Leaving a PPO without losing your patients —How to Drop Delta Dental
Dropping Delta Dental, or any PPO, is a business decision with a long tail: contract notice periods, patient letters, front-desk scripts, and a plan for the patients who'll lose in-network pricing. This playbook covers the steps in order, plus a notice letter you can adapt.
Before you send notice
Read your contract's termination terms
Find the required notice period, how notice must be delivered, and the date it takes effect. Terms vary by state and plan, so confirm them in your own agreement or with your state's Delta Dental office.
Run the numbers per patient
List the patients on the plan, what you collect per visit under the fee schedule, and what you'd collect at your own fees. Fee review is often worth doing first. Some offices renegotiate instead of leaving.
Decide what you'll offer patients who stay
Patients who lose in-network benefits need a simple reason to stay. Many offices launch an in-house membership plan before the PPO exit date, so the offer is ready on day one.
Talk to someone who has done it
A consultant who handles PPO exits can help you with timing and fee schedule decisions. See our partner directory for options.
The exit, step by step
Send written notice the way the contract requires
Use the delivery method your contract names, often certified mail, and keep proof of delivery.
Write to affected patients early
Tell them the date, what changes for them, and what you'll offer instead. Sample letter: “Dear [Patient], beginning [date], [Practice] will no longer be in network with Delta Dental. You can still see us. Your plan may reimburse out-of-network care, and our [Membership Plan] covers your cleanings, exams and X-rays for one monthly price. Call us at [phone] with any questions.”
Script the front desk
Give the team a short answer for “Do you still take my insurance?” that explains out-of-network options and the membership plan.
Track who stays
Count patients who book after the exit date and those who join the membership plan, so you know what the change actually cost or earned.
Practices That Got Off The Treadmill.
Select a practice to see how their membership revenue compounded month over month.
“We dropped two of our worst PPO contracts in year one. The membership plan replaced that revenue and then some — and we finally control our own fee schedule.”
- Members
- 612
- MRR
- $38.9K
- ARR
- $467K
- MRR Growth
- +284%
- Write-offs
- -$186K
Questions about dropping Delta Dental
- How much notice do I need to give Delta Dental?
- Your contract sets the notice period. It differs by state and agreement, so check your own contract before you plan the timeline.
- Can patients keep seeing me after I go out of network?
- Yes. Many plans still reimburse some out-of-network care. The patient pays you and the plan reimburses them according to its own terms.
- How do I keep patients without insurance?
- An in-house membership plan gives uninsured and out-of-network patients a predictable monthly price for preventive care plus a discount on other treatment.
- Should I negotiate my fees before leaving?
- It's worth checking. A fee review can show whether a better fee schedule changes the math. See our fee schedule negotiation guide.
Have a membership plan ready before the exit date
See how BoomCloud runs your in-house plan, so patients who lose in-network pricing have a reason to stay.
Own your revenue. Starting this month.
Launch a membership plan, enroll your uninsured patients, and watch recurring revenue land every month — no claims, no write-offs.
Free 30 days · Setup help included · Keep every member you enroll