Write-off
The portion of a dental fee that a provider contractually agrees to forgo when participating in an insurance network.
Full Definition
A write-off (also rendered as 'writeoff' in some practice management software interfaces, though the hyphenated form is preferred in formal documents) is the dollar amount a contracted dental provider must discount from their standard fee to match the insurer's allowable or contracted rate. It is not a bad debt; it is a pre-agreed contractual adjustment. Editors must distinguish write-offs from adjustments for bad debt, courtesy discounts, or insurance overpayments. In financial reports and patient ledgers, write-offs should be labelled clearly and distinguished from patient balances. The hyphenated form 'write-off' is standard in formal documents; 'write off' (two words) is the verb form.
Usage
Usage note: Hyphenate as a noun ('write-off'); use two words as a verb phrase ('to write off the balance'). Do not conflate with bad debt write-offs.
In Context
- "The month-end report showed $14,200 in insurance write-offs, reflecting the practice's participation in three PPO networks." — Practice financial report
- "Use 'write-off' (hyphenated) as a noun in ledgers and reports; 'write off' (two words, no hyphen) when used as a verb." — Editorial style guide for dental practice documents