How to Keep More Cash-Pay Patients: Dental Membership Strategies That Actually Work

The smarter way to drop PPOs and keep your schedule full

Many dental practices are tired of being trapped in low-paying PPOs. But the fear of losing patients keeps them stuck. In this episode of the Dental Office Rescue podcast, Linda Kane sits down with Dental Menu CEO and co-founder Paul Lowry to unpack the truth about in-house membership plans—and why most of them fail to retain patients.

Paul brings real numbers, real strategy, and real talk about what it takes to build a profitable, patient-friendly membership program that actually works. If you're even thinking about dropping an insurance plan or shifting your payer mix, this conversation is a must-listen. You simply can't afford to miss these strategies.

What We Cover in This Episode

• Why most in-house membership plans fail to retain patients
• How to identify and drop underperforming PPOs strategically
• What separates a discount plan from a true membership model
• How to convert one-time emergency patients into loyal, returning ones
• Systems that support team accountability and eliminate billing confusion

Membership Plans That Actually Work (Most Don't)

Paul Lowry has looked at the data. Of over 250,000 new patients tracked across hundreds of practices, only 12% of uninsured patients were still active five years later. Why? Most offices treat their in-house plan like a Groupon: a discount bundle that gets patients in the chair once, but doesn’t keep them coming back.

"You're not selling two cleanings. You're selling access to care. That's what membership really means." — Paul Lowry

Paul explains the difference between selling a package of services and offering a true membership model. Netflix doesn't ask you to renew every time you watch a show. Your plan shouldn't either.

Stop Discounting. Start Retaining.

The problem with most DIY dental plans is the lack of structure. Patients pay once, get their treatment, then disappear. Worse, many front desks forget to renew them or fail to track benefit eligibility correctly.

Paul shares practical ways to fix this:

• Switch from annual to monthly billing to reduce cancellations
• Add a one-time enrollment fee to convert emergencies into members
• Offer loyalty rewards that patients lose if they cancel
• Build a real-time eligibility system that your front desk can actually manage

When offices stop guessing and start using systems, they see membership revenue grow and patient retention skyrocket.

Why Going Out of Network Starts with Your Hygiene Schedule

Most dentists want to drop PPOs because they see shrinking reimbursements. But the reality is, you can only drop plans if your hygiene schedule can support it.

"Your hygiene department is your farm. If it's filled with PPO patients, that's all you're going to grow." — Paul Lowry

Before dropping plans, practices need to create space for cash-pay patients. That means identifying the lowest-performing PPOs, creating a plan to replace that volume, and activating a membership program that retains those patients long-term.

The Real Benefit: Predictable Revenue Without Insurance Headaches

When your membership plan is designed well, it becomes a predictable revenue stream that grows over time. Offices that partner with Dental Menu are seeing 60%+ retention of uninsured patients—up from just 12% with traditional models.

They’re also:

• Reducing front desk stress
• Gaining full visibility into collections and production
• Creating accountability with associate doctors and hygienists
• Getting paid even when patients delay appointments

And yes, they’re dropping bad PPOs with confidence.

Ready to Protect Your Profit and Keep More Patients?

If you're serious about reducing insurance dependence and increasing retention with more cash-paying patients, it starts with rethinking your membership plan. Paul Lowry and his team at Dental Menu specialize in helping practices create systems that actually work—for your patients, your team, and your bottom line.

Podcast listeners get $200 off setup with Dental Menu using promo code DOR2025.

► Explore the free guide: Seven Deadly Sins That Kill Membership Plans

Explore More from Linda Kane

Linda and her team can help you with insurance, systems, and burnout-proof billing processes.
Book a call or get a free copy of her Amazon bestselling book, Dental Office Rescue, at rescuemydentaloffice.com