Becker’s Healthcare Podcast · 2026-07-03 · 11 min
Key moments - from our scoring
Substance score
56 / 100
Five dimensions, 20 points each
Dr. Kappus addresses the mounting pressure on independent dental practices from shrinking insurance reimbursements paired with rising operational costs - dental supplies alone have increased 5% this year. She's tackled this head-on by diving deep into accounts receivable issues, discovering obscure insurance denials rooted in alternative benefits clauses and missing tooth policies that practices commonly overlook. Her solution? Using Claude AI to parse complex benefit breakdowns faster than manual review. Beyond insurance, she's optimizing supply procurement through NET 32 and other marketplaces to compare costs across vendors beyond traditional Henry Schein and Patterson relationships. On the technology front, Kappus is enthusiastic about AI's potential to consolidate fragmented dental workflows - currently managing 10+ separate applications from Eaglesoft to Pearl imaging software to remote light claims processing. She envisions a unified cloud-based platform integrating note-taking AI (similar to Alexa transcription), imaging software, insurance verification, and a centralized dashboard for the 9,000+ different insurance portals dental practices juggle. Her main concern: workforce displacement as AI automates billing specialists and front-desk scheduling, though she sees this as a longer-term challenge rather than immediate threat.
Rising operational costs (supplies up 5%, building maintenance, staffing education) combined with flat or declining insurance reimbursements, plus often-missed insurance denials due to complex benefit clauses like alternative benefits requirements and missing tooth policies.
Conduct detailed audits of patient insurance benefits to identify obscure clauses and alternative benefits requirements; Dr. Kappus now uses Claude AI to parse benefit breakdowns faster than manual review, catching issues practices typically miss.
Claude AI for insurance benefit analysis, Pearl imaging software for decay detection and patient education, and a transcription system (similar to Alexa) in each operatory that auto-generates and summarizes patient notes.
Cloud-based system combining note-taking AI, dental imaging software integration, insurance verification automation, a unified insurance portal dashboard (replacing access to 9,000+ individual portals), and one-step claims submission instead of routing through multiple companies like remote light and Vine.
Potential reduction in demand for billing specialists and front-desk staff roles as AI automates claims processing, phone scheduling, and patient inquiry handling over the next 2-3 years.
Our reviewer’s read on each dimension, with quotes from the episode.
The episode contains some practical, operationally useful observations - particularly around insurance denial navigation, AI application to benefits verification, and supply chain optimization via NET 32. However, much of the content recycles standard industry complaints (staffing, costs, insurance reimbursement pressure) without depth or novel analysis. The AI discussion remains aspirational rather than grounded in tested implementation.
I've actually started to recently use Claude AI to help us with our co pays. So I I think there's so many little weaselly things in these benefit breakdowns that are just really easy to miss
there's so many other dental supply companies out there, and I think some really cool marketplaces available, like, NET 32 is one, where it kinda just scours the Internet for all the dental products
The episode touches on legitimate tensions (insurance friction, AI integration, workforce displacement) but frames them in largely conventional ways. The AI-for-claims-processing insight is practical but not novel in broader B2B context. Most arguments about DSO pressure, cost inflation, and staffing shortages are industry baseline observations rather than contrarian or first-principles thinking.
dental insurances are paying less and reimbursing less
AI is gonna probably cut back on, certain, jobs that we have
Dr. Kappus is a legitimate independent practice owner with ~12 years post-graduation experience, operating in-market operations. She speaks from direct operational exposure to real problems (insurance denials, supply costs, software integration). This is practitioner-level rather than executive or thought-leadership level, which is appropriate for tactical B2B content but not exceptional seniority.
I am a dental practice owner in Healdsburg, California, so Northern California. I went to the University of Michigan School of Dentistry, graduated in 2014
I've been having some AR issues and had to dive in. And so I I've been actually looking more than I've ever looked at insurance denials
The episode includes some concrete details - NET 32 as a specific marketplace, Claude AI for benefits, Pearl imaging software, Eaglesoft/Dentrix systems, CAQH reference - but lacks quantified outcomes, financial impact metrics, timelines, or hard data on what actually moved the needle. The 5% supply cost increase is named but lacks context (vs. what baseline, across which categories). Most claims remain anecdotal.
our dental supplies have gone up probably 5% just this year alone
we work with, Pearl, which is, imaging software
The host asks competent open-ended questions but rarely probes deeper or challenges claims. When Dr. Kappus makes broad assertions (e.g., about AI solving software integration, or workforce displacement concerns), the host mostly accepts and moves on rather than pressing for evidence, timeline, or trade-offs. Follow-ups are surface-level and lack productive friction.
Yeah. I'd love to hear more about that topic. I know this is pretty much the same thing that so many other practices are dealing with across the country. How are you approaching this issue?
It brings up a an interesting question that I haven't discussed with anyone else before, but I'd love to know
Computed from the transcript - who did the talking, and the words that came up most.
In this episode, Dr. Krista Kappus, Dentist, Private Dental Practice, shares how her practice is navigating rising costs, insurance reimbursement challenges, and the growing role of AI in dentistry. She discusses using AI to streamline insurance workflows, improve practice efficiency, and what dental leaders should prioritize to stay competitive in a rapidly changing environment.
Transcribed and scored by The B2B Podcast Index.
- Oral health is finally being recognized as part - of whole person care. And at the same - time, digital tools and AI are reshaping how - practices prevent disease, engage patients, and grow. - DSOs are expanding, independent - practices are proving their staying power, and investment - is accelerating across the sector. - Dental leadership has never been more complicated - or more consequential.
- Ecker's fifth annual future of dentistry roundtable brings - together more than 250 - executive level attendees - and 90 plus speakers for two days of - sessions in Chicago, all built to help leaders - benchmark their priorities, - stress test their strategies, and walk away with - a clearer picture of where this industry is - heading and how to position for it. Join - us September fourteenth and fifteenth in Chicago. - Register on our events page at wwwbeckersdental.com - by clicking on the events tab in the - upper right.
- Hello. This is Ariana Portallatin with the Becker's - Dental and DUSA Ruby podcast. I'm thrilled to - be joined today by doctor Krista Kappas of - Fitch Mountain Dental in California. Doctor Kappas, thank - you so much for being here today.
It's - good to have you on our podcast again. - Thanks for having me. - Great. - To start us off, for our listeners, can - you introduce yourself and tell us a little - bit about your background?
- Yeah. My name is Krista Kappas. - I am a dental practice owner in Healdsburg, - California, so Northern California. - I went to the University of Michigan School - of Dentistry, - graduated in 2014.
So I've been out for - about twelve years now. - Awesome. Thank you so much. - First question for you here.
What are some - of the biggest issues that you're following in - the industry this year? - Gosh. That's that's a loaded question. - So many issues.
So I think we're finding, - a lot of pushback from dental insurances. - I mean, I think - most anybody you ask is probably gonna give - you the same line of of the general - issues where we have staffing issues. We have - staffing education issues. - We have, - fee increases in general, - cost increases.
- I'd say our our dental supplies have gone - up probably 5% - just this year alone. - You know, building cost, maintenance, everything. I mean, - I think, you know, the world in general, - everything's just costing more. - And dental insurances, of course, are paying less - and reimbursing less.
So, you know, that's that's - the joy as well. - Yeah. I'd love to hear more about that - topic. I know this is pretty much the - same thing that so many other practices are - dealing with across the country.
How are you - approaching this issue? How are you going about - making sure that your practice is still financially - stable? - Yeah. I think, - one thing that I've really - got I've had to dive in a little - bit more than I I had in the - past.
I think when, - business is going great, money is just flowing - in, you just kinda cruise, and, - sometimes you don't notice, - things that you might be missing out on. - So in the last couple of months, we've - been having some AR issues and had to - dive in. And so I I've been actually - looking more than I've ever looked at insurance - denials, insurance claims submissions, and things like that. - And it's it's been, - really interesting to see - how many - little nitpicky things are going on with with - insurances.
So I found, - a couple of examples recently that I just - was not aware of. You know, you hear - things like missing tooth clauses and situations like - that. But, - alternative, - benefits available, - seems to be a more recent one. So, - you know, if a patient has dental implant - coverage, - they - might not actually have the dental implant coverage - if the insurance company thinks that they should - have a partial denture instead, - which seems to be, you know, entirely up - to the - insurance company to decide that or not.
- I've actually started to recently use Claude - AI, - to help us with our co pays. - So I I think there's so many little - weaselly - things in these benefit breakdowns that are just - really easy to miss when you're putting that - together. - And that's been super helpful because it can - it can point those out to us, a - lot quicker than, you know, having somebody read - through their, - all of their - potential benefits on there. - And, also, I mean, cost in general.
I - mean, I think one of the easy ones - is, - your your dental supply costs. - I think, traditionally, - you always had your - we still do. We have our Henry Schein - rep and our Patterson rep, and we work - with them to some extent. But there's so - many other dental supply companies out there, and - I think some really cool - marketplaces - available, - like, NET 32 is one, - where it kinda just scours the Internet for - all the dental products, and you can compare - costs a little bit easier.
So it's it's - not as simple. It takes a little bit - more hands on approach to search and search - a couple of different marketplaces, but, - I think that is one area where you - can cut some costs. - That's great. Thank you so much for, sharing - that insight there.
Next question for you here. - What are you most excited about when it - comes to dentistry right now, and is there - anything that's making you nervous? - Most excited for dentistry. I think AI is - just huge right now, and I think it's - gonna help us out so much.
Right now, - we have Eaglesoft, which, - I just feel like it's such an outdated - system. And I know, similarly with Dentrix, - they're no longer supporting Dentrix and moving to - a new system. But I think - as AI grows and gets more intelligent, I - have a feeling we're gonna have a, - just - a more cohesive dental software that ideally - will merge better with our insurances, - be able to better do co pays, - better, - insurance verification, just more connected in general.
- Right now, we have - I mean, we we work with, - Pearl, - which is, - imaging software. So I think that's been really - helpful for our hygienists and our dental assistants - and just patient education and pointing out areas - where there's decay, potential decay, - but it doesn't integrate to our current software. - So I think, you know, as we start - to see more of this, AI in the - dental world, I think ideally, we'll get some - sort of, you know, - cloud based software that can integrate these all - a little bit better versus having, you know, - your 10 separate applications - you have to open up.
- Yeah. Yeah. - It brings up a an interesting question that - I haven't discussed with anyone else before, but - I'd love to know. This might have a - a long answer to it, but would love - to get into it further.
Sure. Yeah. - You mentioned, you know, what you would like - to see. Is there, like, a, - wish list that you have, - for AI beyond that?
Just stuff that you - would like to see it - do and help you out with on the - dental side? - Yeah. I think there's there's so much out - there, but nothing that's really integrated together. - So, I mean, I think, you know, anything - I'm saying I haven't come up with.
It's - it's out there. It exists. It's just, you - know, you have to have a company for - this, a company for that. And I think - if there was, - an integrated software that kind of combine that - all - of alright.
We've got our our note taking - AI. It's we have our - Alexa - sort of thing in every room where you're - doing your patient x x, explanations. And at - the end of the appointment, it summarizes your - notes. It's all put in there.
You can - edit them how you see fit, but it's - everything we talked about for the most part. - I think integrating your your dental - imaging software, - integrating - our insurance verification - software, - and having better, - ways to - access, - your insurance portals. - And right now, we have, you know, about - 9,000 different insurance portals, and - everyone's got a different different password and different - ways to get into it. So I think - having, you know, a better integrated system.
Right - now, we've got the CAQH - for your, - just updating your information for all the insurances. - And I think if - we had something like that for dental insurances - in general, just some sort of cohesive dashboard. - But it's just I I think - there's so many different - little and - and I'm sure people are are, - better at this than me and, have already - kind of mastered some of this. But, I - mean, to to submit our insurance, we have - a company, remote light, that sends it to - Vine, that sends it to the insurance.
And - I think just having one cohesive unit to - do that, we don't have 10 different companies - that we've gotta make sure we're updating and - everything is working correctly to make sure we - get paid would be ideal. - Yeah. Yeah. Definitely.
- Was there anything that makes you nervous as - well? - Yeah. - I mean, I think AI in general. I - mean, how how much do we hear about - how it's using all of our water, how - it's using you know, it's gonna it's gonna - outsmart us and take over us.
- I mean, sure. I think that's there's definitely - some fear involved - in that. - But in general, I think, - AI is gonna help us in what we're - doing. I think it's gonna probably cut back - on, - certain, - jobs that we have.
So, I mean, that - could be a workforce issue in the future - for sure. You know, if there's certain things - like, alright. We don't need as many billing - specialists anymore because we've got AI that's taking - over that. - Maybe in the future, our phone services get - better where we only need one person upfront - answering the phone because AI is handling a - lot of the scheduling and, - simple questions.
So I think from a workforce - standpoint, that could be an issue. But generally - speaking, I'd say not not too fearful. - Last question for you here, what will the - most effective healthcare leaders need to be successful - in the next two to three years? - I think like you need to be watching - out and just be looking at every little - moving part in dental.
- It's we're not at a time right now - where you can just cruise and be comfortable. - I think it's a time where a lot - of stuff is shifting - for the good and the bad. And so - I think just being really aware of all - the moving parts in your dental office and - really focusing in on on everything and, you - know, ideally, we'll get to a point where - we don't have to do that forever, but - I just think with all the changing, shifting - times, and - economy kind of in an unstable position, - you just really have to be looking at - every aspect of your business and not just - focusing in on the dentistry right now.
- Okay. - Well, that is all I have for you - today, Doctor. Capas. Thank you so much for - joining, us today.
It's always a pleasure speaking - with you. So great to have you on - the podcast again and looking forward to connecting - with you again in the future. Yeah. Awesome.
- Well, thank you.
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