The Truth Decay Podcast: Talking Dollars and Sense with Sara Baker and LaRae McMullen
The Truth Decay Podcast: Talking Dollars and Sense with Sara Baker and LaRae McMullenYour weekly shot of clarity in the chaotic world of dental billing, insurance systems, and ethical financial strategy.Hosted by Sara Baker and LaRae McMullen, The Truth Decay Podcast tackles the real financial pain points facing dental teams today. If you’re tired of sugarcoated advice, inconsistent workflows, and watching insurance companies dictate your patient relationships... this show is for you.We cut through the fluff and get brutally clear on the issues that matter most:Insurance verificationPre-determinationsBilling best practicesFront-desk processesBilling systems to make collections easierClaims follow-upAR sy...
Ep 7: The Drill Down on Patient Portions: Sorting Out What Patients Owe and Why
“Waaait, Dr. Dentist Office... why did you send me this bill? But I paid everything I was supposed to! You TOLD me I wouldn’t have to pay anything else!”
If that conversation sounds familiar, you’re not alone. Confusion about patient portions is one of the biggest sources of billing disputes, frustrated patients, and lost revenue in dental practices.
In this episode of The Truth Decay Podcast: Talking Dollars and Sense, Sara Baker and LaRae McMullen explain how to talk about patient portions clearly, consistently, confidently, and why they are not optional (wait, WHAT).
Bec...
Ep 6: Code Like You Mean It: Real Strategies for Dental Offices
Dental friendos: Is your treatment coding aligned with today’s opportunities, or stuck in last year’s rules and denials?
If your team is stuck appealing the same zero-pays over and over, wasting hours on claims that will never get paid, it’s time to rethink your coding processes.
In this episode of The Truth Decay Podcast: Talking Dollars and Sense, Sara Baker and LaRae McMullen share a real-world story of a periodontal office that spent countless hours fighting appeals for codes that were never payable in the first place. The problem wasn’t effort...
Ep 5: Ethics In Dental Billing: Culture of Avoidance vs. Culture of Accountability?
Dental friendos, please ask yourself: Do you have a culture of avoidance, or a culture of accountability in your practice? If you’re afraid to ask — or if you don’t know — you maaaay already have your answer. And it could be costing you far more than money.
Ultimately, ethical billing isn’t just about compliance — it’s about protecting your practice, your patients, and your profits. (Dolla dolla bills y'all)
In this episode of The Truth Decay Podcast: Talking Dollars and Sense, Sara Baker and LaRae McMullen share a real story of a practice where lack of...
Ep 4: Collections Without Resentment:How to Manage Patient Balances and AR Follow-Up Without Alienating Patient Relationships
Dentist friends! Collections don’t have to feel like a battlefield — and they don’t have to hurt your patient relationships. (No for real)
If your AR follow-up feels like conflict or avoidance, it’s time for a better system. Like, yesterday.
In this episode of The Truth Decay Podcast: Talking Dollars and Sense, Sara Baker and LaRae McMullen talk about how to manage final patient balances and AR follow-up in a way that protects both your cash flow and your reputation. From financial policies to staff scripts, they’ll walk through how clarity, c...
Ep 3: Mind Over Mess: Clean Up Your Dental Insurance Aging Report
So, dental practice administrators: does your insurance aging report make you want to look the other way?
If your 90+ claims column is lurking in the shadows, getting bigger and more overwhelming every single day... we see you. You're not alone! And ignoring it is costing you real money.
In this episode of The Truth Decay Podcast: Talking Dollars and Sense, Sara Baker and LaRae McMullen explain how insurance aging reports go buck wild, why it’s not about negligence but overload and disorganization, and how to finally take control without losing your mind.
...Ep 2: Where Is Your Missing 9%?
Did you know that the average dental practice is only collecting 91% of what is owed to them? You might be losing thousands every month — without even realizing it.
For a $200K-producing office, that’s $18,000 gone. Every. Single. Month.
In this episode of The Truth Decay Podcast: Talking Dollars and Sense, Sara Baker and LaRae McMullen uncover the “missing 9%” hiding in your AR. They share the four most common reasons collections fall short, why it’s not always neglect (but often overwhelmed, under-supported teams), and how surprises — not dentistry’s price tag — are the real killer of y...
Ep 1: Stop Ignoring Your Credit Balance Report (Yes, We're Talking to You)
Heeeey dentists: are you ignoring your credit balance report? It might cost you more than you think — including your license.
Welcome!! In this debut episode of The Truth Decay Podcast, Sara Baker and LaRae McMullen dig into why unaddressed credit balances are a silent threat to your practice’s financial health and legal compliance.
From real-world audit wins to the professional code that could trip your practice up, we break down how to clean up your credit balance report, refund properly, and protect your bottom line. We’ll also walk you through an easy-to-implement review strate...
