The Dental Truth Project

The Dental Truth Project
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The Dental Truth Project No fluff. No spin. Just bold, unfiltered conversations about what’s really happening in the dental industry. Hosted by Ken Kaufman and Dallin Kaufman, AccruDent Co-Founders, this podcast dives into the mistakes, wins, and truths that DSO leaders, clinicians, and consultants usually avoid. Expect real talk, raw insights, and answers to the questions no one else is asking.

  1. 3d ago

    Free EFT Exists—Why Are Dental Practices Still Paying for It? (E.52)

    Sam Rockwood, Founder & CEO of Woods and former actuary, exposes the hidden inefficiencies behind insurance payments. With roughly 70% of dental insurance payments still being paper-based, practices are stuck dealing with checks, virtual credit cards, hidden processing fees, and hours of manual work. And the biggest surprise? Free EFT is available—but many practices don't know how to access it.   Revelations: The Insurance Payment Trap Most Dental Practices Never Question HIPAA requires insurance companies to offer a free EFT option—but many practices don’t know how to access it and may be directed toward paid alternatives unless they specifically ask for the free option. 70% of insurance payments are still paper-based—even in 2026. Virtual credit cards can cost practices 3–5% per payment through merchant processing fees. Getting paid electronically isn't enough—if EOBs aren't posted correctly, your AR can grow while your financial statements become inaccurate. The real problem isn't just getting off checks. With 15–20 insurance companies, practices need a system for enrollment, payment processing, and finding EOBs.   💡 The "Ask Dallin" Question: "How much should I be spending on my accounting each month?"   Dallin's answer: Budget roughly 1-1.5% of total revenue on bookkeeping and financial record-keeping. If a bookkeeping service is charging north of $800-900 per location, you've outgrown outsourcing — it's time to build an internal team. For a finance lead, expect to pay around $100K base plus incentives on the smaller end, climbing to $120-130K if they're also taking on operations. And once you cross roughly 20 locations, it's time to think about a full-time CFO — accounting complexity scales up with size, it doesn't get cheaper. Top 3 Episodes of The Dental Truth Project. Listen Now! (E.45) How to Profit Without Dropping Insurance - Angie Hopper, Premier Dental Center  (E.19) The Pay-to-Play Dental Conference Problem - Matthew McGaw, DSO Compass (E.16) Will AI allow me to fire my RCM team? - Jonas & Luis, Kaylie.ai NEW BOOK - COMING SOON Get early access to Roll the Equity: How Smart Dental Founders Sell Their DSOs Join the insider's list here 👇 https://resources.accrudent.com/roll-the-equity-insider-list    Got a burning question about dental finance? Submit your question, and it could be featured in a future episode. Ask Ken Form: https://resources.accrudent.com/ask-ken-form-the-dental-truth-project

  2. Aug 26

    How DSO Transitions Are Breaking Dental Teams (E.51)

    Christine Diehl, a dental hygienist with 30+ years of experience, shares the uncomfortable truth about what happens when a dental practice transitions to a DSO—and why the biggest risk may not be the financial deal itself. When teams feel ignored, patients can follow them out the door. When buyers rush to change everything, they can destroy the trust and culture that made the practice successful in the first place. And losing just one hygienist could cost a practice anywhere from $30,000 to $120,000. Christine reveals why the first 90 days after a transition can make or break the future of the practice—and why sometimes the best strategy is to change nothing. Revelations: The People Side of Every DSO Deal Losing a single hygienist during a transition can cost a practice $30,000-$120,000 in lost patients, recruiting, and temp coverage Teams go through an actual grief process post-sale — and most buyers never account for it "In-house" transition teams report to corporate, not to the team — creating a trust gap only an unbiased outsider can close The first 90 days should be about listening, not changing — the fastest way to lose trust is to walk in guns blazing   💡 The "Ask Ken" Question:  "How much debt is too much for a growing DSO?" Ken's answer: Watch your Debt Service Coverage Ratio (DSCR) — net operating income divided by debt service. A ratio at zero means no cash cushion after debt payments, and banks won't touch that. Lenders typically want to see 1.25x to 2x coverage. Walk into any lending conversation already knowing your number, and you instantly signal you're a operator worth trusting. Top 3 Episodes of The Dental Truth Project. Listen Now! (E.26) You Keep Losing Dental Team Members. Have You Asked Yourself Why? - Bonnie Thompson,  Forest Family Dentistry (E.5) The DSO Valuation Crash No One Talks About - Gareth Petsch, pH Partners (E.38) Roll the Equity or Take the Cash and Walk Away? - Mark Haddad, Specialty1 Partners | ScoutIQ NEW BOOK - COMING SOON Get early access to Roll the Equity: How Smart Dental Founders Sell Their DSOs Join the insider's list here 👇 https://resources.accrudent.com/roll-the-equity-insider-list    Got a burning question about dental finance? Submit your question, and it could be featured in a future episode. Ask Ken Form: https://resources.accrudent.com/ask-ken-form-the-dental-truth-project

  3. Aug 19

    Would You Budget for Theft? Some Dental Practices Do. (E.50)

    Courtney Staiger, Certified Fraud Examiner at Prosperident, reveals one of dentistry's most overlooked threats: 70% of dental practices will experience embezzlement, yet most owners don't have fraud prevention systems in place because they assume it won't happen to them. The real danger? It's rarely obvious cash theft—it's hidden in reports, refunds, insurance payments, and everyday processes that practice owners often overlook.   Revelations: The Truth About Embezzlement Every DSO Leader Needs to Hear  70% of dental practices will experience embezzlement—yet only a handful of DSOs have fraud controls in place. The biggest red flags aren't missing cash—they're employees who control every financial process, refuse oversight, and insist they're the only ones who can do the job. A sudden spike in Accounts Receivable, unexplained refunds, or unusual P&L trends could signal something much bigger than poor collections. Cash, checks, EFTs, and credit cards are all vulnerable—no payment method is immune without proper controls. The simplest defense? Separate duties, reconcile payments daily, and perform regular audits. Prevention costs a fraction of what a fraud investigation does.   💡 The "Ask Dallin" Question: "How much should I be spending each month on marketing?"   Dallin explains why there's no universal marketing percentage for every practice. Some thriving practices spend just 1%, while growing DSOs may intentionally invest 10–20% to accelerate patient acquisition. For the average established practice, around 3% of revenue is a healthy benchmark—but your ideal number depends on your growth strategy, not a generic rule. Top 3 Episodes of The Dental Truth Project. Listen Now! (E.41) He Stole From Us. Here's How We Let It Happen. - Dr. Hardik Chodavadia, Enamel Dentistry (E.15) We Pulled Insurance Duty From Our Front Desk - Revenue Jumped 30% - Francesca Pregano, Smile Makers Dental Center (E.29) The Business Skills Every Dentist Needs (But Was Never Taught) - Dr. Rehan Shahid, Practice Success Academy NEW BOOK - COMING SOON Get early access to Roll the Equity: How Smart Dental Founders Sell Their DSOs Join the insider's list here 👇 https://resources.accrudent.com/roll-the-equity-insider-list    Got a burning question about dental finance? Submit your question, and it could be featured in a future episode. Ask Ken Form: https://resources.accrudent.com/ask-ken-form-the-dental-truth-project

  4. Aug 12

    The Dentist Preference Problem in Dental Assistant Training (E.49)

    Kevin Henry, a dental journalist for 27 years and Editor-in-chief for DrBicuspid.com, exposes one of dentistry’s biggest missed opportunities: your dental assistants may be capable of far more than you’re letting them do. From staffing shortages and poor training to practices losing great assistants because they see no path forward. Kevin reveals why the problem isn’t always finding better people—it’s learning how to develop, empower, and retain the people already on your team. Revelations: The Untapped Power of Your Dental Assistants One Dentist’s Way Isn’t the Industry Standard: An assistant may be trained to work exactly the way one dentist prefers, but that doesn’t necessarily prepare them to walk into another practice and meet a different dentist’s expectations. Your Assistant Could Be Your Practice’s Biggest Productivity Multiplier: In states with expanded scopes of practice, properly trained assistants can take on more responsibilities and free dentists to focus on higher-value procedures. Give Your Assistants a Future: Training, certification, increased responsibility, and a clear path for growth can turn dental assisting from a “stepping stone” into a long-term career.   💡 The “Ask Ken” Question:  “When should I stop doing my own finances and bring in real financial leadership?” Ken’s answer: If you’re not trained as an accountant, start handing off your finances now. You don’t have to transform everything overnight or have every number perfectly reconciled from day one. But getting professional financial leadership—and becoming educated about the financial side of your business—can make you a better operator and set your practice or dental group up for greater success over time. Top 3 Episodes of The Dental Truth Project. Listen Now! (E.43)  Why DSOs Keep Losing Their Best People - Frank Clayton, RedThread Solutions (E.6) Are Dentists Selling Out Their Entire Industry? - Mike Baid, Accelerate Dental (E.30) "Can't You Just Do It?" — The Question Every Dentist Needs to Be Ready For - Dr. Jan Bublik, Bublik Dental Implant and Surgical Center NEW BOOK - COMING SOON Get early access to Roll the Equity: How Smart Dental Founders Sell Their DSOs Join the insider's list here 👇 https://resources.accrudent.com/roll-the-equity-insider-list    Got a burning question about dental finance? Submit your question, and it could be featured in a future episode. Ask Ken Form: https://resources.accrudent.com/ask-ken-form-the-dental-truth-project

  5. Aug 5

    The Mistakes That Built AccruDent (E.48)

    AccruDent turns two, but this episode isn’t about celebrating the wins alone. For the first time, Ken and Dallin Kaufman take over the podcast to share the real story behind building AccruDent: the original business idea that was far too broad, the painful client failure that changed how they operate, and the realization that ultimately forced them to niche down. From trying to solve every problem inside a DSO to becoming the financial partner for emerging dental groups with 5–20 locations, their journey was anything but linear. Revelations: The failures have been just as important as the successes The original AccruDent business model was so broad that early client engagements could turn into hours of meetings — and ultimately forced them to rethink their entire approach. Saying “yes” to too much led to missed deadlines, under-delivery, and the loss of a client — a failure that became one of their most important business lessons. AccruDent discovered that accrual-based accounting was a major unmet need among emerging DSOs. Niching down to dental groups with 5–20 locations became a defining moment for the company.   💡 The Big Takeaway: Building a business isn’t about avoiding failure. It’s about becoming resilient enough to learn from it, improve, and keep moving forward. Ken and Dallin reflect on the clients they’ve helped, the commitments they couldn’t fulfill, the lessons that reshaped their company, and why they believe resilience is one of the most valuable traits an entrepreneur can develop. Top 3 Episodes of The Dental Truth Project. Listen Now! (E.1) How Outsiders Invaded Dentistry and Destroyed Billions - Brian Colao, Dykema (E.29) The Business Skills Every Dentist Needs (But Was Never Taught) - Dr. Rehan Shahid, Practice Success Academy (E.12) Niche Down or Burn Out: Why Top Dentists Do Less and Earn More - Alex Sharp - Shared Practices Group NEW BOOK - COMING SOON Get early access to Roll the Equity: How Smart Dental Founders Sell Their DSOs Join the insider's list here 👇 https://resources.accrudent.com/roll-the-equity-insider-list    Got a burning question about dental finance? Submit your question, and it could be featured in a future episode. Ask Ken Form: https://resources.accrudent.com/ask-ken-form-the-dental-truth-project

  6. Jul 29

    Stop Treating Dentists Like Employees (E.47)

    Andy Steuerman, Vice Chairman at Golub Capital, and Dr. Victoria Yu, CEO & Chief Dental Officer of Elite Dental Partners, challenge one of dentistry's biggest assumptions: that dentists must choose between being lifelong employees or taking on crushing debt to become owners. They reveal why the traditional DSO model is broken, why new graduates are trapped by six-figure student loans, and how a disruptive equity model could redefine the future of dental practice ownership. Along the way, they unpack why the best-performing practices don't just focus on dentistry—they build leaders, entrepreneurs, and healthier communities. Key Revelations: The DSO Model Is Due for a Reset The employer-employee model is failing dentists—and partnership may be the future. Ownership doesn't have to require massive debt or buying your own practice. High-performing practices are built when clinicians think like entrepreneurs, not employees. Leadership, financial literacy, and communication are the missing skills holding practices back.   💡 The "Ask Dallin" Question: "Little things keep disrupting our monthly financials—doctor absences, equipment repairs, weather closures. Our partners get frustrated because it feels like there's always another excuse. How do we explain these one-time setbacks?" Dallin's answer: Not every unexpected expense reflects poor performance. True one-time costs can often be documented as add-backs when presenting financials, helping investors understand the practice's real operating performance. And if these disruptions happen consistently, build them into your operating targets instead of pretending they'll never happen. Great financial management isn't about expecting perfection—it's about planning for reality.   Top 3 Episodes of The Dental Truth Project. Listen Now! (E.45) How to Profit Without Dropping Insurance - Angie Hopper, Premier Dental Center (E.6) Are Dentists Selling Out Their Entire Industry? - Mike Baird - Accelerate Dental (E.3) How Associate Mismanagement Is Bankrupting Dental Groups - Eric Roman, Dental Associate Growth NEW BOOK - COMING SOON Get early access to Roll the Equity: How Smart Dental Founders Sell Their DSOs Join the insider's list here 👇 https://resources.accrudent.com/roll-the-equity-insider-list    Got a burning question about dental finance? Submit your question, and it could be featured in a future episode. Ask Ken Form: https://resources.accrudent.com/ask-ken-form-the-dental-truth-project

    Stop Treating Dentists Like Employees (E.47)

  7. Jul 22

    Has AI Made Your DSO Marketing Team Obsolete? (E.46)

    Adrian Lefler, CEO of My Social Practice, reveals why most dental organizations are already falling behind, and they don't even know it. AI isn't just changing marketing tactics; it's completely rewriting how marketing teams should be built. While many DSOs are still hiring yesterday's roles, the companies winning tomorrow are replacing repetitive work with AI automations and creating entirely new positions that didn't exist six months ago.   If your marketing department still looks the same as it did a year ago, this conversation may explain why your growth is slowing while others are accelerating.   Key Revelations: The Double Blind Killing DSO Marketing Teams AI has fundamentally changed dental marketing in the last six months, and most organizations haven't adjusted their team structure. Executives face a dangerous "double blind" problem: leaders don't know what's possible with AI, while marketing teams don't know what skills they're missing. Many marketing teams are spending months learning AI tools when specialized AI engineers could build the same systems in weeks. The biggest threat isn't AI replacing marketers; it's companies failing to redesign roles around automation. 💡 The "Ask Ken" Question: "Why do my financials feel off, even though my CPA says everything is fine?" Ken's answer: Your CPA's job is tax compliance, not helping you run a better business. If you're using cash-basis accounting, your financial statements can hide what's really happening inside your practice. Accrual accounting aligns revenue and expenses to when they actually occur, giving you a much clearer picture of profitability, cash flow, and operational performance so you can make confident business decisions. Top 3 Episodes of The Dental Truth Project. Listen Now! (E.16) Will AI allow me to fire my RCM team? - Jonas & Luis, Kaylie.ai (E.44) The AI Tool That Grows Revenue Without More Patients - Vinni Singh, DentScribe (E.41) He Stole From Us. Here's How We Let It Happen. - Dr. Hardik Chodavadia, Enamel Dentistry NEW BOOK - COMING SOON Get early access to Roll the Equity: How Smart Dental Founders Sell Their DSOs Join the insider's list here 👇 https://resources.accrudent.com/roll-the-equity-insider-list    Got a burning question about dental finance? Submit your question, and it could be featured in a future episode. Ask Ken Form: https://resources.accrudent.com/ask-ken-form-the-dental-truth-project

  8. Jul 15

    How to Profit Without Dropping Dental Insurance (E.45)

    Angie Hopper, Chief Operating Officer of Premier Dental Center, breaks the industry's favorite rule: go fee-for-service or lose out. While the loudest voices in dentistry preach dropping insurance to protect margins, Premier Dental Center did the opposite — went deeper in-network — and grew one location from 4 operatories to 12, added a 10-op and a 6-op site, and now runs on 80% insured patients. The catch: smaller margins mean zero room for sloppy operations.  This episode challenges one of dentistry's biggest assumptions: You don't have to choose between serving more patients and building a profitable practice. With the right systems, operational discipline, and financial strategy, you can do both.   Key Revelations: Growing Bigger by Taking Less Per Patient Why choosing to serve more patients instead of maximizing profit per patient created a stronger culture, accelerated growth, and built a more resilient dental organization. How negotiating directly with insurance companies, manufacturers, and financing partners unlocked savings that most dental groups never realize are available. Why 80% of their patients are in-network—and how that decision fueled the growth from one small practice into four thriving locations without sacrificing profitability. The overlooked billing mistake that slows cash flow for growing practices—and why outsourcing revenue cycle management became one of their smartest business decisions. 💡 The "Ask Dallin" Question: "How do I know if I'm spending too much on staff?"   Dallin's answer: Staff costs should always be measured as a percentage of revenue—not by dollar amount. Around 20% is best-in-class, 25% is typical, and anything significantly above that is a signal to either improve production per employee or rethink staffing levels. Always calculate using fully loaded payroll, including taxes and bonuses.   Top 3 Episodes of The Dental Truth Project. Listen Now! NEW BOOK - COMING SOON Get early access to Roll the Equity: How Smart Dental Founders Sell Their DSOs Join the insider's list here 👇 https://resources.accrudent.com/roll-the-equity-insider-list    Got a burning question about dental finance? Submit your question, and it could be featured in a future episode. Ask Ken Form: https://resources.accrudent.com/ask-ken-form-the-dental-truth-project

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About

The Dental Truth Project No fluff. No spin. Just bold, unfiltered conversations about what’s really happening in the dental industry. Hosted by Ken Kaufman and Dallin Kaufman, AccruDent Co-Founders, this podcast dives into the mistakes, wins, and truths that DSO leaders, clinicians, and consultants usually avoid. Expect real talk, raw insights, and answers to the questions no one else is asking.

Information

  • Creator
    The Dental Truth Project
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    52
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2025 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    The Dental Truth Project

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