Most dentists haven't touched their fee schedule in years. In this episode, Craig and Peter break down why a simple 10% fee increase doesn't just add 10% to your bottom line, it can boost profit by 25-33%. They cover the real math behind fee increases, why the fear of losing patients is almost always worse than the reality, and the exact steps to implement a smart, consistent fee strategy in your practice.
They break down why many dentists quietly sabotage their own profitability by keeping fees artificially low while inflation, payroll, supplies, and lease costs continue climbing in the background. The result? Practices work harder every year just to maintain the same margins.
Peter and Craig also unpack the psychology behind pricing, scarcity, and patient perception, and why dentists massively overestimate the risk of losing patients after a fee increase. They explain why small pricing adjustments create exponential impact on profitability, how overhead changes the math entirely, and why many practice owners are unknowingly building businesses with shrinking margins despite growing production.
Lastly, the conversation explores why successful businesses across every industry normalize annual price increases while dentists often treat pricing emotionally instead of strategically. They share practical ways to implement fee increases smoothly, communicate value more effectively, and build a healthier business without adding more stress, hours, or clinical workload.
If you're producing more every year but keeping less of what you make, this episode is for you.
DESCRIPTION
The Bulletproof Dental Podcast Episode: 439
HOSTS: Dr. Peter Boulden and Dr. Craig Spodak
In this episode, Peter Boulden and Craig Spodak discuss one of the most overlooked growth levers in dentistry: strategic fee increases. They break down why regular fee reviews are essential for long-term profitability, how inflation silently erodes margins, and why many dentists avoid raising fees out of fear rather than data.
From pricing psychology and patient retention to overhead management and operational efficiency, this conversation offers a practical framework for increasing revenue and profitability without sacrificing patient trust or adding more production pressure.
TAKEAWAYS
- Many dentists undercharge while operating costs continue rising
- Inflation quietly erodes practice profitability every year
- Small fee increases can create massive profit improvements
- Dentists often overestimate the risk of patient pushback
- Scarcity and pricing psychology influence patient perception
- Higher production does not automatically mean higher profitability
- Overhead determines how much production actually matters
- Strategic pricing is more powerful than simply working harder
- Successful industries normalize annual increases without emotional attachment
- Fee reviews should become a regular operational process
- Practices with healthier margins create more freedom and optionality
- Sustainable growth comes from smarter systems, not endless production
CHAPTERS
00:00 The Importance of Fee Increases
02:48 Understanding Business Psychology in Dentistry
05:49 The Need for Scarcity and Pricing Strategy
08:49 Calculating Profit Increases from Fee Adjustments
11:36 The Impact of Overhead on Profitability
14:21 Action Steps for Implementing Fee Increases
17:20 The Psychology of Patient Retention
20:19 Learning from Other Industries
23:11 Preparing for the Future of Dentistry
REFERENCES
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