How do dental groups negotiate better PPO fees?
Gather contracts, benchmark comparable rates by CDT and market, prioritize high-impact codes, and verify fee loading.
Read the negotiation guide →Research & insights
Better questions. Better reimbursement decisions.
Practical research notes for DSO contracting teams and investors using payor rate intelligence to make consequential decisions.
Practical contracting guides
Start with the questions that affect your bottom line.
Two evidence-first checklists for dental groups reviewing reimbursement contracts and network access.
How do you audit silent PPO and leased-network discounts?
Trace repricing from the claim to the governing network agreement before alleging an unauthorized discount.
Read the audit checklist →Field notes
Three principles worth understanding before negotiating a rate.
These primers focus on interpretation and decision quality—not theoretical market averages without context.
A market median isn't your contract rate.
What must match before a payor observation becomes a useful negotiating benchmark.
Read the note →Your deadline may matter more than your rate gap.
Why renewal notice periods and network terms belong in your reimbursement analysis.
Read the note →Not every rate gap is a negotiation target.
Use code mix, contract timing, market evidence and fee schedules to decide which gaps matter first.
Benchmarking / 01
A market median isn't your contract rate.
Two rates for the same CDT code are not automatically comparable. Geography, payor entity, network participation, reimbursement method, provider association, and publication date may change what a particular observation represents.
A useful rate assessment starts with evidence filters and an explanation of what matched. Only then is a percentile meaningful. A 50th-percentile benchmark is a reference point, not a promise that a payor will contract at that level.
Customer fee schedules and locations add an essential missing layer: a credible comparison of the customer's known contract economics against the relevant reference population.
Explore PayorMap methodology →Contract strategy / 02
Your deadline may matter more than your rate gap.
A sizable under-market gap offers little near-term leverage when a contract cannot be reopened on the desired timeline. Termination notice dates, renewal provisions, amendment requirements, and network leasing language should be evaluated alongside rates.
Instead of a single payor ranking by theoretical dollar upside, a useful negotiation work queue combines financial gap, evidence quality, location coverage, usage concentration, and the first legally and operationally feasible action date.
Read the executed agreement and consult appropriate advisors before acting. Contract terms differ, and illustrative deadlines are never substitutes for a signed document.
Discuss a contracting strategy →Contract strategy / 03
Not every rate gap is a negotiation target.
A below-median negotiated rate is the start of an investigation, not the end. Prioritize by CDT frequency, location-level contracts, estimated financial impact, payor concentration, market comparability and notice requirements.
For a DSO, the most useful answer is not a long list of below-market codes. It is a defensible, time-sensitive plan for which payor and market to approach first. PayorMap connects the benchmark to its supporting evidence and contract context.
Learn how reimbursement benchmarking works →Put the evidence to work.
Start with your organization, payor footprint and the questions worth answering first.