will make your documentation habits suddenly feel… very seen.

About our Featured Expert:

Dilaine Gloege, CDA, CPC - Dental coding & reimbursement educator, former Practice Booster co-author, and compliance analyst supporting dentists during payer audits.

Website: www.tidewaterdentalconsulting.com

Who Should Watch: Dental leaders and healthcare executives, practice owners, office managers, billers/coders, hygienists, assistants, and anyone who wants accurate reimbursement without audit heartburn.

Top Takeaway: Specificity isn’t bureaucracy. It’s patient care. It’s accuracy. It’s protection.

If your chart notes aren’t specific, you can bet the audit will be.

Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only; it should not be considered legal, medical, or coding advice. Consult qualified counsel and credentialed coding professionals for your specific situation.

In this premiere episode of the Compliant AF Podcast, hosts Amy Wood and Kara Kelley finally hit record on the conversations they’ve been having for years - about healthcare compliance, the dumpster fires they’ve helped put out, and why "check-the-box" compliance just isn’t cutting it anymore.

Get to know your hosts as they share the origin stories behind their weirdly specific careers in HIPAA/cybersecurity and HR - Amy, as the CEO of Copper Penny Consulting LLC, and Kara Kelley, as the CEO of Clinical HR LLC - and why they're on a mission to help dental and healthcare practice leaders lead with compliance, not fear.

They discuss:

• Why most practices don’t take compliance seriously - until it’s too late

• The difference between being compliant on paper vs. in practice

• The actual costs of being reactive vs. proactive

• What to expect from future episodes (spoiler: a lot of experts, acronyms, and snark)

• And how to build a culture that is truly Compliant AF

Whether you're a practice owner, manager, or part of a healthcare team, this episode lays the foundation for what’s coming - and why this podcast doesn’t sound like your average compliance training.

🛑 Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, financial, medical, or regulatory advice. Kara Kelley and Amy Wood are not attorneys, and listening to this podcast does not create a client relationship with Clinical HR LLC or Copper Penny Consulting LLC. Always consult a qualified professional for advice specific to your situation.