The Automatic Patient Podcast

We Dropped Delta: The Truth About Dropping PPOs

Episode Summary

We Dropped Delta: The Truth About Dropping PPOs What REALLY happens when a dental practice drops its biggest PPO? In this episode of the Automatic Patient Podcast, I sit down with Dr. Dan Nelson to talk about what happened after his practice went completely out of network—including dropping Delta Dental, which represented roughly 51% of their patient base.

Episode Notes

What REALLY happens when a dental practice drops its biggest PPO?

In this episode of the Automatic Patient Podcast, I sit down with Dr. Dan Nelson to talk about what happened after his practice went completely out of network—including dropping Delta Dental, which represented roughly 51% of their patient base.

We get into the stuff nobody talks about:

What happened to the hygiene schedule

How many patients they expected to lose

Why going out of network requires a financial safety net

How they prepared patients before the PPO exit

The systems they built to reactivate patients and refill hygiene

Why membership-plan patients became some of their most valuable patients

How recurring revenue changes the economics of a dental practice

Why you should build the alternative before you drop the PPO

Dan also shares the challenges honestly. Going out of network wasn't magically easy—but seven months later, the practice was still growing, had added an associate, and had expanded into another location.

If you've ever thought about reducing PPO dependence, this conversation is worth watching before you make the jump.

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https://www.elevationassociation.com/

Elevation Association helps independent dentists with community, coaching, systems, leadership, and practice growth.

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https://boomcloudapps.com/

BoomCloud helps dental practices create, manage, automate, and grow their own in-house membership programs while building recurring revenue and stronger direct patient relationships.

The big takeaway: Don't drop your PPO and then try to figure out what comes next.

Build the financial safety net first. Then make the move from a position of strength.