The Automatic Patient Podcast

In this episode, Jordon Comstock and Dan from Elevation Association continue their deep dive into the realities of PPO dependence, fee-for-service transitions, and the changing economics of dentistry. The conversation explores how insurance reimbursement pressures, write-offs, overhead, and poor financial tracking are quietly reducing profitability for dental practice owners across the country. Dan shares what he’s seeing firsthand while helping practices transition toward fee-for-service models — including the operational, financial, and communication changes practices must make to succeed. One of the biggest themes of the episode is this: Many practices are losing far more money to write-offs than they realize because they are not properly tracking the data. The episode also covers: Why dentist owner income is declining How insurance companies use regional fee averages against practices Why “zeroing out” codes hurts practices and surrounding offices How PPO write-offs distort financial data Why most practices don’t accurately track write-offs The operational steps required before dropping PPOs Why patient membership plans are critical before transitioning out of network The importance of bookkeeping and clean P&Ls How recurring revenue and membership plans create stability The role of overhead reduction in improving profitability Why preparation matters before becoming fee-for-service Dan also shares practical insights into: Tracking write-offs correctly Building patient membership benefit plans Understanding reimbursement data Training teams to communicate differently with patients Setting realistic expectations during a PPO transition Jordon Comstock - BoomCloudapps.comDr. Dan Nelson - Elevation Association 

In this episode, Jordon Comstock and the Elevation Association team dive deep into the psychology behind why some dental practices grow — while others slowly plateau, burn out, or decline over time. The conversation starts around dental practice valuations and EBITDA, but quickly evolves into a powerful discussion around mindset, leadership, fear, burnout, mentorship, PPO dependence, and the internal barriers that stop practice owners from reaching their full potential. The team introduces what they call the “5 Barriers to Success”: Arrogance Ignorance Ambivalence Fear Capacity They unpack how these barriers quietly affect practice growth, leadership decisions, innovation, profitability, and long-term practice value. Jordon shares real stories from his experience in dentistry — including watching thriving practices slowly decline over time because owners became burned out, resistant to change, or afraid to evolve with the industry. The episode also explores: Why many dentists become “institutionalized” after years in practice How fear keeps practices trapped in the PPO reimbursement game Why mentorship and coaching shorten the learning curve The danger of “head-in-the-sand ignorance” Why recurring revenue and membership plans reduce fear and create leverage How operational and mental growth go hand-in-hand Why building culture intentionally matters for business success The importance of gradual change versus drastic decisions One of the most powerful moments comes when Jordon discusses a doctor terrified to drop PPOs because he feared his entire business would collapse — and how the answer wasn’t drastic action, but small, strategic steps toward recurring revenue and independence. Jordon Comstock - BoomCloudapps.comDr. Dan Nelson - Elevation Association