Insurance Untangled

Hosted by Naren Arulrajah

Business NewsInterviews guests

Website RSS feed

Episodes

139

Latest episode

Jun 2026

Language

About the show

Are you tired of feeling chained to insurance companies and their restrictive policies? As a dentist, you have the skills and expertise to provide top-notch patient care, but insurance dependence may be holding you back. By reducing your reliance on insurance, you can take control of your practice, increase profitability, and provide the highest quality care without limitations. Join us weekly as we dive into a topic related to insurance negotiations and working with insurance providers. Our expert guests share their insights and experience, providing practical tips and strategies for getting the best possible outcomes. Whether you're a healthcare provider, an insurance industry professional, or someone looking to learn more about insurance, our podcast is for you.

Listen to episodes

60 recent

June 11, 2026Episode 13954 min

Beyond Insurance: The Hidden Habits and Systems That Protect Your Practice's Profitability

Why do some dental practices grow into successful multi-location groups while others struggle to scale beyond a second office? In this episode of the Insurance Untangled Podcast, host Don Adeesha sits down with Courtney Staiger, CFE, to explore one of the most overlooked threats facing dental practices today: fraud, embezzlement, and financial vulnerabilities hiding in plain sight. Drawing from her experience investigating fraud and helping businesses strengthen internal controls, Courtney shares the warning signs practice owners often miss, why trust alone is never a financial strategy, and the systems every practice should have in place to protect revenue and reduce risk. The conversation dives into common embezzlement schemes, the importance of segregation of duties, how to identify red flags before they become costly problems, and practical steps dental leaders can take to create a culture of accountability without damaging team trust. Whether you're a solo practice owner, managing multiple locations, or preparing for future growth, this episode offers valuable insights into protecting the business you've worked so hard to build. Topics discussed include: • Common fraud and embezzlement schemes in dental practices • Warning signs owners and managers often overlook • Why internal controls matter, even in close-knit teams • Creating accountability without creating distrust • Financial safeguards every growing practice should implement • The role of leadership in reducing organizational risk • Practical steps to protect revenue and strengthen operations Connect with Courtney Staiger: LinkedIn: Courtney Staiger, CFE Insurance Untangled is dedicated to helping dental practice owners navigate growth, operations, leadership, marketing, and profitability through conversations with industry experts and successful practice leaders.

May 28, 2026Episode 13832 min

How Do Successful Dental Groups Run on Data? The KPIs, Metrics, and Operations Behind Profitable DSOs

When a dental practice grows beyond one location, the things that used to live in your head suddenly need systems, dashboards, and clean data behind them. Without that foundation, growth slows, problems hide longer, and decisions get made on instinct instead of insight. In this episode of the Insurance Untangled Podcast, host Don Adeesha sits down with Vincent Cardillo, founder of Mava Dental Advisors and a 25+ year veteran in scaling dental service organizations. Vincent led one group to #14 on the Inc. 500 list with 12,896% growth, and today he provides outsourced C-suite services to emerging dental groups through Mava and their proprietary performance platform, Pronto. Don and Vincent unpack what actually changes when a single practice becomes a group, why most owners struggle with the same five gaps (org chart, accountability, SOPs, training, and numbers), and how to coach yourself out of the "I'll just do it myself" trap. Vincent also breaks down the four KPI buckets every group should be tracking — financial, operational, clinical, and culture — and shares a powerful insight: focusing on just two metrics (missed calls and percentage of new patient calls booked) can grow your new patient count by 20% in three months without spending another dollar on marketing. In this episode, you'll learn: The five biggest operational gaps owners hit when scaling from one to multiple locations Why promoting your most loyal team member into management can backfire — and how to handle it How to have the honest "what do you really want?" conversation with long-tenured staff The four KPI buckets every dental group should track (financial, operational, clinical, culture) The two metrics that can lift new patient numbers 20% in 90 days Why benchmarks matter more than dashboards How data-driven groups build the confidence to open practice #2

May 21, 2026Episode 13714 min

Are Your PPO Fees Costing You Thousands in 2026? How to Negotiate and Take Back Control

In this episode of Insurance Untangled, hosts Ben Tuinei and Tessina Bullock dive into one of the most overlooked revenue opportunities for dental practices: PPO fee negotiations. Many practices assume insurance reimbursements are fixed, but Ben and Tessina explain why that is not always the case. They discuss why practices often avoid negotiations, how to prepare before approaching insurance companies, and what data matters most when evaluating PPO relationships. You'll learn why knowing your office fees, tracking write-offs, understanding plan profitability, and building leverage are essential steps toward improving reimbursements. Even small fee increases can create a major financial impact over time, especially for practices that remain in-network. This episode is a practical, straight-to-the-point conversation for dental teams looking to take more control of their insurance relationships and stop leaving revenue on the table. Topics covered include: Why many dental practices delay or avoid PPO negotiations Whether insurance companies really negotiate fees How to prepare your data before starting the negotiation process The importance of tracking write-offs and plan profitability Why small reimbursement increases can make a big difference Key takeaways for practices ready to start negotiating For more resources, visit Insuranceuntangled.com

December 30, 2025Episode 13520 min

Why Doing "More" Isn't the Answer — Doing the Right Things Is!

In this episode, Ben Tuinei and Naren Arulrajah uncover why doing more—more ads, more PPOs, more hustle—often leads to burnout and lower profitability. Learn how to identify what's actually holding your practice back, and how to solve the right problems using data, call tracking, and smarter marketing and insurance participation. Real stories, practical tips, and a powerful reminder: less is more when done right.

December 23, 2025Episode 13421 min

Why Your Schedule Controls You and How to Change That

In this episode, Ben Tuinei and Naren Arulrajah talk about why so many dentists feel stuck with busy but unproductive schedules. They explain how the real problem often starts with ignoring marketing until it's too late—and how depending on insurance just makes things worse. You'll learn how to take control by attracting the right patients, building long-term marketing habits, and setting smart goals. If you're ready to stress less and gain more freedom, this episode will show you where to start.

December 16, 2025Episode 13324 min

What Google Really Wants From Your Dental Website in 2026

In this episode, Ben Tunei and Naren Arulrajah break down what Google truly wants from your dental website in 2026. They explore how Google's AI-first approach is reshaping search, why beautiful websites alone won't cut it, and how E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trust), mobile performance, and helpful, trustworthy content are now essential for ranking. Learn what it takes to stand out online and attract more of the right patients to your practice.

December 9, 2025Episode 13227 min

The Hidden Dangers of Doing The Wrong Kind of Marketing

In this episode, Ben Tuinei and Naren Arulrajah dive into one of the most overlooked threats facing dental practices today: the long-term damage caused by the wrong kind of marketing. Through relatable stories, including a surprising tale about a broken hard drive, Ben and Naren reveal how DIY marketing, copied tactics, and "doing something just to be busy" can quietly sabotage a practice's growth. From slow websites and poor SEO to discount-driven ads that attract the wrong patients, this episode uncovers the invisible leaks that hurt practices without dentists ever realizing it.

December 5, 2025Episode 13127 min

How to get patients to stay with your dental practice for life?

What's the secret to keeping patients for life? In this episode, Naren Arulrajah and Ben Tuinei unpack how trust, empathy, and consistency, not gimmicks or discounts, are the real keys to patient loyalty. They dive into how emotional connections, marketing beyond the chair, and strong internal team culture drive long-term retention. Whether you're overwhelmed by insurance or struggling with patient turnover, this episode gives you practical, proven strategies to build lasting relationships and take back control of your practice's growth.

November 25, 2025Episode 13018 min

Fighting the Culture of Insurance Claim Denials in Dentistry

In this episode of Insurance Untangled, Ben Tuinei is joined once again by insurance expert Tessina Bullock. Together, they dive into one of the most frustrating issues dental teams face today — the rising culture of insurance claim denials. From scaling and root planing (SRP) denials to unfair bundling of buildups and other procedures, Ben and Tessina break down what's really happening and why so many valid claims are getting rejected. They also share smart ways to appeal denials, how to hold insurance companies accountable, and when to report trends to the ADA and your insurance commissioner. If your team is stressed, wasting hours on appeals, or constantly underpaid, this episode offers powerful insights and actionable tips to help you push back and get paid what you've earned.

November 18, 2025Episode 12925 min

Do Dentists Really Have to Stay Trapped by PPOs?

In this episode of the Insurance Untangled Podcast, Naren Arulrajah and Ben Tuinei dive into one of the biggest challenges in dentistry: the feeling of being trapped by PPOs. They discuss the emotional and financial toll of insurance dependence, why many dentists fear leaving PPO networks, and practical strategies to regain control and profitability. You'll hear real examples, including a dentist who doubled her income while working fewer days, and actionable insights into how SEO, Google reviews, and smart marketing can help you build a fee-for-service practice that thrives without insurance constraints.