Private Dental Practice vs DSO: What’s The Difference?

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What are the main differences between a private dental practice and a DSO? In 2022, there are so many choices you have to make as a new dentist. The decision to go with a dental practice, go out on your own, or join a dental service organization can be overwhelming. Part of the reason Ascent Dental Solutions exists is to provide guidance to new dentists as they make decisions for their careers. As you do this, deciding between joining a dental practice vs. DSO plays an important role. This post reviews some of the differences between the two.

Advantages of Private Dental Practices vs DSO

 

When it comes to dental practices, you can choose from owning a solo business or joining a small group with other dental providers. There are several benefits to joining a dental practice. You typically have more flexibility in your hours, schedule, and other resources. This is alluring to many young dentists who want flexibility in their work environment. As a business owner, you can often set your own hours (within reason) and work when you want to.

Disadvantages of Dental Practices

 

 

Depending on the type of dental practice you join, there can be some disadvantages. If you want to own your practice, a downside is that you wear many hats – including marketing and promoting your business. While some people thrive on doing different tasks rather than the same ones all day long, it can be overwhelming if you are just starting out. You might find that partnering with a more experienced dentist gives you the best mix of autonomy and support.

 

Advantages of DSO

 

DSO stands for Dental Service Organization. These are organizations that manage the administrative side of things, leaving you to focus on providing excellent clinical care. Faced with high student loan debt and increasing dental school costs, DSOs can be a good option for many young dental professionals. Most if not all of the administrative tasks are managed by the DSO, and you receive a steady and reliable income from the get-go. If you prefer a reliable system and support network, DSOs would likely be a good fit.

Disadvantages of DSO

 

There are pros and cons to everything. With DSOs, there are some disadvantages to keep in mind. The first is that you have less freedom and flexibility if you choose to join a DSO. This option reflects a traditional employment experience, which may or may not be a plus for you. You also may have to go through corporate “red tape” and requirements that would not be an issue if you owned your practice. DSOs often manage important aspects of a dental practice like staffing, which can make or break the client experience. In these organizations, you don’t have control over these and other decisions.

Private Dental Practice vs DSO? Dr. Coughlin Can Help

 

As you decide what option to take in your dental career, you don’t have to do it alone. Dr. Coughlin has experience growing and managing 14 practices over his career. Contact him today to learn about how he can help you make the best financial and professional decisions for you!

Why You Should Hire A Dental Coach?

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Dental school gives you the skills you need, but not always the business know-how to transform your practice, hit your income goals, and serve your patients in a big way. This creates a learning curve, many mistakes, and unnecessary detours on the path to sustainable success. But there is an easier way to navigate life after dental school or grow your current dental practice.

Three Reasons Why You Should Hire A Coach

As mentioned above, not having the right tools and experience when trying to grow your practice can lead to costly mistakes and headaches. But having a coach to lean on gives you support and strategy from someone who has been there, made the mistakes, and found the right pivots to create success.

1.) Working with a coach also helps you reach the next level of growth. Whether you are new to the dental industry, trying to grow your practice, or even sell your practice- coaching can help you reach the finish line faster. Sure, you could Google and use trial and error, but if you want to get results more quickly, coaching is a tool that will get you there.

2.) Dentistry can be a lonely profession and doesn’t always come with the collaboration of colleagues. That’s where coaching comes in. When you work with a knowledgeable coach who can collaborate, understand your industry, and provide an actionable plan, you will reach your goals faster and struggle less.

3.) Working with a coach can help you streamline and improve your training, management, systems, and marketing to grow your business more sustainably. In addition, having an outside strategist look at your current processes objectively can create far better outcomes for your future.

After over 30 years as a dentist, I now have 14 successful dental practices, and through my experience of knowing what works, what doesn’t, and replicating successful strategies, I can help you do the same.

 

Ready to take your dental practice to the next level? Reach out now!

How to Prevent Dental Burnout

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As a dental professional, stress often is the name of the game. Long hours, emotional and physical components, and potentially adding business management as a dental practice owner all adds up to a scenario where you’re chronically tired and overwhelmed. How do you know if you’re burnout – or on the way there? Can you prevent burnout from happening in the first place? If so, how?

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS

Dental burnout is extremely common, with some studies stating that over 80% of dentists experience it. It’s understandable given the emotional, social, and physical demands of dentistry, not including the added stresses of running your own business if you’re a dental practice owner.

Here are some of the most common signs and symptoms of dental burnout:

  • Chronic fatigue and inability to wake up easily in the morning
  • Lack of motivation
  • Social isolation
  • Difficulty concentrating
  • Lack of sense of fulfilment and/or purpose

Typically, these signs of burnout start to occur for some time prior to your reaching a breaking point. With the right tools and knowledge, you can confidently navigate your dental career with support systems in place if needed.

NAVIGATE SCHEDULES

As a dentist, your work schedule is often demanding and strenuous. If you own your dental practice, there are added factors to consider, including managing cash flow, staff, etc. Whichever position you find yourself in, establishing a consistent schedule with important breaks and downtime included goes a long way to boosting your mood and sense of purpose. Socialization is vital too – even in these interesting times – so make sure you’re connecting with loved ones as much as possible. Healthy diet and exercise are beneficial as well.

ESTABLISH A POSITIVE WORK ENVIRONMENT

You most likely spend more time in your office than you do at home. The environment you work in contributes greatly to your mental and even physical health, so it is important to consider workplace stresses. Is there a gossip culture? Is everyone on the same page when it comes to duties and responsibilities? Do you feel supported? Consider meeting with your office staff to brainstorm and make any changes to help relieve some of the stress you carry.

COMMUNICATE EFFECTIVELY

Effective communication between and among your team members is vital to managing professional boundaries. Delegate administrative tasks to your staff. Share expectations of your day to day workload with your team and family members. WIth proper communications and expectations in place, burnout is significantly less likely to occur.

NEED MORE HELP?

Looking for guidance to help prevent you or your staff from dental professional burnout? Pick up a copy of Dr. Coughlin’s book Just Enough To Be Great In Your Dental Professional for practical tips on building success in the dental industry.

Dental Careers

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Are you in your late twenties, thirties or even forties and want to start a dental career? Don’t think it’s a possibility? Despite what you might think, there are options for you to get started in the dental industry if you want to do it. We’ll discuss a few steps you can take to make your dream a reality.

RESEARCH DENTAL CAREERS

Whether you’ve worked in several positions and/or industries up until this point, knowing your career options as a dental professional is an important step. Do you see yourself owning your practice one day? Would you prefer the stability of a salaried position in an established practice? Have you considered a career in the dental research and academic space? What kind of dental career track makes the most sense for your life situation, taking any family or other commitments into consideration? You could even ask a dental school admissions officer some of these questions as part of your research.

TAKE PREREQUISITE COURSES

Dental schools do require basic prerequisites for admission. These typically include about two semester’s worth of classes in biology, general and organic chemistry and physics with a lab component. Some schools may also require additional prerequisite coursework like anatomy. It’s also worth noting that shadowing – where you observe the work and practice of an established dentist – is usually required prior to starting or during your dental school course load.

In terms of where to apply, much of that depends on things like location, clinical specialization preferences, community feel, and more. Are you willing to relocate, or do you prefer to attend somewhere close by? What kind of community and/or curriculum do you want? Do you have an idea of the clinical services you’re most interested in? All of these factors play a role in where you decide to apply.

PREPARE FINANCIALLY

Finally, the path to a dental career is rigorous and demanding, both in terms of the workload and lifestyle but also on your wallet. If you’re switching to dentistry from another career, you may have had time to grow resources or savings you can tap into. If your current employer allows it, you can ask if they would be willing to reimburse some of your education expenses.

If you need to finance your dental school education, there are several options you can choose from. They include federal loans specifically for the dental industry, institutional loans, and third-party financing alternatives.

For more information on financing dental school, go to the American Dental Education Association.

WHAT NEXT?

Thinking about a career change to dentistry? Already in dental school but don’t know which career path to choose? Contact us today and we can help guide you confidently in the right direction.

Re-Opening After COVID19

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Covid-19 has impacted every global industry, and dental practices are no exception. If you work, manage or own a dental practice, this is obvious. The nature of dental work involves high-contact personal interaction, which puts both you and your patients at higher risk of contagion if you do not implement and follow recommended hygienic protocols. In Massachusetts, Phase 2 of the Covid-19 reopening plan gives the green light for dentists to offer non-emergent services, like routine cleanings. Although we’re just entering the beginning of the “new normal”, is your practice prepared to follow the recommended guidelines? Here’s just a few ideas you can start at your dental practice today to succeed in the re-opening stages.

ADMINISTRATIVE CHANGES

Due to the up close, personal nature of dentistry work, most dental practices opted to shut their doors or limit services extensively during the state and nationwide stay-at-home orders. According to the ADA, 79% of dentists closed except for emergency work, and 17% shut their doors entirely. But the fact is that revenue loss from such a drastic decrease in patient visits is devastating for many dental practices, despite the desire to keep everyone safe.

As we move into the “new normal”, work on streamlining your administrative process. You may already do most or all of these things, but here are a few suggestions to implement from an administrative standpoint:

  • Schedule appointments with enough time in between to facilitate proper cleaning and disinfecting.
  • Limit the number of patients and staff in the practice at one time.
  • If possible, consider staggering or dividing the staff into shifts to avoid having to shut the office down if someone gets sick.
  • Prioritize higher risk patients with a specified window of time after you open each day.
  • Call ahead to verify information with the patient beforehand and advise them on what to do if they feel sick before or after their visit.

PRACTICE ENVIRONMENT

In terms of preparing your physical dental practice for higher patient traffic, the CDC has put together a detailed list of considerations specific to dental offices. Many of these guidelines are most likely very familiar to you. However, here are some basic recommendations when planning to re-open — or stay open:

  • Ensure that every staff member has access to personal protective equipment (PPE) which may include face masks, shields, gloves, and protective clothing.
  • Advise all staff and patients to wear a mask when not undergoing dental work.
  • Mark floors, walls or other visible areas to note proper social distance – ie. a floor marker every 6 feet.
  • Place hand sanitizer visibly around the office and implement strict cleaning and disinfecting protocols in between patients.

WHAT NEXT?

The “new normal” will be different in your dental practice than it was before, but you don’t need to feel overwhelmed. Want further guidance in how to ensure success in a post-Covid 19 environment? Schedule your consultation with Dr. Coughlin today.

The Biggest Hurdles After Dental School

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What are the biggest hurdles after graduating dental school?

Have you recently graduated from dental school? As a new graduate, chances are you’ve accumulated practical knowledge, modern skills – and a huge amount of debt. Obviously, you want a successful career, but because there are a lot of options to choose from, it can be difficult to know which path to take.

There’s good news: you’re not alone! Our New Dentist Career Path coaching program gives you the tools and information to address many of the questions you might have, in addition to equipping you to ensure success in your dental career.

Here are some of the common questions and problems our 6 Week New Dentist Career Path covers.

DO I JOIN A TEAM OR GO IT SOLO?

There are many paths a new dentist can take. Should you join an established team? Do you dream of owning your own practice? What are the benefits of each? Dr. Coughlin helps you navigate each of these options and which one might be the best one for you.

HOW TO FIND YOUR IDEAL PATIENTS

An important factor in predicting success as a dentist is the ability to know your patient’s needs. But how do you do that? What are some tools you can use to navigate your ideal patient base in order to target and tailor your services for maximum benefit?

HOW DOES DENTAL COMPENSATION WORK?

Navigating the ins and outs of how your pay structure works as a dentist can be tricky, especially when factoring in the differences between opening your own practice and joining a dental group. For example, is your pay based on collection, production or guaranteed salary – or a mix? Understanding these practical considerations gives you more confidence as you enter the dental workforce.

CAN I AVOID COMMON PITFALLS?

Like any career, it takes time to establish trust and respect as a dentist, not to mention the lessons you learn from mistakes along the way. However, there are some very common pitfalls that you can avoid if you know what to look for and how to prepare for them. The personalized coaching sessions give you the opportunity to work through these common mistakes. Even more than that, Dr. Coughlin equips you with resources and tools to save you time and money.

READY TO GET STARTED?
The New Dentist Career Path consists of six coaching sessions. We can work with you either in person, over the phone or via teleconferencing. In addition to the coaching sessions themselves, we also send you four of Dr. Coughlin’s books, which are valuable resources you can refer back to in the future.

Ready to get started? Call us today to register for the New Dentist Career Path coaching sessions or with any questions.

Questions to Ask Before Offering Teledentistry Services

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Over the past several months, social distancing and remote work have become the new normal for most Americans. For dental practice owners, implementing telehealth options to continue operations is in many cases a necessity in order to comply with both federal and state recommendations.

If your practice hasn’t already done so, consider getting your team and patients on board with a telehealth program. Not only does it mean that you can still offer your services, but your patients will also feel appreciated and thought of during this uncertain time.

However, there are some things you need to consider before turning your practice into a telehealth operation. This post will go over just a few of these factors.

HOURS OF OPERATION

The nature of dental work is that many visits are due to emergent scenarios like cavities or an infected tooth. Other patients may only see you twice a year for their checkups. This can make determining standard hours of operations difficult under “normal” circumstances, but remote services add more stress to the issue.

Here are some questions you need to consider regarding hours of operation in a telehealth-based world. By reviewing these and other factors, you can be more prepared for the changes that telehealth services bring.

• Do you want to set aside certain hours for emergency vs regular visits?
• Will telehealth services only be for non-emergent clients? How does this relate to cleanings?
• If your in-person support team are necessary for your business operations, how do their positions fit into telehealth practices? Is there room for them to work remotely if possible?

PROGRAMS

There are many different platforms available for telehealth programs. However, an important thing to note is that not all of the popular options (Skype, Facetime) offer HIPAA Compliant regulations for their video conference services. Platforms that provide HIPAA compliant protected teledentistry services include Cisco, GoToMeeting and Zoom. Since the privacy, protection, and security of your clients is of vital importance, this is an important aspect to keep in mind. It is also likely that some training for telehealth platforms may be needed for both staff and patients, so preparation in this area can be very helpful for all involved. For example, consider training and designating one staff member to be the “go-to” person for all things related to the technical side of telehealth services.

PAPERWORK

Much of the administrative aspect of running an efficient dental practice relates to the proper use, storage, and disposal of patient-sensitive paperwork. When it comes to preparing your office for telehealth services, make sure to go through these questions about paperwork to ensure as seamless a transition as possible.

• Do you offer your patients a disclosure form to receive teledentistry services?
• How do you plan to store paperwork from telehealth visits for record purposes?
• What systems do you have in place to properly secure paperwork if moving them from one program to another?

NEED HELP?

Want to implement teledentistry options during this time of uncertainty but aren’t sure where to start? Dr. Coughlin is here to guide, support and encourage you now and in the future to grow and sustain a dental practice that goes above and beyond. Call us today!

3 Simple Characteristics of Successful Dental Practice Owners

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As an aspiring dental entrepreneur, you know that being at the top of your craft is of utmost importance. But when it comes to managing your own dental practice, your chances of achieving success increases if you possess certain personal and professional characteristics. The good thing is — all of these can be learned and practiced!

Ready to learn three simple characteristics that all successful dental practice owners have? Read on!

VISION-SHAPED AND GOAL DRIVEN

I’m sure you’ve heard the discouraging statistic that 95% of small businesses fail within a decade of first opening their doors. While that does appear to be a bleak prospect, keep in mind that by getting (and staying) informed of the common pitfalls that plague business owners, you can take active steps to avoid ending up in a precarious situation.

To that end, one important characteristic of a successful business owner is to have a specific vision and goals that go beyond just the bottom line. Think preemptively about the many details that go into effectively running a business- things like staff, payroll, accounting, and software program solutions. The ability to balance your larger goals as a dental practice owner with the seemingly smaller day-to-day operations functions can go a long way to paving the way for your success.

ASTUTE AND EFFECTIVE MARKETERS

The difference between a successful business and one that struggles is often found in the way that they approach marketing. Do you know who your target market is? Similarly, do you have an ideal client sector you want to reach? Is your practice’s marketing messaging aligned with those goals?

If you are not able to reach the right customer with the right messaging, your business can end up suffering in the end. It might not seem obvious right away, but eventually, the need to narrow in on your desired target market becomes vitally important, especially in the face of any competition.

A successful business owner knows how to market their services to their ideal clients.

HUMILITY AND WISDOM TO ASK FOR HELP 

Entrepreneurship does require a level of self-reliance, which is in and of itself an excellent trait to have if you plan on opening your own dental practice. However, no one can do everything perfectly all the time. If you want to focus on your clinical efforts, for example, you need to rely on other people and/or systems to help manage the operations, marketing and other functions necessary to make your practice successful. It can be tempting to try and do it all yourself, but humility and knowing your limits helps protect you from burn-out and also encourages confidence in the members of your team. Dental practices do not consist of only the dentist. If you want your practice to be successful, humility is a practical characteristic that benefits not only you but the whole business as well.

WANT MORE GUIDANCE?

This post has explored three very basic characteristics of successful business owners. If you want to learn about more examples or feel there are areas you know you need guidance on, contact Dr. Coughlin today. Bridge the gap between knowing what it takes to run a wildly successful dental practice and actually doing it!

 

 

What Are Dental Service Organizations?

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Most dentists are faced with the decision to choose either open their own business, join another private practice, or become part of a Dental Service Organization (DSO).

But what exactly are DSO’s? What benefits do they have for your dental career, or alternatively, what are some of the drawbacks associated with them?

This post will give you a basic understanding of Dental Service Organizations and answer these questions with a goal to see how they might work with your own dental career.

WHAT ARE DSO’s?

Dental Service Organizations are also referred to as Dental Support Organizations. They both are commonly abbreviated as DSOs, and at their core, their business models provides non-clinical functions for dental practices. In many cases, services can include things like human resources, payroll, marketing efforts, IT solutions, and practice administrative support. For a dentist that seeks to focus primarily on their patients without the stress or worry that operations and administrative tasks can create, joining a practice that is managed by a DSO is an attractive option. DSO’s generally promise greater mobility and work-life balance compared to practices who manage their own operations.

That being said, there are definite advantages and disadvantages when it comes to joining a DSO. If you’re a novice dental practitioner, here are some to keep in mind when making decisions that affect your career.

BENEFITS

As mentioned before, the primary benefit that DSO’s offer is the ability for dental practitioners to focus on their clinical and patient experience, while the administrative and operational duties are managed by a third-party DSO.

This potentially means more time providing high quality care and less time spent on menial operational tasks.

Similarly, participating in a DSO can yield access to cutting-edge technology that might not otherwise be attainable through an independently managed practice. There are also special mentoring programs, coupled with attractive starting salaries, that can be especially enticing for dentists in the early stages of their career.

DISADVANTAGES

The biggest drawback to signing up with a DSO is the lack of independence and autonomy. Because DSO’s manage everything from payroll to administrative staff, your practice does not have a lot of freedom (if any) when it comes to management in these functions.

Another key disadvantage to joining a DSO is that the focus can become focused on numbers instead of providing patients with a high-quality standard of care. While DSO’s can boast greater numbers because of their ability and scope to serve more patients, the quality and personal nature can often diminish as a result.

THINKING OF JOINING A DSO?

Whether you have a freshly minted DMD degree or you’ve been practicing for decades, the decision to join a DSO does affect your career. If independence and autonomy are some of your goals, DSO’s might not be the best choice for you. On the other hand, if you hate being bogged down by the operations side of things, DSO’s could help you take away some of that burden.

Regardless of where you stand, you don’t have to make the decision alone. Reach out to Dr. Coughlin today and we can help you make the best decision for your career and/or practice – whether it’s with a DSO or not.

How Are Dentists Compensated?

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One of the biggest questions that most dentists have upon graduating with their D.M.D is whether to join a Dental Service Organization (DSO) or open their own practice. Related to this is the difference in compensation plans that are available with each option. How exactly are dentists compensated in a dental organization versus as a business owner? Which option makes the most sense for you? These are the questions we will answer today.

GENERAL COMPENSATION OUTLOOK

Many dentists need to start generating income quickly to start paying off student loans or other expenses. The good thing is that according to Payscale.com, the average base salary for a dentist ranges from $82k-$200k, not including bonuses and commissions. How your salary is determined differs based on your location and whether or not you are self-employed or an associate in an established dental service group.

DENTAL ORGANIZATIONS

As an associate at a DSO or other established practice, you are typically paid by the hour or are salaried. You can also be paid as an independent contractor, and you would be expected to track income and set aside funds for tax purposes. However, you can also get a percentage of commission based on either the ‘production’ that you work on or, most commonly, of the funds that are collected after employer discounts, costs for office overhead, etc.

For example, if you are an employee at a dental group and you have several patients that have a 20% discount through their employer, you might only be eligible to receive roughly 50% of the remaining funds after they are allocated towards administrative expenses.

SELF-EMPLOYMENT

If you plan on or already run your own dental practice, compensation will look different for you as the owner. First of all, there’s no one over you determining your hours or commission rates, so your income potential can be higher than an associate. You also have more flexibility in terms of how you prefer to be paid – ie per production or a portion of total monetary collections for rendered services – which can maximize your compensation as well. One key benefit you have as a practice owner is to carry over your business as an asset when or if you stop working with patients.

However, like any business owner, you will need to take the overall overhead of your practice into consideration before compensating yourself. In addition to setting aside the appropriate amount of your gross income for tax purposes, several factors affect how you can claim as take-home pay. These include:

• Employee wages and benefits, if applicable
• Business Insurance
• Office space rental or mortgage
• Administrative systems like payroll, accounting software, etc
• Equipment
• Marketing

Once these main considerations are taken care of, then you can think about how much it makes sense to allocate for personal compensation. This number is often based directly on your overall success as a practice.

NEED MORE INFO?

Understanding the ins and outs of how you get paid as a dentist can be a little confusing. You might also be wondering if one type of compensation plan works better for your needs than others. If you have further questions about compensation or anything else related to your dental career, give Dr. Coughlin a call at (413) 224-2659.