Benefits of an Independent Dental Practice Over a Corporate Practice

The Downside of Corporate Dentistry If you are looking for a Weston dentist to care for your family's oral health and pediatric dentistry needs, you probably are looking for a dentist whose approach to the practice is focused on the best possible treatment for the patient. You want an experienced professional like Stephen J. Pyle DDS, whose reputation for personal attention has kept, literally, generations of patients coming back for dental care. You might logically think that all dentists have this same "patient first" business model. That has always been the traditional business model. However, "corporate dentists" or "Dental Service Offices (DSO)" have been popping up all over Florida and they often bring a different approach to dental service than the independent dentist. What is a Corporate Dentist Office and how is it Different from Dr. Pyle's Practice? Let's start with the basics. In Florida a dental practice has to be owned by a licensed dentist. Corporations or other business entities are forbidden by law to operate dental offices. So what do DSOs do? They provide all the essentials to run a dentistry practice except the talent. They can provide the office, equipment, supplies, non-medical personnel (front desk, billing etc.) insurance, marketing and more. Often DSOs can offer dentists exceptional discounts on all supplies because they are buying in volume for many offices. Everything a dentist needs to open a practice or expand an existing practice can be provided by a DSO…for a price. In essence the DSO is "investing" in the dentist and of course they expect a return on their investment. One of the ways that a DSO ensures they get a return is tying the compensation of the dentist to the types and volume of services that he or she performs. This results in the dentist needing to meet "revenue goals" in order to get paid. Naturally "upselling" becomes a routine practice and if there is an adequate but less expensive treatment available, it is often not recommended in favor of more expensive procedures. In short the dentist is now working for the DSO and has no input into the business model he or she follows. When You Want a Dentist with your Best Interest in Mind, See an Independent Practitioner Like Dr. Pyle When you own the practice and employ all of the staff you can determine how the business is run. An independent dentist can determine what services will be offered, what patient care policies will be followed and most importantly, what the culture of the office will be. At Dr. Pyle's practice the difference between corporate dentistry and a professional independent practice couldn't be more obvious. From your first contact with the staff to the conclusion of a treatment you will know that you, and your particular care requirements are what drives the service, not a "revenue goal." Call us today for an appointment and experience the difference first hand.