Future Due Payment Plans

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EARLY ACCESS ONLY

Future due payment plans introduce a streamlined way for practices to schedule and collect patient payments over time with improved accuracy, automation, and visibility. Designed specifically to support offices that manage long‑term orthodontic treatment plans, this feature allows practices to collect a down payment at plan creation and automatically charge future‑dated monthly payments throughout the duration of treatment. All payments post correctly to the ledger, and credits apply to the correct patient account without manual effort. This process utilizes Dentrix Ascend Pay to securely charge a credit card on file, ensuring reliable and automated payment collection.

Future due payment plans represent a meaningful enhancement over the standard payment plans in Dentrix Ascend. Standard payment plans can only be created for balances that have already been fully charged to the ledger, requiring all production to be posted upfront. Future due payment plans work differently—charges are applied incrementally through down payments and monthly payments. This model aligns more naturally with provider production, reduces large upfront aging balances, and improves financial accuracy across extended ortho treatments.

Also, a dedicated dashboard provides clear insight into active plans, upcoming charges, completed payments, failed card retries, and overall plan status. By reducing manual billing tasks and improving cash‑flow predictability, future due payment plans help practices manage long‑term patient balances more efficiently and deliver a consistent, reliable payment experience for orthodontic patients.

Prerequisites

Before setting up a future due payment plan, ensure that your practice meets the following requirements:

  • Dentrix Ascend Pay is enabled (this is required for charging credit cards on file).
  • Provider information, fee schedules, and patient information are complete.
  • Insurance details are entered.
  • The following security rights have been granted to the applicable users:
    • Create and Manage Payment Plans (in the “Ledger” category). This is a new security right. It affects standard and future due payment plans.
    • Edit Patient procedure amount (in the “Patient Procedures” category).

When to Use a Future Due Payment Plan

Use a future due payment plan when the following are true:

  • The patient is on a long-term treatment plan (such as for orthodontia).
  • You want to charge a down payment now (optional).
  • You want monthly charges to be automatically created and collected.
  • You prefer not to post the full treatment amount to the ledger upfront.

Creating Future Due Payment Plans

You can create a future due payment plan from s guarantor’s or patient’s ledger.

To create a future due payment plan

1. Open a patient’s or guarantor’s Ledger page.

2. Expand the Payment menu, and then select Create Future Due payment plan.

The Create Future Due Payment Plan page opens. The Import Treatment Case step is selected.

3. Select a Patient.

Note: If you are currently in the ledger of a guarantor, that guarantor and all patients who have that guarantor in common are available for selection. If you are currently in the ledger of a patient (someone who is not a guarantor), only that patient is available for selection.

4. Click Next.

The Treatment Information step is selected.

5. Set up the following options:

  • Plan Name – Enter a name to identify the plan in Dentrix Ascend, such as on the Future Due Payment Plans dashboard.
  • Location – By default, the location that you are logged in to currently is selected, but you can select a different location if necessary.
  • Provider – Select the provider to associate with the plan.

6. Click Next.

The Plan Terms step is selected.

7. Set up the Coverage and Responsibility amounts:

  • Total Plan Amount – Enter the sum of the patient portion and the insurance portion.
  • Est Primary Insurance – Enter the primary insurance plan’s portion.
  • Est Secondary Insurance – Enter the secondary insurance plan’s portion (if applicable).

The Guarantor Responsibility is calculated automatically and appears for your reference.

8. Under Payment Schedule, select the First Payment Day. The first of the recurring monthly payments will be posted on the specified date.

9. Set up the Billing Codes and Charges:

  • Down Payment:
    • Code – Select the procedure code that you are using for the patient’s treatment (such as D8080).
    • Amount – If you are collecting a down payment, enter the applicable amount; otherwise, leave 0.00 entered. The credit card on file that you select in a later step will be used for the down payment.
  • Interval Charge:
    • Code – By default, the procedure code is D8670, but you can select a different procedure code to use for the automatic monthly recurring charges.
    • Charges – By default, 1 is entered, but you can change the number. Enter the correct number of monthly recurring payments that you will be charging and collecting for the patient’s treatment.
    • Amount – As you change the number of charges, the amount to charge per interval is updated automatically based on the remaining patient portion after the down payment is applied and the number of charges, but you can change the amount. If you change the amount to charge per interval, the number of charges updates automatically.

Note: As you complete these fields in this step, the Total Plan Amount, Due Today, Payment, and Total Balance (the blue boxes on the right) and the Balance Breakdown (below the blue boxes on the right) update automatically.

10. Enter any Notes that you want to attach to the plan.

11. Click Next.

The Review Plan step is selected.

Review the Total Plan Amount, Due Today, Payment, and Total Balance (the blue boxes on the right) and the Balance Breakdown (below the blue boxes on the right).

Review the details on the Treatment tab.

Review the details on the Plan Terms tab.

Note: If changes need to be made, click the Back link and make the necessary changes as needed.

12. If the plan details are accurate, click Save Plan Details.

The Finalize and Pay step is selected.

13. For the down payment (if applicable) and recurring monthly payments, you must associate a credit card with this plan. Do one of the following:

  • From the Saved cards list, select a card that has already been saved on file.
  • If no card is on file or the correct credit is not on file, and if the patient is physically present in the office, click Add New Card to add a new card on file using your payment device.

14. To view the plan agreement and have the guarantor sign it, do the following:

a. Click View Agreement.

The agreement opens as a PDF document on a new browser tab.

b. Print the agreement.

c. Have the guarantor sign it.

Note: You can scan the signed document into the patient’s Document Manager record. That way your office and the guarantor both have copies for your records.

d. Close the browser tab that is displaying the agreement to return to the tab that is displaying the Create Future Due Payment Plan page.

15. Select the Guarantor has received payment plan, provided the signature, and agreement has been retained for future reference. checkbox.

16. Click Process Card And Activate Plan.

The following transactions are posted to the ledger:

  • The ortho procedure code (such as D8080). The amount charged is the sum of the specified down payment and the specified estimated insurance portion.
  • The credit card payment for the specified down payment. The down payment amount was processed through Dentrix Ascend Pay using the specified card on file.

Future Recurring Charges

Monthly, the following actions occur for the future due payment plan:

  • The next scheduled monthly charge is automatically posted to the patient’s ledger on the specified date.
  • The credit card on file is automatically charged through Dentrix Ascend Pay on the specified date.
  • Charges and payments remain in sync with no manual processing.

Submitting a Claim for Ortho Treatment

Make sure that you flag the procedure as ortho treatment for the insurance claim.

To submit a claim for ortho treatment

1. On the patient’s Ledger page, click the ortho procedure code (such as D8080).

The Edit Procedure dialog box appears.

2. On the Options tab (on the right), under Orthodontic Treatment, select the Orthodontic treatment checkbox, and then set up the following options:

  • Placement – Click in the box to display a calendar, and then select the date that the orthodontic device was placed.
  • Months remaining – In the box, enter the number of months that remain until the treatment is complete.

3. Click Save.

4. Click Patient Walk Out.

The Patient Walkout dialog box appears.

5. On the Create Claims tab, select the ortho procedure, and then click Create Claim.

Note: If you did not complete steps 1-3, before you click Create Claim in the Patient Walkout dialog box, you can click the ortho procedure’s code, which is a link and then make the necessary changes explained in steps 1-3.

6. On the Send Claims tab, select the claim you created in the previous step, and then click Send Selected Claims.

The claim is posted to the ledger.

Note: When you enter the insurance payment for a claim with an ortho procedure, the Additional payment(s) expected later from insurance checkbox is selected automatically.

Viewing and Managing Future Due Payment Plans

Accessing an account’s plans

From a guarantor’s ledger, you can access the guarantor’s future due payment plans and the future due payment plans of the family members who have this guarantor in common.

Note: If the account has only one plan, the above dialog box does not appear; you are taken directly to the only plan’s details.

Accessing a patient’s plans

From a patient’s ledger, you can access only the patient’s future due payment plans.

Note: If the patient has only one plan, the above dialog box does not appear; you are taken directly to the only plan’s details.

Plan statuses

The status of a plan can vary:

  • Active – A plan has an “Active” only if the Finalize and Pay step was completed (the Process Card And Finalize Plan button was clicked).
  • Creation In Progress – A plan has a “Creation In Progress” status only if the plan details in the Review Plan step were saved (the Save Plan Details button was clicked) but the Finalize and Pay step was not completed.

To view/edit a future due payment plan

1. On the Ledger page, click Future Payment Plan.

2. If the patient has multiple future due payment plans (or if the account has multiple, and you are viewing the guarantor’s ledger), select one, and then click Confirm.

The Future Due Plan – [Plan Name] page opens.

3. View information on each tab. If you need to make changes, click Edit Plan, make the necessary changes on the applicable tabs, and then click Save.

The following tabs are provided:

Treatment

The Treatment tab displays the plan name, patient name, location, and provider.

On the Treatment tab, you can make changes to the following options only:

  • Plan Name.
  • Location.
  • Provider.

Planned

The Planned tab displays all scheduled upcoming payments.

Payment History

The Payment History tab displays past charges and credit card payments (processed using the card on file) that were posted to the ledger.

Billing

The Billing tab displays the date of the next payment, card on file for the plan, procedure billing codes, charge amounts, and remaining number of payments.

On the Billing tab, you can make changes to the following options only:

  • Card on file – You can select a different card or add a new card.
  • Interval Charge – You can change the Remaining Charges and Amount.

Plan History

The Plan History tab displays an audit log of events related the plan, such as creation and activation.

To end a future due payment plan

1. On the Ledger page, click Future Payment Plan.

2. If the patient has multiple future due payment plans (or if the account has multiple, and you are viewing the guarantor’s ledger), select the plan with an “Active” status, and then click Confirm.

The Future Due Plan – [Plan Name] page opens.

3. Click End Plan.

The remaining balance and options for ending the plan appear.

4. Use one of the following options to handle the remaining balance:

charge a final payment to saved card on file.

With this option selected, enter an Amount to charge the card on file, enter a Reason for ending the plan (optional), and then click Process Payment And End Plan.

transfer a remaining balance to the patient.

With this option selected, enter the Amount to Transfer to Patient (without charging the card on file), enter a Reason for ending the plan (optional), and then click Transfer Balance And End Plan.

no additional amount due.

With this option selected, enter a Reason for ending the plan (optional), and then click Zero Out Balance And End Plan.

To delete a future due payment plan that is in progress (not active)

Note: This is possible only if the patient has multiple future due payment plans (or if the account has multiple, and you are viewing the guarantor’s ledger).

1. On the Ledger page, click Future Payment Plan.

If the patient has multiple future due payment plans (or if the account has multiple, and you are viewing the guarantor’s ledger), the Future Due Plans dialog box appears.

2. Click the trash can icon of a plan with a “Creation In Progress” status.

A confirmation message appears.

3. Click Delete Plan.

To finish a future due payment plan that is in progress

1. On the Ledger page, click Future Payment Plan.

2. If the patient has multiple future due payment plans (or if the account has multiple, and you are viewing the guarantor’s ledger), select a plan with a “Creation In Progress” status, and then click Confirm.

3. Review each step, making changes as needed, or go directly to the Finalize and Pay step.

Import Treatment Case

Treatment Information

Plan Terms

Review Plan

Finalize and Pay

Once you click Process Card And Activate Plan, the procedure and payment are posted, and the plan becomes active.

Future Due Payment Plans Dashboard

The Future Due Payment Plans dashboard provides visibility into both payment activity and overall plan health, helping your office monitor collections, identify issues early, and manage long‑term payment plans with confidence.

The Future Due Payment Plans dashboard helps your team accomplish the following:

  • Reduce manual tracking of long‑term payment plans.
  • Quickly identify and resolve payment issues.
  • Maintain predictable revenue over the course of treatment.
  • Keep billing aligned with treatment timelines.

To access the Future Due Payment Plans dashboard

On the Home menu, under Reports, select Future Due Plans.

The Future Due Payment Plans page opens.

The dashboard includes two views: Transactions and Plans.

Transactions

The Transactions view displays individual scheduled and completed payments for future due payment plans. This view is best for daily or monthly reconciliation.

Use this view to do the following:

  • Track recent and upcoming payments.
  • Monitor realized versus expected revenue.
  • Identify declined or past‑due transactions.

By default, transactions are displayed from one month in the past through one month in the future. The date range can be adjusted but is limited to a maximum total range of two months. Use filters to focus on specific locations, providers, or guarantors; or use filters to quickly identify past‑due payments.

Plans

The Plans view displays a high‑level view of all active future due payment plans and their current statuses.

Use this view to do the following:

  • Monitor overall payment plan health.
  • Identify patients with remaining balances.
  • Support patient conversations about payment progress.
  • Prioritize outreach for plans that need attention.

Each row represents a single plan, showing overall amounts, balances, and the scheduled monthly payment. Plans with past due payments are visually highlighted to make follow‑up easy. Use filters to narrow the results by location, provider, guarantor, or past due status.