912: How to Break Free From PPOs – Dr. Barrett Straub

You became a dentist for the freedom it provides. But PPOs are putting a chokehold on that freedom! In this episode of Clinical Edge Fridays, Kirk Behrendt brings back Dr. Barrett Straub, ACT’s CEO, to do a deep dive into how you can break free from PPOs for a better practice and better life. They share the tools you can use, what steps to take, and how to choose which PPOs to strategically drop first. If you're ready to reclaim your freedom, listen to Episode 912 of The Best Practices Show!

Learn More About Dr. Straub:

• Send Dr. Straub an email: barrett@actdental.com 
• Join Dr. Straub on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/barrett.d.straub
• Send Gina an email to learn more about ACT: gina@actdental.com 
• Send Courtney an email to learn more about ACT: courtney@actdental.com 

More Helpful Links for a Better Practice & a Better Life:

• Subscribe to The Best Practices Show: https://the-best-practices-show.captivate.fm/listen
• Join The Best Practices Association: https://www.actdental.com/bpa
• Download ACT’s BPA app on the Apple App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/best-practices-association/id6738960360
• Download ACT’s BPA app on the Google Play Store: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.actdental.join&hl=en_US
• Join ACT’s To The Top Study Club: https://www.actdental.com/ttt
• Get The Best Practices Magazine for free: https://www.actdental.com/magazine
• Please leave us a review on the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-best-practices-show-with-kirk-behrendt/id1223838218

Episode Resources:

• Watch the video version of Episode 912: https://www.youtube.com/@actdental/videos
• Register for ACT’s To The Top Study Club (July 18th, 2025): https://www.eventbrite.com/e/climb-with-us-register-for-july-18-2025-ttt-study-club-tickets-1205460116659
• Register for ACT’s To The Top Study Club (July 25, 2025): https://www.eventbrite.com/e/climb-with-us-register-for-july-25-2025-ttt-study-club-tickets-1205497959849

Main Takeaways:

• You give patients treatment plans before doing dentistry. Do the same for your practice.
• It doesn't have to be all or none with PPOs. Determine what's the right mix for you.
• Understand and shrink the different gaps you have to increase your profitability.
• Figure out which plans you're losing money on so you can drop them first.
• Eliminate your limiting beliefs. Not everyone will leave your practice.

Snippets:

0:00 ACT’s TTT, BPA, and Pro Coaching.

2:58 Why this is an important topic.

7:10 Know your gaps.

11:36 Know the basic metrics first.

18:22 Tools and resources in the BPA app.

20:04 The Patient Segment Scorecard.

22:47 Shrink the gap with less energy.

26:30 Know which plan to drop first.

33:21 Practice example: The treatment plan.

38:22 Q&A: Thoughts on a PPO that has a lot of patients and a high write-off.

42:11 Verbal skills matter.

43:29 A great tip from Dr. Christopher Mazzola.

45:27 Practice example: The treatment plan, continued.

48:23 Final takeaways.

49:53 Q&A: How to get ACT’s PPO Roadmap.

51:15 Q&A: Does APV include hygienists?

Dr. Barrett Straub Bio:

Dr. Barrett Straub practices general and sedation dentistry in Port Washington, Wisconsin. He has worked hard to develop his practice into a top-performing, fee-for-service practice that focuses on improving the lives of patients through dentistry.

A graduate of Marquette Dental School, Dr. Straub’s advanced training and CE includes work at the Spear Institute, LVI, DOCS, and as a member of the Milwaukee Study Club. He is a past member of the Wisconsin Dental Association Board of Trustees and was awarded the Marquette Dental School 2017 Young Alumnus of the Year. As a former ACT coaching client that experienced first-hand the transformation that coaching can provide, he is passionate about helping other dentists create the practice they’ve always wanted.

Dr. Straub loves to hunt, golf, and spend winter on the ice, curling. He is married to Katie, with two daughters, Abby and Elizabeth.