From deciding what insurance to accept to weighing the pros and cons of joining a DSO, being a dentist calls for making tough choices.
Louis Cooper, DDS, a pediatric dentist at Greenwich (Conn.) Hospital, recently connected with Becker's to discuss the toughest decisions dentists have to make.
Note: This response has been lightly edited for length and clarity.
Dr. Louis Cooper: The way I see it the following are three of the toughest decisions dentists have to make:
1. With the increasing activity of DSOs and private equity, dentists face a decision as to whether the advantages of entertaining joining this new wave outweigh giving up their independence.
2. The decision to accept, or not accept certain insurances or insurances at all is one that I believe plague many practitioners given the reimbursement for services seems to continually diminish.
3. Constant increases in costs for staffing, supplies, and equipment presents doctors with the question of how to balance savings without sacrificing the quality of care.