D9610 Dental Code: The PPO Scam & How Smart Dentists Are Breaking Free

March 16, 2025
Written by: Jordon Comstock

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You Provide Excellent Care, But PPOs Keep Cutting Your Pay—WHY?!

You just administered D9610 Dental Code – Therapeutic Drug Injection.
You bill insurance, and then…

DENIED!
UNDERPAID!
Another PPO disaster.

Your front desk is on hold for hours while insurance companies find new ways to underpay you for the work you ACTUALLY did.

Reality check: The average dental practice writes off $35,000+ per month in PPO discounts. That’s $420,000 per year—GONE.

Here’s the truth:
Over 50% of Americans don’t have dental insurance.
Membership patients accept treatment 2X-4X more than PPO patients.
You can build predictable recurring revenue (MRR & ARR) with a membership plan.

In this guide, you’ll learn:
What the D9610 dental code is & how to appeal a denial.
Why a membership plan is the best alternative to PPOs.
How BoomCloud™ helps practices generate predictable revenue & happier patients.

Let’s go.


Story: How One Dentist Ditched PPOs & Added $500K in Recurring Revenue

Meet Dr. Jessica Martinez.

She was:
Frustrated with constant claim denials.
Losing thousands every month due to insurance write-offs.
Struggling with unpredictable cash flow.

Then, she made ONE SIMPLE CHANGE—she stopped relying on PPOs and launched a membership plan.

Fast forward 12 months:
She dropped 3 low-paying PPOs.
Her practice added $42,000/month in predictable recurring revenue.
Case acceptance skyrocketed (because patients had a simple way to pay).

That’s the power of saying goodbye to PPOs & embracing memberships.


What is the D9610 Dental Code & How to Stop Losing Money on It

What is the D9610 Dental Code?

D9610 is the ADA insurance code for a therapeutic drug injection.

Definition:
“D9610 – Therapeutic Parenteral Drug, Single Administration”

This code is typically used for administering anti-inflammatory drugs, antibiotics, or local anesthetics to aid in healing and pain relief.

BUT HERE’S THE PROBLEM:
What D9610 Should Be Worth: $50 – $100
What Most PPOs Pay: $15 – $40

That means for every 100 D9610 injections you administer, you’re losing $6,000+ per month.

The True Cost of PPO Write-Offs:
You administer 300 therapeutic injections a month
PPOs underpay by $50 per case
$15,000 lost PER MONTH
$180,000 PER YEAR—GONE!

So, what’s the fix? Stop relying on PPOs & start offering a membership plan.


Why Membership Plans Are Better Than PPOs

RULE #2: Membership patients don’t need insurance. They just say YES.

How a Dental Membership Plan Works:
Patients pay a low monthly or annual fee for preventive care.
They get exclusive discounts on additional treatments.
You generate predictable recurring revenue (MRR).

Why This Works:
✔️ Membership patients spend 2X-4X more than PPO patients.
✔️ Case acceptance skyrockets (because cost isn’t a barrier).
✔️ You create LOYALTY & RETENTION.

Want to launch your membership plan & ditch PPOs? Check out BoomCloud™


How to Appeal a Denied D9610 Claim (Because Insurance is the Worst)

Follow these steps to fight a denial:

Step 1: Send a Strong, Professional Appeal Letter

Subject: Appeal for Claim Denial – [Patient Name, Date of Service, Claim Number]

To Whom It May Concern,

I am writing to formally appeal the denial of claim #[CLAIM NUMBER] for [PATIENT NAME], who received a therapeutic drug injection (D9610) in my office on [DATE OF SERVICE].

The procedure was medically necessary and aligns with ADA & standard dental care protocols.

Step 2: Provide Clinical Justification
RULE #1: PPOs love denying claims due to “lack of medical necessity.”

What to Include:
✔️ X-rays, images, or patient records justifying the need for medication.
✔️ Clinical notes detailing symptoms & patient discomfort.
✔️ A breakdown of why D9610 was required instead of another treatment.

Step 3: Demand a Re-Evaluation & Set a Deadline
Insurance companies stall to avoid paying.

I request an immediate re-evaluation of this claim. A response is expected within 30 days of this letter’s receipt.

Please confirm receipt of this appeal and provide a timeline for resolution. I am available for further discussion at [Your Contact Information].

Sincerely,
[Your Name, Your Dental Practice]

Want to STOP relying on insurance & start getting paid what you’re worth? Check out BoomCloud™


How BoomCloud™ Helped One Practice Scale to $500K in Recurring Revenue

Dr. Martinez stopped relying on insurance patients and started offering a membership plan.

What She Did:

✔️ Launched a BoomCloud™ membership plan.
✔️ Used social media & SEO to attract high-value patients.
✔️ Implemented AI booking & same-day treatment for convenience.

Results in 12 Months:

1,800 patients joined the membership program.
MRR hit $42,000/month.
ARR surpassed $504,000/year.

Now, Dr. Martinez has predictable revenue, loyal patients, and NO PPO headaches.

Want the same results? Check out BoomCloud™


Final Thoughts: Stop Playing the PPO Game & Take Control of Your Practice

The biggest mistake dentists make? Relying on PPOs instead of BUILDING RECURRING REVENUE.

Here’s the winning formula:

Step 1: Appeal denials with STRONG documentation.
Step 2: Offer a membership plan to reduce insurance reliance.
Step 3: Use BoomCloud™ to automate memberships & grow predictable revenue.

More patients. More revenue. Less stress.

Ready to build a membership plan that scales? Check out BoomCloud™ and start making your practice insurance-free.

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Jordon Comstock

Author Bio

Jordon Comstock is the Founder & CEO of BoomCloud™, a software that allows practice, clinic & spa owners to build, manage and scale a membership program. This helps practice & clinic owners to create recurring revenue & improve loyalty via membership programs. Jordon is passionate about Music, Hawaii, Healthcare businesses like: dentistry, optometry, med spas and massage spas. Schedule a demo of BoomCloud™ and learn how membership programs can improve your business. Here are more dental books to improve your practice

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