There are many concerns dentists have that could prevent them from affiliating with a DSO, including fears of losing autonomy and staff, according to Barry Lyon, DDS.
Dr. Lyon is a chief dental officer for the division of orthodontics and pediatric dentistry at Sarasota, Fla.-based DSO Dental Care Alliance.
He recently spoke with Becker's about the factors that could keep dentists from affiliating with DSOs.
Editor's note: This Q&A is part of a weekly series featuring Dr. Lyon focused on topics in the dental industry and DSO field. This response was lightly edited for clarity and length.
Question: What are some hurdles that keep private practices from affiliating with DSOs?
Dr. Barry Lyon: Affiliating a dental practice with a DSO requires preparation, representation, education and a bit of risk tolerance. It is a huge step for a practice owner to take, and sleepless nights pondering the decision is not uncommon. What are some of the factors that keep dentists from affiliating?
One of the two most common fears dentists have when considering selling to a DSO is a loss of autonomy. Dentists who have built their practices from scratch find it hard to separate from the day-to-day role they’ve had for many years. However, depending on the particular DSO’s model, there can be minimal loss of autonomy because the DSO realizes the selling doctor knows more about what’s good for the practice than they do. The second most common fear dentists have is a change in their practice’s culture when it is clearly to the DSO’s advantage to maintain the culture that made the practice so successful.
Another fear dentists have is a loss of their staff. Developing a cohesive office staff can be extremely difficult, especially in today’s job market. So, when a dentist has finally put together a true team, there is concern that the team may be broken up. Again, maintaining that team is clearly to the DSO’s advantage.
Finally, owners of a one- or two-doctor practice in one location may find it difficult to appeal to a DSO. Multi-office practices are more attractive to DSOs. More locations generally mean more dentists and more infrastructure for growth.