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I consider Gerald Benjamin one of my mentors even though I have never met him in person. Over the course of our interactions (some very heated) he challenged me to become a better dentist through high quality CE in a google group. While the transition from a PPO practice to an out of network practice focusing on high quality dentistry doesn’t happen overnight it can be a fairly fast transition due to the financial strains placed on quality dentists operating in the PPO environment.
Here is a direct example of how high quality CE can reduce the total amount of dentistry that is needed in your patient population. Had I been contracted with insurance companies with this pattern of practice I would have gone out of business due to the low reimbursement rates.
From July 1, 2016- April 30, 2017 I placed over 120 single unit crowns. From July 1,2017- April 30,2018 I placed less than 25 single unit crowns. I have seen the total amount of Crowns+root canal therapy needed in my practice drop by 75%.
What was the difference? Understanding the fundamentals of dentin bonding which is the cornerstone of restorative dentistry.
What’s the point of this post? To understand the financial constraints of dental insurance will drive your treatment decisions whether you realize it or not. Human behavior is driven by ‘systems’. If the ‘system’ in which you operate doesn’t lend itself to high quality dentistry then CHANGE the system in which you operate.
I am honored to have changed Matthew Gillespie's life when I asked him to see his (dental) world differently.
