Private dental practices across the country are facing a competitive environment unlike any in the industry’s recent history. The growth of dental service organizations has brought operational scale, marketing resources, and capital to the table in ways that can make the traditional solo or small-group private practice feel at a disadvantage. The practices that remain competitive are the ones that understand what DSOs offer their patients, why those offerings resonate, and what a private practice can do to compete effectively without surrendering clinical independence.
Mandelbaum Barrett PC CEO William Barrett authored an article for the Dental Practice Reporter titled “5 Ways To Keep Your Private Practice Competitive: The Trend Toward The DSO Business Model.” Barrett leads the firm’s dental law practice and has spent years advising dental practice owners on business and legal matters, including competitive positioning and practice transitions.
What DSOs Bring to the Market
DSOs have succeeded in part by solving real operational problems for dental practices. Centralized billing and insurance credentialing, bulk purchasing of supplies, marketing resources, and technology infrastructure all represent areas where a large DSO has structural advantages over a solo practice. For many patients, the extended hours, multi-specialty services, and consistent technology experience that DSO-affiliated offices provide are meaningful conveniences that influence where they choose to receive care.
Understanding what DSOs offer — and why patients find it attractive — is the starting point for any private practice owner who wants to compete effectively. A clear-eyed assessment of competitive positioning is more useful than simply dismissing the DSO model as incompatible with quality care.
Five Areas Where Private Practices Can Compete
Barrett’s article identified five areas where independent private practices can position themselves effectively against DSO-affiliated offices. These generally include investing in the patient relationship and continuity of care, adopting technology thoughtfully and on the practice’s own terms, building referral networks that leverage the practice’s community roots, emphasizing the personalized experience that a consistent clinical team provides, and using ownership structure as a selling point in associate recruitment.
According to the American Dental Association’s Health Policy Institute, independent ownership remains a meaningful and enduring part of the dental workforce. Patient demand for the personalized care experience that private practices can deliver is real and ongoing for practices that compete intentionally.
Legal Considerations in Practice Competitiveness
Staying competitive sometimes requires restructuring how a practice operates. Employment arrangements with associates, partnership buy-in frameworks, facility lease negotiations, and vendor contracts all have legal dimensions that affect financial performance and flexibility. Practices that review these arrangements periodically with dental-focused legal counsel are better positioned to make adjustments as the competitive landscape continues to shift.
Contact Mandelbaum Barrett PC for Dental Law Guidance
If you are a dental practice owner evaluating how to position your practice in a changing market, or a dentist weighing your options for the next stage of your career, the dental law team at Mandelbaum Barrett PC can help.
Reach out through our contact page to speak with our team. We are here to help you make the most of your practice.