dental management companies Archives

How Do Dentists REALLY Feel About Dental Management Companies? (Survey Results)

In this dentist survey, we asked about dental management companies:

Do you agree or disagree with this statement? “Only dentists should own dental practices.”

Only 12% of our respondents strongly disagreed. They believe that owning a dental practice does not and should not require clinical training in dentistry.

“From the greed and avarice exhibited, as well as over treatment and the selling/pushing of questionable dental items to individuals seeking treatment, I don’t see any difference in letting dentists vs. non dentists own these businesses.” South Carolina general dentist

Another 12% were in the middle:

8% somewhat agreed, and believe that practice owners should generally be dentists, but there are exceptions;
4% somewhat disagreed. They believe it’s okay for others to own practices, but that it’s good when dentists do.

Dental practice management survey results chart The overwhelming 76% majority of dentists strongly believe that dentists should be owners, not dental management companies or private investors.

“Practice management companies should only be business “consultants” as they do not have any medical/dental training and their objectives are merely economic.” Massachusetts
general dentist

“I have witnessed firsthand the moral and ethical degradation of the profession at the hands of dental management companies who are only focused on production,” said a California orthodontist.

He went on to say, “I have seen 3 of the best dentists fired because they were not “producing” enough. One of them said to me, “I am not willing to compromise my ethics, morals or values and create work that is not there.” Gone. I found out from his office manager that the new dentist who replaced him doubled production in less than a year by following the office manager’s recommendations. How did twice the amount of work get ‘created?'”

What’s your opinion of dental management companies?

Dental Management Companies: Dentist Survey Video

Dental management companies can be useful, but many dentists feel they cross a line with dental practice ownership.

We conducted a survey asking dentists if they agree or disagree with the statement that, “Only dentists should own dental practices.”

Fully 89% of the dentists responding to this survey agree that dental practice ownership should be reserved for dentists, not dental management companies or private investors.

Jim Du Molin and Julie Frey discuss dentists’ thoughts on dental management companies in this video.

“Corporate dentistry is here,” acknowledges a California orthodontist, “but only a dentist should be allowed to own a practice or corporation. They will more likely to put the patients’ best interest first, before corporate profits to shareholders and investors.”

“Dentistry is becoming a commodity, just like a loaf of bread,” said a Washington dentist. “All the dental advertising and giveaways have cheapened the status of dentists and dentistry.”

A Colorado dentist offered, “Some dentists are just not cut out to be business people and should just stick to clinical treatment.”

What would you advise a dentist considering joining forces with a dental management company?