Comments on: Only Half of Dentists Still Accepting Dental Insurance

By: FSM

FSM — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 22:30:27 +0000

I just dropped 3 PPOs this year and kept Delta. It’s tiring to cater for insurance companies who makes billions in our expense. Postage increased 5X since I practiced. It’s not helping our bottom line because it’s expensive to mail x-rays (more than once sometimes if they say they didn’t receive it) on top of not getting reimbursed because of denial of some procedures, and other delayed payment tactics while our bills are piling up. It makes me envious how much plumbers and the person who did my kitchen w/in a few days(for thousands of dollars)make without spending so much time and money to continuing education…

By: jerry simon

jerry simon — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 13:28:09 +0000

given that the number of patients is increasing and the number of dds is declining, and most insurance companies do not cover newer proceedures or pay what the services are worth, why would any dds accept the rules of an insurance company?
this is the only industry where supply and demand is ignored.
every dentist is not the same in skills and training and standards, and every office does not offer equal services so why be part of something like an insurance program. it is really silly.

By: Ronald Chalk, DDS

Ronald Chalk, DDS — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 23:55:51 +0000

Every dentist has to make this decision for himself. I have been in private practice since 1970. I have never accepted insurance assignment. You just have to have the courage and confidence in your ability to believe ther are many quality patiets out there that are looking for more than a dentist only because they take insurance. If you get so busy with insurance patients you don’t have the time to spend with those quality patients that are looking for cosmtics or implanta. If I had to do dentistry at a fee determined by insurance companies I would have gotten out of the profession years ago.

By: Angela Maynard

Angela Maynard — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 16:01:29 +0000

Our practice became insurance dependent about 6 years ago when teachers changed to the Delta DPO and we just happened to be contracted. We are just beginning to weed out the worst PPO plans, but the Delta DPO will be the greatest hurdle. The PFG fee hasn’t changed in the last two years, but the price of gold has skyrocketed. Here in Southern California, the competition is great. If you get out of PPO’s, the guy/gal next door will just absorb your patients. We need to unite and terminate these plans as a band of brothers.

By: david szczesny dmd

david szczesny dmd — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 15:51:46 +0000

i agree with the jersey dentist that states that insurance has ruined medicine!! i graduated from the college of med and dent in 1978!! hope your family has lots of backup money to bail you out of debt my friend!!! keep the overhead down and dont do root canals on molars for 579!!! it will get you in legal troubles!!

By: Gil Simpson

Gil Simpson — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 15:50:15 +0000

Am I a dinosaur? I graduated in 1975 and the only “contract” that I signed was Delta because I was told it was stated by dentists. We “accept” all insurances and are sometimes “penalized” for not “participating”. For 30 years I treated medicaid kids, but when Blue Cross took over and required that I sign a 27 page contract last year, I declined. It will be nice to retire. I’m getting too old for this #%*@.

By: david szczesny dmd

david szczesny dmd — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 15:46:13 +0000

you should be telling all of these graduates from dental school how to manage their tuition debts!! they have no idea what it is in the real world of general dentistry!! advertising is rising!! coupons in every sunday newspaper half price off!!!the economy is in shambles!! the specialists dont accept their insurance but they will give them a 20% discount and the patient has nothing left to spend after the perio or endo is done!!! here it all the time!!!!! south east fla!!!!!! how many so. east fla dentists have responded to this?? kindly advise me!!!