Build a better dental career 5 minutes at a time

The Dental Grind will give you clinical insights, business intelligence, and honest takes that the dental industry press won't.

Jun 5, 2026

The PPO Math No One Shows You at Signing

Joining a PPO plan feels like gaining patients. What the contract doesn’t highlight is how much of every dollar you earn, you immediately hand back. The arithmetic is worse than most dentists realize, and for many practices, it’s been silently compressing their margins for years.

Michael Ghaleb

Jun 5, 2026

The Overhead Truth Your P&L is Hiding

You billed a great month. You collected decently. And somehow you don’t have much left. Here’s what's actually happening, and what the numbers mean

Michael Ghaleb

The Written Fee Renegotiation Request

Most dentists treat their PPO fee schedules as fixed. They aren't. You can ask a plan to raise the contracted fees you agreed to when you joined its network — and most owners never do, which is exactly why a schedule set five years ago quietly turns into a pay cut as overhead climbs.

•

2 min read

In-Network vs. Out-of-Network

“In-network” and “out-of-network” are two of the most used — and most misunderstood — phrases in your practice, by patients and sometimes by staff. Patients often hear "out-of-network" as "they don't take my insurance," which is usually false. Owners describe themselves as "a PPO office" or "fee-for-service" without always being precise about what that means for billing, patient cost, and who actually gets paid.

•

5 min read

AOB vs. EOB: Two Terms Every Front Desk Should Get Right

They look almost identical — both end in "OB" — and they get mixed up at the front desk constantly. But an assignment of benefits and an explanation of benefits are completely different documents that show up at opposite ends of the same claim. Getting them straight prevents collection headaches and catches money you're owed.

•

2 min read

Stay In OR Drop PPO?

Once you understand what a PPO is, the harder question follows: should you stay in the ones you're in? It's the issue that quietly weighs on more practice owners than almost any other. Many feel trapped — resentful of the write-offs, but afraid of empty chairs if they leave.

•

5 min read

PPO Explained

Dental PPOs are by far the dominant form of commercial dental coverage. Here is what you need to know.

•

5 min read

The $109K Employee You Trust the Most

Dental embezzlement is not rare. It is not something that happens to careless owners. It is happening, statistically, to you or to someone you know.

•

1 min read

Dental Grind

Join 2,700+ dentists who read what the industry press won’t publish.

Refer The Grind

Share The Dental Grind with your colleagues, classmates, or anyone in the dental field. Refer 25 subscribers and we'll send you a $10 Amazon Gift Card as a thank you for growing the community.

Your Referral Progress

0 referrals so far. Goal: 25

Reach 25 referrals → Earn your $10 Amazon Gift Card!

The PPO Math No One Shows You at Signing

The Overhead Truth Your P&L is Hiding

The Written Fee Renegotiation Request

In-Network vs. Out-of-Network

AOB vs. EOB: Two Terms Every Front Desk Should Get Right

Stay In OR Drop PPO?

PPO Explained

The $109K Employee You Trust the Most

Dental Grind

You May Also Enjoy…

The Written Fee Renegotiation Request

In-Network vs. Out-of-Network

AOB vs. EOB: Two Terms Every Front Desk Should Get Right

Refer The Grind

Your Referral Progress

The Dental Grind