Reimbursements from dental insurance companies are struggling to keep up with inflation, causing major challenges for some dentists.
Here, five dentists answered the question: Are you planning to drop/leave any insurance networks this year?
Note: Responses have been lightly edited for clarity and length.
Joseph Boyle, DDS (San Antonio): I am not planning on leaving any insurance networks this year. I have been a Cerec dentist since 2007 and a mentor since about 2009. I have the ability to keep my restorative costs lower so that I can participate with my patient's insurance companies even though they seem to keep lowering the reimbursements every year.
Nora Donatelli, DDS (Wheeling, Ill.): Technically no, because I left insurance plans last year. My reasons for leaving were either their refusal to renegotiate reimbursements or because they actually lowered reimbursements.
Richard Oldham, DDS. Oldham Dentistry (Lynchburg, Va.): I’ve been out of network since 2014. We bill insurance and they pay our patients directly.
John Ronan, DDS. One Day Dentures (Jacksonville, Ill.): Our practice does not accept insurance. If patients do have insurance, we are willing to process their claim and the reimbursement will go directly to them!
Abrahim SeToodeh, DDS. Peoria Dental Center (Peoria, Ariz.): I am looking into dropping the state medicare program; the fees are insulting and we can hardly make ends meet once we pay our lab fees and other costs associated with some procedures.