> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://dso.getlemma.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Acronym decoder

> Fast lookup table for the acronyms used across DSO operations. Separate from the glossary for scan speed.

Use this table for a quick expansion of common acronyms. The [glossary](/reference/appendix/glossary) provides fuller definitions.

## Structure and legal

| Acronym | Expansion                                                                         |
| ------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| ADSO    | Association of Dental Support Organizations                                       |
| AKS     | Anti-Kickback Statute                                                             |
| BAA     | Business Associate Agreement                                                      |
| CPOD    | Corporate Practice of Dentistry                                                   |
| CPOM    | Corporate Practice of Medicine                                                    |
| CPVM    | Corporate Practice of Veterinary Medicine                                         |
| DSO     | Dental Support Organization (also "Dental Service Organization")                  |
| FCA     | False Claims Act                                                                  |
| FMV     | Fair Market Value                                                                 |
| MSA     | Management Services Agreement                                                     |
| MSO     | Management Services Organization; the generic term for what dentistry calls a DSO |
| PA      | Professional Association                                                          |
| PC      | Professional Corporation                                                          |
| PLLC    | Professional Limited Liability Company                                            |
| POPTS   | Physician-Owned Physical Therapy Services                                         |
| VIE     | Variable Interest Entity                                                          |

## Identifiers and enrollment

| Acronym | Expansion                                        |
| ------- | ------------------------------------------------ |
| CAQH    | Council for Affordable Quality Healthcare        |
| DEA     | Drug Enforcement Administration (registration)   |
| EIN     | Employer Identification Number                   |
| LEIE    | List of Excluded Individuals/Entities (OIG)      |
| NPDB    | National Practitioner Data Bank                  |
| NPI     | National Provider Identifier                     |
| NPPES   | National Plan and Provider Enumeration System    |
| PECOS   | Provider Enrollment, Chain, and Ownership System |
| PTAN    | Provider Transaction Access Number               |
| TIN     | Tax Identification Number                        |

## Claims and EDI

| Acronym    | Expansion                                                                              |
| ---------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| ADA        | American Dental Association (maintains CDT and the ADA Dental Claim Form)              |
| CARC       | Claim Adjustment Reason Code                                                           |
| CDT        | Current Dental Terminology (the Code on Dental Procedures and Nomenclature)            |
| CPT        | Current Procedural Terminology (medical; crossover billing only)                       |
| EDI        | Electronic Data Interchange                                                            |
| EFT        | Electronic Funds Transfer                                                              |
| EOB        | Explanation of Benefits                                                                |
| ERA        | Electronic Remittance Advice                                                           |
| HCPCS      | Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (crossover and DMEPOS billing)               |
| ICD-10-CM  | International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision, Clinical Modification         |
| ICD-10-PCS | ICD-10 Procedure Coding System (hospital inpatient; not used in dental claims)         |
| LEAT       | Least Expensive Alternative Treatment (the downgrade clause)                           |
| NCCI       | National Correct Coding Initiative                                                     |
| NDC        | National Drug Code                                                                     |
| NEA        | National Electronic Attachment (now Vyne Dental; the "NEA number" attachment workflow) |
| NUBC       | National Uniform Billing Committee                                                     |
| NUCC       | National Uniform Claim Committee                                                       |
| PLB        | Provider Level Adjustment                                                              |
| POS        | Place of Service                                                                       |
| RARC       | Remittance Advice Remark Code                                                          |
| RVU        | Relative Value Unit                                                                    |
| TRN        | Trace Number (reassociation)                                                           |

## Group codes

| Code | Expansion                 |
| ---- | ------------------------- |
| CO   | Contractual Obligation    |
| OA   | Other Adjustment          |
| PI   | Payer Initiated Reduction |
| PR   | Patient Responsibility    |

## Payers and programs

| Acronym | Expansion                                                                                    |
| ------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| ACA     | Affordable Care Act                                                                          |
| ADDP    | Active Duty Dental Program (TRICARE, administered by United Concordia)                       |
| ASO     | Administrative Services Only                                                                 |
| BCBS    | Blue Cross Blue Shield                                                                       |
| CHIP    | Children's Health Insurance Program                                                          |
| CMS     | Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services                                                     |
| DBA     | Dental Benefit Administrator (DentaQuest, MCNA, Liberty, and peers)                          |
| DHMO    | Dental Health Maintenance Organization                                                       |
| DPPO    | Dental Preferred Provider Organization                                                       |
| EPSDT   | Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic, and Treatment (Medicaid's under-21 dental mandate) |
| FFS     | Fee-For-Service                                                                              |
| HMO     | Health Maintenance Organization                                                              |
| MA      | Medicare Advantage                                                                           |
| MAC     | Medicare Administrative Contractor                                                           |
| MCO     | Managed Care Organization                                                                    |
| NADP    | National Association of Dental Plans                                                         |
| PIP     | Personal Injury Protection                                                                   |
| POS     | Point of Service (plan type, distinct from Place of Service)                                 |
| PPO     | Preferred Provider Organization                                                              |
| TDP     | TRICARE Dental Program                                                                       |
| TPA     | Third-Party Administrator                                                                    |

**POS is overloaded.** In claims it means **Place of Service**; in plan types it means **Point of Service**. Context distinguishes them, and this wiki uses POS for place of service throughout.

**DBA is overloaded too.** In payer contexts it means **dental benefit administrator**; in banking paperwork it means **doing business as**. This wiki spells out whichever is meant on first use.

## Compliance and privacy

| Acronym | Expansion                                                          |
| ------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| ABN     | Advance Beneficiary Notice                                         |
| AI      | Artificial Intelligence                                            |
| CMP     | Civil Monetary Penalty                                             |
| DHS     | Designated Health Services (Stark)                                 |
| ePHI    | Electronic Protected Health Information                            |
| HITECH  | Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act |
| NSA     | No Surprises Act                                                   |
| OCR     | Office for Civil Rights (HHS)                                      |
| OIG     | Office of Inspector General (HHS)                                  |
| PHI     | Protected Health Information                                       |
| SRA     | Security Risk Analysis                                             |
| ZDR     | Zero Data Retention                                                |

## Audits

| Acronym | Expansion                                                                       |
| ------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| CERT    | Comprehensive Error Rate Testing                                                |
| MFCU    | Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (state; investigates and prosecutes Medicaid fraud) |
| OMHA    | Office of Medicare Hearings and Appeals (Medicare appeal level 3)               |
| QIC     | Qualified Independent Contractor (Medicare appeal level 2)                      |
| RAC     | Recovery Audit Contractor                                                       |
| SIU     | Special Investigations Unit                                                     |
| UPIC    | Unified Program Integrity Contractor                                            |

## Operations and finance

| Acronym   | Expansion                                                       |
| --------- | --------------------------------------------------------------- |
| AFR       | Applicable Federal Rate                                         |
| AR        | Accounts Receivable                                             |
| DACA      | Deposit Account Control Agreement                               |
| EBITDA    | Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization |
| FTE       | Full-Time Equivalent                                            |
| GPCI      | Geographic Practice Cost Index                                  |
| KPI       | Key Performance Indicator                                       |
| KYB / KYC | Know Your Business / Know Your Customer                         |
| LLM       | Large Language Model                                            |
| PEO       | Professional Employer Organization                              |
| PFS       | Physician Fee Schedule (Medicare; crossover billing only)       |
| PMS       | Practice Management System                                      |
| QoE       | Quality of Earnings                                             |
| QSBS      | Qualified Small Business Stock                                  |
| RBRVS     | Resource-Based Relative Value Scale                             |
| RCM       | Revenue Cycle Management                                        |
| VCC       | Virtual Credit Card                                             |

## Clinical credentials

| Acronym    | Expansion                                                                             |
| ---------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| APRN       | Advanced Practice Registered Nurse                                                    |
| CPB        | Certified Professional Biller                                                         |
| CPC        | Certified Professional Coder                                                          |
| DDS / DMD  | Doctor of Dental Surgery / Doctor of Dental Medicine; equivalent degrees              |
| DO         | Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine                                                        |
| LCSW       | Licensed Clinical Social Worker                                                       |
| LMFT       | Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist                                                |
| LPC / LMHC | Licensed Professional Counselor / Mental Health Counselor                             |
| MD         | Doctor of Medicine (dual-degree oral and maxillofacial surgeons hold DDS/DMD plus MD) |
| NP         | Nurse Practitioner                                                                    |
| PsyD       | Doctor of Psychology                                                                  |
| RDH        | Registered Dental Hygienist                                                           |

## Transactions

| Number       | Meaning                                               |
| ------------ | ----------------------------------------------------- |
| 270 / 271    | Eligibility inquiry / response                        |
| 275          | Claims attachment (adopted 2026; compliance May 2028) |
| 276 / 277    | Claim status inquiry / response                       |
| 277CA        | Claim acknowledgment                                  |
| 278          | Prior authorization request / response                |
| 834          | Benefit enrollment                                    |
| 835          | Remittance advice                                     |
| 837D / P / I | Claim, dental / professional / institutional          |
| 999          | Implementation acknowledgment                         |
| TA1          | Interchange acknowledgment                            |