Dentists didn’t go to school to become salespeople. Yet in today’s insurance-driven marketplace, many find themselves explaining their value not in terms of skill, safety, or outcomes—but networks, coverage, and co-pays.

It wasn’t always this way.

A generation ago, patients chose a dentist like they chose a family doctor: based on trust. But today, too often, they choose like they choose retailers and restaurants (which is sad to see)—based on proximity, convenience, and what their insurance “covers.”

But what if it doesn’t have to be that way?

What if patients chose you—your philosophy, your care, your outcomes—regardless of whether you’re in-network?

It’s not just possible. It’s already happening. And here’s how.

The Hard Truth: We Helped Create the Problem

Before we talk solutions, we have to own the problem.

Too many dental practices have trained patients to ask the wrong first question: “Do you take my insurance?”—instead of “Is this the dentist I can trust with my health?”

By letting insurance dominate our messaging, websites, phone scripts, and even new-patient paperwork, we’ve taught patients to prioritize discounts over dentistry.

To reverse this trend, we must flip the script.

Trust Over Transactions: The Story of Dr. Erica Luna

Dr. Erica Luna, a Scottsdale-based dentist, made a bold move five years ago: she dropped all PPOs and began positioning her office as a boutique, relationship-based practice.

“I was terrified,” she admits. “I thought I’d lose half my patient base overnight.”

But she didn’t. Instead, she leaned into her strengths—spending more time with patients, offering comprehensive care, and building deep rapport.

Her marketing changed too. No more “We accept most PPOs.” Instead: “We help patients make confident decisions about their health, with or without insurance.”

The result? A smaller, more committed patient base, higher case acceptance, and record referrals.

“Patients didn’t come here because we were cheap,” Dr. Luna says. “They stayed because they felt safe.”

How to Build a Trust-First Practice

If you want to be chosen for your integrity—not your in-network status—you must become relentless in building trust at every stage of the patient journey.

Here’s how:

1. Communicate a Philosophy, Not Just a Procedure List

Your website, social media, and front-desk language should clearly convey why you do what you do. Patients are hungry for meaning in their healthcare. Give them yours.

Example: “We believe dentistry is about more than cleanings and fillings—it’s about confidence, prevention, and peace of mind.”

2. Don’t Lead with Insurance—Lead with Listening

When patients call to ask about insurance, resist the urge to launch into coverage details.

Instead, pivot:

“We’re not in-network, but a lot of our patients have the same plan and still choose us. Can I ask—what’s most important to you in a dental experience?”

This shifts the conversation from cost to care.

3. Tell Stories of Transformation

People don’t remember dental codes. They remember how they felt when someone finally listened to them, respected their fears, or gave them their smile back.

Dr. Will Thompson in Austin tells every new patient about a woman who avoided care for ten years due to shame and insurance confusion. “She’s now our biggest referral source—and off insurance completely.”

Sharing stories like this shows what’s possible beyond the network.

4. Train Your Team to Be Trust Ambassadors

Your front office wields more influence than your clinical work in those first 60 seconds of a call.

Invest in phone training that prioritizes empathy, not eligibility.

Encourage your team to ask:
“What motivated you to call today?”
“What matters most to you when choosing a dentist?”
“How can we help you feel confident moving forward?”

5. Be Proud of Being Out-of-Network

Stop apologizing.

When you position being out-of-network as a benefit—greater choice, higher quality materials, unrushed appointments—patients reframe the decision.

As Glen Jensen wisely says in Profound Mini-Lessons for Dentists, “When you stop selling dentistry as a commodity, you invite patients to see it as care again.”

A Mindset Shift for You and Your Patients

If you want patients to value you beyond insurance, you must first believe—deeply—that you are worth it.

You must be the kind of dentist whose integrity, outcomes, and relationships make the “network” irrelevant.

And when patients feel that? They’ll drive past ten in-network offices just to sit in your chair.

Not because you take their plan—but because you took the time to earn their trust.

Closing Thought

Every patient walking through your door is asking: “Can I trust you with my health, my fear, my money?”

When your answer—through every touchpoint—is yes, consistently and wholeheartedly, they’ll say yes too.

Not to your fees.
Not to your network status.
But to you.

And that’s the kind of practice that lasts.

Benjamin Tuinei

Founder - Veritas Dental Resources, LLC
Phone: 888-808-4513

Services:
PPO Fee Negotiators | PPO Fee Negotiating | Insurance Fee Negotiating
Insurance Credentialing | Insurance Verifications

Websites:
www.VeritasDentalResources.com | www.VerusDental.com