Less Insurance Dependence Podcast

In this episode of the Less Insurance Dependence Podcast, host Lester De Alwis sits down with Dr. Vishal Sharma, Director of Clinical Education at Spear Education, to explore how hybrid clinical education is transforming continuing education for dentists. Dr. Sharma shares how blending in-person instruction with virtual tools and AI-powered feedback is making high-level training more acce...

In this episode of the Less Insurance Dependence Podcast, co-host Lester De Alwis talks with dental consultant Linda Anderson about a skill many teams avoid—but every practice needs: financial conversations.

Linda shares how training your team to speak confidently about money can increase case acceptance, build trust, and reduce your dependence on insurance. You'll learn why having a clear financial policy...

In this powerful recap, hosts Lester De Alwis and Don Adeesha unpack the biggest moments from the 2025 RIDA Annual Summit. Learn how top experts are helping dentists reduce PPO dependence with clear systems, real data, and smart marketing. If you're ready to gain freedom from insurance, this episode is your roadmap.

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In this episode of the Less Insurance Dependence Podcast, co-host Don Adeesha sits down with Naren Arulrajah, CEO of Ekwa Marketing, to unpack one of the biggest opportunities in dentistry today: attracting more fee-for-service patients. With nearly half of Americans lacking dental insurance, dentists have a massive untapped market—but many are stuck thinking like PPO-based providers inst...

In this episode, Lester De Alwis is joined by Joanne Villani, co-founder of PreVu Software. Joanne shares her 35+ years of experience in dentistry and the biggest lessons she's learned about case acceptance. You'll discover why patients say no, how to build trust, and how powerful visuals like smile simulations can boost case acceptance. If you're looking to reduce your insurance dependen...

In this episode of the Less Insurance Dependence Podcast, Lester de Alwis welcomes Ryan Mingus, Managing Director at Tusk Practice Sales, to discuss how insurance dependence and evolving legislation are shaping dental practice valuations. From Medicaid cuts and PPO reimbursement stagnation to the impact of inflation and tariffs, Ryan explains how these trends affect profitability and deal structures i...

In this episode of the Less Insurance Dependence podcast, host Lester De Alwis sits down with dental business expert Scott Plantenberg to talk about building real financial freedom by reducing reliance on insurance. Scott brings 30+ years of experience in dental practice growth, consulting, and transitions, and shares why fee-for-service practices often have higher value, stronger profits...

In this episode of the Less Insurance Dependence Podcast, host Lester De Alwis talks with Dr. Tarun Agarwal about how dentists can take a smarter path with insurance through the hybrid model. Instead of dropping all plans or staying stuck in every PPO, Dr. Agarwal explains how to keep the practice in-network while giving lead doctors the freedom to be selective. He shares how to use supply and demand ...

In Episode 365 of the Less Insurance Dependence Podcast, Naren ArulRajah and Don Adeesha dive into how artificial intelligence is reshaping the dental industry. They discuss the challenges and opportunities AI brings for dental practices, from standing out in a crowded digital space to how patients find and choose dentists. Naren...

In this episode of the Less Insurance Dependence Podcast, host Lester De Alwis is joined by dental consultant Sandy Baird to share a practical, step-by-step approach for dentists who want to reduce PPO participation and build a stronger, more profitable practice. From tracking the right numbers to identifying which plans to drop first, Sandy outlines how to start the transition with confidence — witho...

In this episode, Dr. Lincoln Harris, founder of RipeGlobal, shares how his team is revolutionizing dental education by delivering hands-on, cloud-based training directly into dental offices. No more travel, no more downtime—just real skill-building with real results.

We also dive deep into the mindset shifts dentists need to make to truly...

In this episode of the Less Insurance Dependence Podcast, Ed Gabriel, CPA and President of DrillDown Solution, shares how financial preparation can empower dentists to confidently reduce their reliance on PPOs. From long-term retirement planning and PPO analysis to tax strategies and passive income investments, this conversation provides the financial clarity and tools dentists need to make intentiona...

Are you still unsure how to reduce your PPO dependence without sacrificing financial stability? In this episode, Lester De Alwis sits down with Brandon Parkhurst of Parkhurst Consulting to explore how outsourced CFO services can give you clarity, control, and confidence in your practice.

Brandon introduces his BOSS model and shares how re...

In this episode of the Less Insurance Dependence Podcast, dental finance expert Ken Kaufman explains how financial clarity is the foundation for reducing PPO reliance and building long-term success. He shares practical strategies for forecasting, cash flow planning, and creating systems that give dentists the confidence to make bold decisions. From lessons learned working with DSOs to step-by-step adv...

In this episode of the Less Insurance Dependence Podcast, Gary Takacs sits down with Josh Gosnell, co-founder of Adit, to explore how technology and data integration are transforming dental practice management. From VOIP phone systems and real-time online scheduling to CareCredit integration and actionable analytics, Josh explains how Adit empowers dental teams to enhance patient communication, improv...

In this powerful episode of the Less Insurance Dependence Podcast, we sit down with Dr. Robert Kerstein, a global pioneer in digital occlusion and Disclusion Time Reduction (DTR) therapy. He explains how TS Scan technology is revolutionizing diagnostics, improving patient outcomes, and eliminating the guesswork of traditional occlusal methods. Dr. Kerstein explains how DTR therapy not onl...

In this episode of the Less Insurance Dependence Podcast, host Lester De Alvis is joined by Margaret McGuckin, co-founder of i3 Ignite, for a deep dive into why reducing reliance on dental insurance is more important than ever. Margaret shares powerful insights from her experience helping large and small practices transition away from PPO plans without sacrificing patient retention or pro...

Can dropping PPO plans transform your dental practice into a more profitable, patient-focused business? In this episode of the Less Insurance Dependence podcast, host Lester De Alwis and guest Art Wiederman, CPA, a leading dental practice management consultant, explore the financial and practical realities of going out of network. They dive into real client experie...

Are PPO plans on their way out or will they still dominate the dental insurance landscape a decade from now? In this episode of the Less Insurance Dependence Podcast, Naren Arulrajah and Gary Takacs take a deep dive into the history of dental insurance, why benefits have stagnated despite rising costs, and how patient awareness is accelerating change. They explore real-world examples of d...