The Automatic Patient Podcast

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.

👉 Learn more about Elevation Association:
https://www.elevationassociation.com/

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

👉 Create your BoomCloud account:
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.

Jordon Comstock - BoomCloudapps.com

Dr. Dan Nelson - Elevation Association 

Connect with Adrian Lefler & My Social Practice:

https://www.mysocialpractice.com

If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to The Automatic Patient Podcast, leave a review, and share it with another dentist or marketing leader looking to future-proof their practice.

Jordon Comstock - BoomCloudapps.com

Dr. Dan Nelson - Elevation Association 

In this episode, Jordon Comstock and Dan from Elevation Association continue their deep dive into the realities of PPO dependence, fee-for-service transitions, and the changing economics of dentistry.

The conversation explores how insurance reimbursement pressures, write-offs, overhead, and poor financial tracking are quietly reducing profitability for dental practice owners across the country.

Dan shares what he’s seeing firsthand while helping practices transition toward fee-for-service models — including the operational, financial, and communication changes practices must make to succeed.

One of the biggest themes of the episode is this:

Many practices are losing far more money to write-offs than they realize because they are not properly tracking the data.

The episode also covers:

Dan also shares practical insights into:

Jordon Comstock - BoomCloudapps.com

Dr. Dan Nelson - Elevation Association 

In this episode, Jordon Comstock and the Elevation Association team dive deep into the psychology behind why some dental practices grow — while others slowly plateau, burn out, or decline over time.

The conversation starts around dental practice valuations and EBITDA, but quickly evolves into a powerful discussion around mindset, leadership, fear, burnout, mentorship, PPO dependence, and the internal barriers that stop practice owners from reaching their full potential.

The team introduces what they call the “5 Barriers to Success”:

They unpack how these barriers quietly affect practice growth, leadership decisions, innovation, profitability, and long-term practice value.

Jordon shares real stories from his experience in dentistry — including watching thriving practices slowly decline over time because owners became burned out, resistant to change, or afraid to evolve with the industry.

The episode also explores:

One of the most powerful moments comes when Jordon discusses a doctor terrified to drop PPOs because he feared his entire business would collapse — and how the answer wasn’t drastic action, but small, strategic steps toward recurring revenue and independence.

Jordon Comstock - BoomCloudapps.com

Dr. Dan Nelson - Elevation Association 

In this episode, Jordon Comstock talks with Dan from Elevation Association about why dental insurance—especially Delta Dental—is becoming a bigger threat to independent practices, and how practices can successfully transition to fee-for-service without destroying their schedule.

Dan explains that Delta is making aggressive moves, including owning dental practices, which gives insurers more control locally and reduces their reliance on independent offices. He also warns dentists not to assume associations will protect them, arguing the industry landscape is shifting fast.

The conversation then turns practical: Dan breaks down what it really takes to exit PPOs strategically. The key is preparation—especially having a patient membership / benefit plan in place before going out of network, so patients can move “laterally” into the practice’s own plan. He emphasizes aligning the entire team around the mission, using incentives when appropriate, and building strong patient communication to counter misleading insurer letters that make patients think they “can’t” stay with the practice.

Dan shares that the transition isn’t instant—it can take about a year to stabilize, with the first quarter or two feeling messy as hygiene schedules fluctuate and patients test the financial impact. The practices that win dedicate staff to proactive recall/outreach, driven by real data (they use Dental Intel), to refill the schedule and reduce attrition.

The episode closes with the payoff: the move is described as freeing and energizing, with fewer write-offs, more control, and the ability to slow down while improving focus and profitability—especially when practices don’t try to do it alone and instead leverage coaching, tools, and a clear plan.

Delta is tightening control (even buying practices), so dentists need a strategy to regain power: prep your team + track key KPIs + build a membership plan first + over-communicate + run recall/outreach, and expect a ~12-month stabilization period after the PPO exit. The result: less write-off pain and way more freedom.

Jordon Comstock - BoomCloudapps.com

Dr. Dan Nelson - Elevation Association 

Podcast Summary:

In this episode of The Automatic Patient Podcast, Dr. Dan Nelson, Jordon Comstock, and guest Justin Comstock explore effective leadership strategies for dental practices. They discuss the importance of core values, hiring the right team, and aligning roles to improve culture and patient care. With insights from EOS and The Ideal Team Player, listeners will learn actionable tips to build cohesive teams, address conflicts, and foster a thriving, patient-focused practice.

• Core values are the foundation for a strong team and practice culture.
• Hire the right people and align them with roles that suit their strengths.
• Use frameworks like EOS to manage and inspire your team effectively.
• Coaching team members can either elevate their performance or reveal when it’s time to part ways.
• Clear communication and leadership directly enhance patient experiences and satisfaction.

Jordon Comstock - BoomCloudapps.com

Dr. Dan Nelson - Elevation Association 

Introduction to Financial Insights in Dentistry:
Jordon Comstock and Dr. Dan Nelson discuss the challenges and opportunities in managing practice finances, including calculating true costs and identifying areas for improvement.

The Importance of Cost-Per-Procedure Analysis:

• Stories about initial discoveries of low profitability in procedures like crowns.
• The shock of realizing practices may lose money on specific insurance reimbursements.
• Encouragement for granular tracking of profitability per procedure.

Insurance Pitfalls and Overhead Challenges:

• Insurance contracts often lead to significant underpayments, as highlighted by shocking examples like $3 profit on procedures or $39 losses on fillings.
• The necessity of understanding percentile pricing and staying in the 80th-90th percentile for optimal revenue.

Addressing PPO-Driven Losses:

• How practices can renegotiate insurance contracts or use CE programs to navigate reimbursement loopholes.
• Insights into Delta Dental and its impact on pricing strategy.

The Power of Membership Plans:

• Benefits of creating patient benefit plans to offset insurance losses.
• Examples of practices successfully implementing BoomCloud's membership platform for consistent cash flow and patient retention.
• Membership plans as a stepping stone for transitioning out of PPO dependency.

Strategies for Insurance-Free Practices:

• Gradual reduction of insurance contracts by identifying and eliminating the least profitable plans.
• Building financial stability through recurring revenue from membership plans.

Leveraging Tools and Team Expertise:

• Emphasizing the value of tools like BoomCloud and consultants to streamline practice operations.
• Why adding financial analysis to overhead is a must for sustained growth.

Empowering Practice Owners:

• Advice for practice owners to avoid fear-based decision-making and embrace fee adjustments.
• Encouragement to hire experts, coaches, or facilitators to manage the complexities of modern dentistry.

Closing Thoughts on Financial Success:

• Importance of understanding overhead, cost-per-procedure, and ideal patient profiles for long-term success.
• Both BoomCloud and Elevation Association emphasize ongoing education and resources for dental practices.

Listeners will walk away with actionable steps to tackle their financial challenges and optimize profitability in their dental practices!

Jordon Comstock - BoomCloudapps.com

Dr. Dan Nelson - Elevation Association 

Podcast Summary:
In this dynamic episode of the Automatic Patient Podcast, Jordon Comstock teams up with dental billing expert Ericka to dive deep into the complexities of dental billing and the transformative power of membership plans. They explore the biggest challenges in dental billing, including code misunderstandings, insurance denials, and the looming necessity of diagnosis codes. The duo shares actionable tips on streamlining billing processes, reducing AR, and leveraging metrics to maximize collections.

Ericka reveals the hidden costs of PPO patients and why membership plans are a game-changer for creating recurring revenue and loyal patient bases. Jordon highlights real-world success stories, including how one practice grew to 400 active membership patients using BoomCloud™. The conversation also touches on marketing strategies, team training, and delivering stellar patient experiences to scale membership programs effectively.

Whether you're a dentist, office manager, or billing professional, this episode is packed with insights to transform your practice into a thriving, efficient, and patient-centered operation.

Ericka's Instagram

Jordon Comstock - BoomCloudapps.com

Dr. Dan Nelson - Elevation Association 

In this lively and insight-packed episode, we sit down with Minal Sampat, a powerhouse in the world of dental digital marketing. Known for her unique blend of humor, energy, and no-nonsense advice, Minal shares actionable tips to take your dental practice's online presence from "meh" to mind-blowing.

From mastering patient retention to creating social media that doesn’t put your audience to sleep, Minal dishes out real strategies that make marketing fun and effective. You'll learn:

• Why knowing your audience is non-negotiable (and how to nail it).
• The magic of leveraging patient reviews and referrals to grow your practice.
• How to make social media your not-so-secret weapon (hint: it’s all about being relatable and real).
• The importance of video content that connects, educates, and converts.
• How to embrace AI and automation to save time and keep your marketing consistent.

Whether you’re a seasoned practice owner or just starting out, Minal's edgy and enthusiastic take on dental digital marketing will leave you feeling inspired, motivated, and ready to crush your goals. Tune in to discover how to turn your patients into loyal fans, dominate your local market, and make your practice the one everyone’s talking about (in a good way!).

🎙️ Hit play, take notes, and get ready to level up your marketing game!

Visit Minal's rad website!

Jordon Comstock - BoomCloudapps.com

Dr. Dan Nelson - Elevation Association 

Start a Patient Membership Program

Summary:

Key highlights include:

Whether you're looking to enhance patient care, boost recurring revenue, or learn actionable tips for scaling a membership program, this episode offers invaluable advice from a practice that's successfully done it.How to Scale a Membership Program to 365 Members in Just One Year

Jordon Comstock - BoomCloudapps.com

Dr. Dan Nelson - Elevation Association