Mega Dental Practices the New Dentist Reality?

Dentist Plans “Disneyland of Dentistry”

Dr. Derek Thompson, a 37-year-old Washington state dentist, has set his sights on building the biggest dental practice he possibly can. In fact, he’s gone so far as to call the new facility (which will cover a whopping 25,000 square feet) “the Disneyland of dentistry.”

And what would Disneyland be without entertainment? Thompson plans to delight children with games and an aquarium – oh, and with giant sculptures of prehistoric animals as well. Adults will be able to enjoy free internet access and deluxe coffee drinks.

Dr. Thompson started his career with a more traditional dental practice. Apple Valley Dental found success by targeting the same patients that many other practices try to avoid: those with Medicaid coupons. He and the practice’s three other dentists have a support staff of 30. The practice has expanded rapidly, doing some $1.4 million worth of Medicaid business in 2006.

Thompson’s business model focuses on treating lots of patients (many of them low-income) with lots of tooth decay. And Washington’s Yakima county has no shortage of such patients.

Creekside Dental serves the same population. One of the practice’s doctors, Dr. Shane Smith, explains that the clinic treats 200 patients a day, spread between five dentists and 22 treatment rooms. To handle such a high volume of patients, much of the prep work is performed by dental hygienist and assistants. (In fact, the state legislature recently introduced a new class of dental professionals, expanded function dental auxiliaries, whose responsibilities will be just below those of hygienists.)

Currently, some 85% of dental work is performed by a traditional dentist with his or her own practice. However, as economic realities change, more and more practices will have to examine ways to decrease expenses and increase profitability.

Dr. Thompson is confident he’ll be ahead of the curve. His new 25,000-square-foot facility will have 28 patient rooms, though he’s only planning to use 15 of them in the beginning.

Many dentists are critical of high-volume dental practices, calling them “dental mills” or “assembly lines.” However, Thompson shrugs off this criticism. “Is it a mill because we’ll accept children who need help?” he asks rhetorically.

Being the vanguard of a new era in dentistry is not without its risks. However, Thompson’s competitors were diplomatic when asked about his strategies. “Derek Thompson is a promoter, and you need promoters,” said one. “He’s doing a completely different thing,” offered another.

Thompson himself was less conciliatory. “We’ve destroyed every other clinic in town on services,” he boasts. “This is competitive annihilation. You’re seeing a changing of the guard.”

In total, what does this all mean? Mega practices are nothing new. Las Vegas has been running 24-hour practices for casino and hotel employees for at least ten years. Entertainment for kids has always been big in the pediatric dentistry market. Giant dinosaurs are just the next step. The only thing I’m unsure of is highly-caffeinated patients from the deluxe coffee drinks… That could be a problem in the making!

http://DOCHEALEY.COM MICHAEL HEALEY

HE IS BREAKING THE CARDINAL RULE: NEVER LET ONE EMPOLOYER OR PAYOR ACCOUNT FOR MORE THAN 40% OF YOUR PATIENT BASE. WHEN THEY CHANGE THE RULES, YOU CAN LOSE BIG. ALSO, I HOPE HE IS ABLE TO TREAT THE MEDICALLY CHALLENGED AND CHILDREN WHO REQUIRE HOSPITALIZATION. IN GEORGIA, THOSE WHO COLLECT THE CREAM (PROPHIES, EXAM AND X-RAYS) AND LEAVE THE REST FOR ANOTHER SPECIALIST TO CLEAN UP DO NOT DO A SERVICE TO THE CHILDREN, OR THEIR COLLEAGUES.
jon

I wish this guy Thompson had an ounce of moral tissue in his body…I wish he would put patient care ahead of the bottom line…I wish he wasn’t such an arrogant @$$%$#@!…But what I REALLY wish is that he had some form of training in how, when, why to treat our most vulnerable population…children.
jon

P.S. This guy is FAR from a “specialist”, nor does he have any “specialists” working for him. But his goal is to be seen as such. He also wishes to “cannibalize” all other dentists in town. Not the kind of ‘professional’ our dental profession needs.
http://N/A Carlos Dorantes DDS. MS.

As a Pediatric Dentist practicing in Yakima for the last five years, I am insulted by Dr. Thompson’s statements, however I am not surprised. Medicaid patients in this area have more than one alternative for access to care, especially children. For decades now, local dentists and Public health dental clinics have been working hard to ensure that ALL children in central Washington get the care they deserve (long before Apple Valley existed). Our community has many caring and qualified dentists that treat children of “low income” families; these colleagues also make sure that those children that require “specialty care” are seen by a Pediatric Dentist. I also believe that it is sad that he is thinking about “competitive annihilation” as a means to an end. I am certain this statement and many previous “quotes” will continue to guarantee him a well deserved reputation in this community of friendly and caring people.
David Lurye

“destroying” other practices? Annhilation? Is that what this changing of the guard represents? I applaud anyone who is willing to treat the underserved, but is a cut-throat attitude necessary?
http://www.sterlingimplantdentist.com richard hughes, d.d.s.

He is putting too many eggs in one basket. I admire ambition, but shun arrogance. It’s nice to care for the under served. He best watch the botton line.
dentalsuperstar

All the negative comments replying to this dentist are just insecure and petty. It is possible to help the underserved children of that area and do it with style. So what if there is a giant dino in the waiting room? I’m sure the kids love it and the parents are happy that someone will treat the kids and care enough to make the place nice for them. I am sick and tired of these funny little jealous dentists that like to point fingers and show how they are not aware of how they are showing how insufficient they really are. There are enough patients to go around. You don’t need to whine and say he is immoral, just step up your own game. I don’t know Dr.Thompson, but I am sure the words he used in his reply came from him being tired of the other offices in town giving him grief. Seems like if you are successful in dentistry then the other dentists call you a sell-out. So, Great Job Dr. Thompson,keep doing an outstanding job at your office. And to the others…well, maybe you need to concentrate on your own business and then maybe one day you will be so lucky to be called a “sell-out” too.
http://applesmiles.com Derek Thompson

Dear dental community. It is sad when dentists choose to believe everything they read in their local paper(Especially when it is written in the Yakima Herald). I asked the editor why they decided to make up quotes and she told me that they were running behind the night before and didn’t have time to verify quotes. As for the annihilation comment, I found it sad because it is so far from what we stand for or would ever say. I made about thirty phone calls to local dentists giving them the heads up that the quotes were false. But really the dentists in Yakima have not been gracious or very kind from the beginning so its not shocking to read these comments. As for Apple Valley Dental and Orthodontics we see children with coupons but we are unfortunately not able to take adult coupons. fifty percent of our chairs are dedicated to adults and they are all fee for service. There are six dentists, one is a pediatric specialist and one is a licensed orthodontist. As for the dentists that replied negatively and chose to speak negatively, we would be happy to give you a tour of our facility and break any misconceptions you may have gotten from the Herald’s article. However, I know Dr. Dorantes and have had to respond to a complaint he filed against us because he believes that general dentists should not be able to advertise that they provide pediatric services. He quickly dropped his complaint, he must have actually read the RCW. We are having a blast here trying new ways to make dentistry fun, and the community has responded amazingly.And while I strive to be gracious and work well with other dentists, I always say, “I didn’t become a dentist to make other dentists happy, I became a dentist to make my patients happy.” Thank you for your time.
Alan Shaw

It’s all a facade……smoke and mirrors and the bottom line