DentalLink IPA
FAQs
Answers about the IPA model, independence, and how DentalLink IPA works. Still have questions? Get Your Custom Fee Review.
Understanding DentalLink IPA
What is the risk pool?
Every member contributes to the shared risk pool. At the end of each year, your participation score determines your share of it — the more of the program you complete, the more you take home. Your score is visible all year, so you always know exactly where you stand and what completing the next item is worth to you.
How do I earn participation points?
Points come from completing the parts of the program you have signed up for. Your score is visible in your member portal all year, so you always know where you stand and what completing the next item is worth to you.
What exactly is an IPA?
An Independent Practice Association brings independently owned practices together within an organized network while allowing participating dentists to maintain ownership and clinical autonomy.
Can DentalLink IPA actually help increase our reimbursement rates?
Yes. DentalLink IPA is built around proving higher clinical quality care. Together with the strength of our independent practice network, that quality focus helps participating practices pursue fair reimbursement rates that can sustain the cost of delivering excellent dentistry—while keeping ownership and clinical autonomy.
Why does DentalLink IPA exist?
DentalLink IPA exists to help protect and strengthen quality independent dentistry by giving participating practices access to greater collective strength, specialized expertise, economic opportunities, and resources.
Is DentalLink IPA a DSO?
No. DentalLink IPA does not acquire your practice. You retain ownership and clinical autonomy.
Is DentalLink IPA a GPO or buying group?
No. DentalLink IPA includes preferred vendor and purchasing opportunities, but purchasing is only one part of membership. The IPA also creates opportunities around reimbursement, PPO strategy, credentialing, practice resources, and the strength of an independent dental network.
What does clinical excellence have to do with DentalLink IPA?
DentalLink IPA believes quality care should be economically sustainable. The organization is building a model designed to support dentists committed to strong clinical standards, continued improvement, and better patient outcomes.
What is an umbrella network?
Many dental plans do not build their own provider network. They lease access to someone else's. So the fee schedule a practice is actually paid from often depends less on the plan name printed on the patient's card than on which network agreement that plan runs through. One agreement can sit underneath a number of different plans.
How does that change what we get paid?
Most practices have never seen which of their agreements carry which plans, or what each one pays. Once that is mapped, you can see which of your contracts are earning their place and which are not. DentalLink IPA provides the analysis and the expertise; which agreements you hold, change, or leave is entirely your practice's decision.
How does my office bill out of network?
You submit the claim as you normally would and include your W-9. That is usually enough to prompt the plan to register your practice, and to tell you if it needs anything further. One thing worth watching: some of the paperwork that arrives afterwards looks purely administrative but is a participation agreement. Send anything you are asked to sign to us first, and we will read it with you before you commit to anything.
Independence & Control
Do I have to change which insurance plans I participate in?
No. Every practice maintains complete independence regarding its contracting decisions, fee structures, and participation choices. DentalLink IPA provides expertise and resources; what you do with them is your decision.
Will I lose ownership or clinical control?
No. DentalLink IPA members maintain 100% ownership, clinical autonomy, and control of their practices. Every participating practice maintains complete independence and autonomy regarding its contracting decisions, fee structures, and participation choices.
Do I have to change vendors?
No. You retain full control over your vendor choices. Preferred partner programs are optional — participation is always your decision.
Veritas & Partners
Who qualifies for the group health coverage?
Group health is offered through Row Partners, who specialize in coverage built for independent practices. What a practice qualifies for depends on the size and makeup of your team, so the quickest real answer comes from their benefits team — email info@dentallinkipa.com and we will make the introduction.
Why does DentalLink IPA work with Veritas?
Veritas Dental Resources provides specialized expertise involving PPO reimbursement, fee schedules, credentialing, insurance participation, and payer strategy. That expertise supports the broader DentalLink IPA model.
Is Dental Pay the reason DentalLink IPA exists?
No. Dental Pay is a preferred DentalLink IPA partner and member benefit. DentalLink IPA members may have access to preferred Dental Pay solutions designed to reduce payment processing expenses and improve payment efficiency — as one of several optional resources.
Membership & Cost
What does membership cost?
The $1,000 initial contribution is once per office. Add every doctor in the first 60 days. A doctor added on day 61 pays $1,000. Monthly membership stays per doctor. The standard monthly membership is $750 per doctor. Sign up before January 1, 2027 and lock in the promotional rate of $550 per doctor / month for the rest of 2026 and all of 2027. January 1, 2028, membership returns to the standard $750 monthly rate. Your membership supports the infrastructure, technology, professional resources, legal and compliance framework, member programs, network development, and strategic initiatives that make the IPA possible.
How long does the promotional rate last?
Join before 1 January 2027 and pay $550 per doctor / month for the rest of 2026 and all of 2027. $750 from 2028.
How long is the membership?
Membership is built as a long-term relationship rather than a term you count down. Terms are reviewed with you every two years, and in between we keep your practice current as insurance changes — which it does constantly. The goal is a practice that stays optimized year after year, not one that gets optimized once.
Getting Started
What is the Custom Fee Review?
It is a free look at what your current fees may be leaving on the table. You give us a short list of your most common procedures and your current fees, and we send back a written analysis showing the potential revenue increase available to your practice. There is no obligation and you do not need to be a member to request one.
What do I need to enroll?
Your practice and provider details, and nothing else. Enrollment takes minutes. Your agreements, acknowledgments and credential uploads are all completed from your dashboard afterwards, at your own pace, and none of them hold up your membership.
How much of my team's time does this take?
It does ask something of your team, and we would rather be straight about that. What it asks is spread out rather than stacked: your member portal lists every item, tracks what is done, and shows what completing the next one is worth — so your team works at its own pace and always knows what the effort is buying. The parts that take a little effort are the parts that pay.
Is DentalLink IPA only for general dentists?
Not at all. Our network supports all dental professionals, including general dentists, orthodontists, periodontists, endodontists, prosthodontists, and oral surgeons.
Can multi-location groups join?
Yes. Multi-location practices can join. Start with a Custom Fee Review, and we will look at each location.
Still Have Questions?
Start with a Custom Fee Review, or enroll and get moving.