Ep 2: Where Is Your Missing 9%?

Ep 2: Where Is Your Missing 9%?

The Truth Decay Podcast: Talking Dollars and Sense with Sara... by Sara Penrod Baker
S1 · E2
Aug 13, 2025
27:00

Episode notes

Did you know that the average dental practice is only collecting 91% of what is owed to them? You might be losing thousands every month — without even realizing it.

For a $200K-producing office, that’s $18,000 gone. Every. Single. Month.

In this episode of The Truth Decay Podcast: Talking Dollars and Sense, Sara Baker and LaRae McMullen uncover the “missing 9%” hiding in your AR. They share the four most common reasons collections fall short, why it’s not always neglect (but often overwhelmed, under-supported teams), and how surprises — not dentistry’s price tag — are the real killer of your collections.

Some of the points we discuss include:

  • How even “good” collection months can hide thousands in lost revenue
  • The four biggest AR killers we see in dental practices
  • Why overwhelmed teams avoid statements (and how that hurts collections)
  • The connection between patient surprises, trust, and payment delays
  • How defined, documented systems protect both revenue and relationships

Listen now on your favorite podcast platform or watch the full conversation on YouTube. Download the free Where’s Your Missing 9%? checklist to audit your own process and start putting that lost revenue back where it belongs — in your practice.

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Keywords

dental billing
dental compliance
dental risk management
dentistry
dental practice management
dental accounting
dental collections
dental patient trust
dental podcast
dental billing systems
dental revenue cycle
dental office manager life