As dental school costs rise, many younger dentists are joining DSOs instead of opening their own private practices.
Yonathan Nigatu, DDS, shared with Becker's why he chose to join Aspen Dental after graduating from Nashville, Tenn.-based Meharry Medical College School of Dentistry in 2018.
Editor's note: Responses have been lightly edited for clarity and length.
Question: Why, as a new graduate, did you decide to join a DSO?
Dr. Yonathan Nigatu: I graduated from dental school in 2018, and as a young dentist, ADMI's model made owning my practice easy and more affordable than purchasing a traditional private practice. It's actually about half the cost of purchasing a practice because I'm partnering with ADMI and operating under the Aspen Dental brand. Leveraging the nonclinical business services allows me to focus on what I do best — taking care of patients — instead of HR and payroll. The support continues after becoming an owner with ongoing education, leadership retreats and practice support in areas including marketing, finance, legal and recruiting. The support services were really attractive to me.
Joining a DSO also helps ensure my practice benefits from the latest industry innovations. The scale of a DSO allows for widespread rollout of new future-focused technology, in many cases much earlier than a private practice would be able to afford. This allows myself and other doctors to have the most advanced dental materials and continue to improve patient care quality.
DSOs typically offer comprehensive benefit packages that private practices can't match. Aspen Dental offers higher salaries, signing bonuses, relocation assistance, student loan repayment programs (up to $200,000 per dentist) and a clear career trajectory.
Q: How did you determine which DSO to join?
YN: I chose Aspen Dental because of the volume of patients I get to see, along with the organization's dedication to making dentistry accessible to everyone. My practice is located in Rockingham, N.C., which has a huge dental need, and my team and I can make a significant impact on the health of our community. I also really enjoy the team environment at Aspen, and that I have a network of colleagues across the country who I can turn to for advice and support. Additionally, the compensation package was very competitive, including options for profit-sharing, relocation assistance and signing bonuses.
Q: What should DSOs keep in mind when trying to attract new dental graduates?
YN: The DSO model is very attractive to new dental graduates who may be trying to pay off school debt and learn more about practice management. It gives young dentists a network of dental professionals to turn to with clinical questions as well as the nonclinical services supporting areas. One of the benefits of being part of the Aspen Dental team is the clear trajectory for those who want to own a practice — or multiple practices. There is a lot of guidance provided on ownership opportunities, such as partnering with another new owner, and the company provides ownership training and preparation. In short, the DSO model removes many of the obstacles young practice owners face and makes one's career path smoother and career goals more attainable.