Going Out of Network with Dental Insurance: The Smart, Profitable Way to Take Back Control 😎🦷

Let’s be real.

Going out of network with dental insurance sounds scary… until you actually look at the numbers.

Dentists don’t burn out because they hate dentistry. They burn out because they’re delivering high-end clinical care while PPOs price it like a clearance rack at a discount outlet.

If you’ve ever thought:

• “Why am I busier but making less?”

• “Why does insurance decide what my work is worth?”

• “Why do patients think fees are negotiable?”

 

Congrats. You’re already mentally halfway out of network.

The key is how you do it — and that starts with a patient membership plan.

🧠 What “Going Out of Network with Dental Insurance” Really Means

Going out of network does not mean:

• Dropping all insurance overnight

• Kicking patients to the curb

• Becoming “that expensive office”

It means breaking financial dependence on PPOs and rebuilding a direct relationship with patients.

Smart practices don’t rip the Band-Aid off.

They replace PPO value with something better, clearer, and more predictable.

That replacement?

👉 Membership plans

🔥 Why More Dentists Are Going Out of Network

Here’s what PPO-heavy practices experience before making the move:

• 30–45% write-offs

• Rising overhead with flat reimbursements

• Teams drowning in claims and EOBs

• High volume, thin margins

• Zero pricing control

 

Going out of network is about regaining leverage — clinically and financially.

But leverage only works if patients clearly understand the value.

💳 The Role of Membership Plans in Going Out of Network

You can’t just announce,

“We’re out of network now — good luck!”

Patients need a clear alternative that feels:

• Simple

• Predictable

• Fair

• Valuable

 

A patient membership plan delivers exactly that.

What Membership Plans Do:

• Replace insurance confusion with clarity

• Bundle preventive care

• Offer member-only pricing

• Eliminate surprise bills

• Use monthly payments instead of big upfront costs

 

Patients stop asking,

“Do you take my insurance?”

and start asking,

“How do I join?”

That shift is everything.

😊 Why Membership Plans Are a Win for Patients

Patients don’t love insurance. They tolerate it.

Membership plans give patients:

• ❌ No deductibles

• ❌ No waiting periods

• ❌ No annual maximums

• ❌ No denied claims

• ✅ Total transparency

 

Patients know exactly what they pay — and exactly what they get.

Clarity builds trust.

Trust builds loyalty.

📈 Why Membership Plans Are a Win for Practice Owners

Let’s talk numbers — because vibes don’t cover payroll.

Membership plans generate:

• Monthly Recurring Revenue (MRR)

• Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR)

• Predictable cash flow

• Higher lifetime value per patient

• Lower churn

 

And here’s the stat that changes everything:

👉 Membership patients spend 2x to 5x more than PPO patients

Not because of pressure — because of engagement and trust.

💰 Case Study #1: 563 Members at $45/Month

One practice using BoomCloud launched a membership plan while preparing to go out of network.

Results:

• 563 active members

• $45 per month per patient

The Math:

• MRR:

  563 × $45 = $25,335

• ARR:

  $25,335 × 12 = $304,020 per year

 

That’s over $300,000 in predictable revenue — before a single crown or implant.

That’s stability PPOs can’t offer.

🚀 Case Study #2: 2,217 Members at $42/Month

Another practice took the long-game approach and scaled.

Results:

• 2,217 active membership patients

• $42 per month

The Math:

• MRR:

  2,217 × $42 = $93,114

• ARR:

  $93,114 × 12 = $1,117,368 annually

 

Over $1.1 million per year in recurring revenue.

No claims.

No write-offs.

No insurance drama.

That’s how practices confidently go out of network.

🧲 Why Membership Patients Spend More

This isn’t theory — it’s observed behavior.

Membership patients:

• Visit more consistently

• Accept treatment faster

• Trust clinical recommendations

• Stay longer

• Refer friends

Why?

Monthly commitment creates psychological buy-in.

They’re not shopping dentists.

They’re invested.

That’s why revenue per patient increases — dramatically.

🛑 How Membership Plans Reduce PPO Dependence (Safely)

The biggest mistake practices make?

Dropping PPOs before replacing the value.

The smart transition:

1. Launch membership plans first

2. Train the team on value conversations

3. Enroll uninsured & underinsured patients

4. Offer PPO patients a clear alternative

5. Gradually reduce PPO exposure

Over time, PPOs become optional — not scary.

That’s how practices go out of network on their terms.

🧰 Tools You Need to Launch a Membership Plan

Managing membership plans manually is a nightmare:

• Missed payments

• Awkward front-desk conversations

• Spreadsheet chaos

Modern practices use tools to:

• Automate billing

• Manage plans

• Track members

• Handle renewals

• Scale without adding staff

 

When done right, membership plans become boring.

And boring is profitable.

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❤️ Loyalty: The Hidden Advantage of Going Out of Network

Insurance patients are rented.

Membership patients are owned.

When patients pay monthly:

• They don’t leave over small price differences

• They stay consistent

• They trust your recommendations

• They stick with the practice long term

Higher loyalty → higher retention → higher revenue → lower stress.

Simple math.

🏆 Why Fee-for-Service Dentistry Is Better for Everyone

Going out of network naturally leads to fee-for-service dentistry — and that’s a good thing.

For Patients:

• Transparent pricing

• Better experience

• Less confusion

• Stronger relationship with the dentist

 

For Practice Owners:

• Full fee control

• Predictable income

• Higher margins

• Less admin overhead

• A practice that’s actually sellable

Fee-for-service dentistry isn’t about charging more.

It’s about owning the relationship and the economics.

🚨 Final Thought: Control Beats Chaos

Insurance companies don’t build great practices — dentists do.

If you’re serious about going out of network with dental insurance, don’t do it with fear and hope.

Do it with:

• Data

• Systems

• Membership plans

• Recurring revenue

That’s how practices win — calmly, confidently, and profitably.