In recent years, there has been a rise in the number of dental support organizations (DSOs) in the industry. But what exactly is a DSO, and what impact do they have in the dental field? In this blog post, we’ll dive into what a DSO is, its benefits, and potential implications for dental professionals and patients.
What is a DSO?
DSOs are companies that acquire existing dental practices and assume management responsibilities such as operations, marketing, and administration.
DSOs manage the nonclinical aspects of dental practices, such as office management and support staff duties; however, they don’t supply dentists for practices. While there are different kinds of DSOs, they generally own and equip the practice and employ all nonclinical team members as needed.
According to the Association of Dental Support Organizations, DSOs exist to assist dentists in optimizing their practices by offering professional office management support, freeing dentists up to focus on patient care while still offering exceptional dental services.
How do DSOs operate?
DSOs operate with a centralized infrastructure, providing administrative and operational support to multiple dental offices. In some cases, these offices are unified under a single DSO brand. DSOs either contract with or acquire dental practices, relieving dentists of nonclinical responsibilities like marketing or operations.
They offer a wide range of services, including managing existing practices, launching new practices, and providing resources and support to dental practices. DSOs have become increasingly popular for finding dental assistant and dental hygienist jobs, as they offer a wide array of opportunities.
Benefits of DSOs
- Streamlined Operations: DSOs help streamline dental practice operations, making them more efficient and effective.
- Access to Resources: DSOs can gain access to additional resources that may not be readily available to dental practices otherwise. This can include the latest dental technology and specialized equipment.
- Focus on Patient Care: When the administrative tasks are taken care of by the DSO team, dental professionals can focus on providing quality care to their patients.
- Professional Development: DSOs often provide additional opportunities for professional development and continuing education to help dental professionals stay up to date with the latest industry advances.
- Financial Benefits: DSOs can help the dental practice improve their financial performance through revenue management.
In conclusion, DSOs play an integral role in the dental industry by acquiring and managing dental practices, in turn allowing dentists to focus on patient care. They can help streamline operations, provide access to resources, and improve revenue. Overall, DSOs have helped reshape the dental industry and will continue to influence practices moving forward.
