Most dentists think PPO contracts are just math.

A percentage here.
An allowable there.
A write-off at the bottom of the EOB.

But what if I told you the biggest cost of low reimbursements and constant denials isn’t financial?

It’s cultural.

I call it Insurance Bullying.

And it’s costing you far more than you realize.

The Hidden Price Tag No One Talks About

When insurance companies underpay, delay, bundle, downgrade, and deny, it doesn’t just hit your P&L.

It hits your people.

Think about your front office team.

They didn’t sign up to become professional hostage negotiators.

Yet somehow, 40% of their day is spent:

On hold.

On appeal.

On clarification.

On explaining to confused patients why covered doesn’t actually mean covered.

That’s not revenue cycle management.
That’s emotional taxation.

1. Burnout: Your Best People Are Fighting the Wrong Battles

Every hour your team spends arguing over a $42 downgrade is an hour they’re not:

Building relationships.

Strengthening case acceptance.

Creating a five-star patient experience.

Over time, that friction compounds.

You start hearing:

Insurance won’t cover it.

We’ll see what they allow.

I don’t want to submit that, they’ll probably deny it.

That tone? Patients feel it instantly.

And burnout doesn’t show up as a line item, it shows up as turnover.

2. Hesitation: When Your Team Starts Self-Bullying

This one is subtle and dangerous.

When denials become routine, your team adapts.

Not by pushing back.

By shrinking.

They begin:

Under-coding to avoid audits.

Avoiding legitimate add-ons.

Being overly conservative in treatment presentation.

Downplaying clinical necessity before insurance even responds.

It’s insurance pre-conditioning your team to think smaller.

That’s not compliance.
That’s intimidation by repetition.

And when your team starts second-guessing dentistry before the claim is even filed, insurance has already won.

3. Patient Attrition: Stress Is Contagious

Patients can’t read your fee schedule.

But they can read your energy.

If your front desk is tense…
If your financial coordinator sounds defeated…
If treatment discussions start with “We’ll see what your insurance does”…

Patients feel uncertainty.

And uncertainty kills momentum.

They delay treatment.
They think about it.
They disappear.

Not because they don’t trust you.

Because the environment feels heavy.

Insurance bullying doesn’t just reduce reimbursement, it erodes confidence.

The Real Solution Isn’t “Work Harder”

You don’t fix insurance bullying with:

Longer hours.

More scripting.

Better hold music.

Or tighter cost control.

You fix it with clinical empowerment.

When your PPO fees are negotiated appropriately, even a 7 to 13% increase, something powerful happens:

Your team doesn’t panic over small downgrades.

Appeals become strategic, not desperate.

Treatment conversations start with value, not coverage.

Write-offs stop dictating morale.

The breathing room changes everything.

It shifts the narrative from:

Let’s hope insurance pays.

To:

This is the right treatment. Let’s help you move forward.

That’s culture.

And culture compounds just like revenue.

Who’s Really Running Your Practice?

Here’s the uncomfortable question:

Is your clinical philosophy setting the tone of your office?

Or is your lowest PPO fee schedule doing it?

Because if reimbursement pressure is forcing:

Conservative coding,

Defensive conversations,

Or constant financial stress…

Then insurance companies aren’t just influencing your income.

They’re shaping your identity.

And that’s too high a price.

You’ve built a practice around quality care.

Don’t let third-party contracts quietly redefine your culture.

Insurance bullying doesn’t stop when you complain about it.

It stops when you renegotiate it.

And when you do?

Your team breathes.
Your patients feel it.
And your practice finally runs on confidence instead of compliance.

Benjamin Tuinei
Founder – Veritas Dental Resources, LLC
📞 888-808-4513
Services: PPO Fee Negotiators, PPO Fee Negotiating, Insurance Fee Negotiating, Insurance Credentialing, Insurance Verifications
Websites: www.VeritasDentalResources.com, www.VerusDental.com