Top 7 Questions to Ask About Production vs Collections

“30%” does not mean much until you know 30% of what. If you do not understand production and collections, you cannot predict your paycheck.

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Here are seven questions to ask before you sign a percentage‑based job.

1. “Is my pay based on production or collections?”

What it means:

• •Production is what you do. Collections are what the office actually gets paid.

Why it matters:

• •Production pay is based on completed treatment amounts.
• •Collections pay depends on insurance speed, write‑offs, and how well the front collects.

Simple example:

• •You produce 60k in a month.
• •If only 45k is collected that month, 30% of production pays on 60k.
• •30% of collections pays on 45k.

Good answer sounds like: “Your pay is 30% of adjusted production” or “30% of collections” with clear definitions.

Vague answer could hide:

• •A collections system that is slow or loose, which can drag down your real pay.

2. “If it is production, is it gross or adjusted production?”

What it means:

• •Gross production is the full fee. Adjusted production is after PPO write‑offs and discounts.

Why it matters:

• •If they pay on adjusted production, your percentage is applied to a smaller number than the fee schedule.

Simple example:

• •Crown fee: 1,200.
• •PPO allowed: 900.
• •30% of gross production: 360.
• •30% of adjusted production: 270.

Good answer sounds like: “We pay 30% of adjusted production after PPO write‑offs, not the full fee.”

Vague answer could hide:

• •Big differences between the fee schedule and what you actually get paid on.

3. “If it is collections, when are collections counted for my pay?”

What it means:

• •You need to know which month a payment “counts” toward your paycheck.

Why it matters:

• •Slow insurance or late patient payments can push your pay into future months or never show up at all.

Simple example:

• •You complete a case in January. Insurance does not pay until March. If collections are counted only when they post, January will look weak and March will look better.

Good answer sounds like: “Collections are credited to you when insurance posts or the patient pays, and your pay is based on that month’s posted collections.”

Vague answer could hide:

• •Unclear timing, delayed pay, or missed credit for work you did.

4. “What write-offs and adjustments are removed before my pay is calculated?”

What it means:

• •Write‑offs are amounts the practice agrees not to collect (like PPO discounts or promotions).

Why it matters:

• •If your percentage is applied after these are taken out, your pay base is lower than gross production.

Simple example: Month totals:

• •Gross production: 80k.
• •Write‑offs and discounts: 20k.
• •Adjusted production: 60k. At 30% of adjusted production, you are paid on 60k, not 80k.

Good answer sounds like: “We remove PPO write‑offs and documented discounts from production before applying your 30%. We can show you a sample report.”

Vague answer could hide:

• •Extra “adjustments” that reduce your pay number without you understanding why.

5. “Are lab fees deducted before or after my percentage?”

What it means:

• •Lab fees are what the office pays for crowns, dentures, aligners, and similar work.

Why it matters:

• •If lab fees come out before your percentage, your effective rate on lab‑heavy work is lower.

Simple example:

• •Crown 1,200, lab 200, 30% pay:
• •If labs are taken out first, 30% of 1,000 = 300.
• •If labs are not taken out first, 30% of 1,200 = 360.

Good answer sounds like: “Lab fees are covered by the office and do not affect your percentage” or “we subtract lab fees before applying your 30%, and here is how that looks on a sample case.”

Vague answer could hide:

• •Lab deductions you only discover after paychecks start to feel light.

6. “Is there a daily guarantee during ramp-up, and how does it interact with my percentage?”

What it means:

• •A daily guarantee is a minimum you earn per day while you build your schedule.

Why it matters:

• •Early on, your production or collections may be low. You need to know whether the guarantee is a true floor or a recoverable draw.

Simple example:

• •If you are guaranteed 650/day and your percentage pay adds up to less than that, do you simply get the 650, or do you owe the difference back later as a negative balance?

Good answer sounds like: “The 650/day guarantee is non‑recoverable for the first six months. You get the higher of the guarantee or your percentage each pay period.”

Vague answer could hide:

• •A recoverable draw that looks like a guarantee but must be paid back or worked off.

7. “Can I see a sample pay report for a current or recent associate?”

What it means: You are asking to see the actual math for someone who works there now or just left. Why it matters: Real reports show how production, collections, write‑offs, and lab fees move from the top line down to your pay.

Simple example: A sample report might show:

• •Gross production.
• •Adjustments.
• •Adjusted production.
• •Collections.
• •Lab fees.
• •Percentage applied.
• •Final pay for that period.

Good answer sounds like: “We can anonymize a report and walk you through how we calculated Dr. X’s pay for a typical month.”

Vague answer could hide:

• •That the system is confusing even for them, or that the numbers are not as strong as the job ad suggested.

Make “30%” mean something real

Before you sign a percentage‑based contract, you should be able to answer these questions in your own words for that specific job:

• •Is it production or collections?
• •If production, is it gross or adjusted?
• •If collections, when are collections counted?
• •What write‑offs and lab fees come out before your percentage?
• •Is the guarantee a true floor or a recoverable draw?
• •What do actual pay reports look like for current associates?

Once you have those details, plug them into Bonded’s calculator and offer comparison tools so you can see what “30%” or “28% of collections” is likely to pay you in real life, not just on the contract page.