For recent grads, finding the right DSO can be the opportunity of a lifetime
On December 13, 2018, Dr. Jeff Grove was invited to speak as part of a panel discussion on Dental Support Organizations (DSOs) at his alma mater, The University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine. The purpose of the event was to educate Penn Dental students on the types of employment opportunities available post-graduation. Panelists from four DSOs weighed in on the benefits recent grads can expect upon joining a larger dental organization after graduation.
During his exchange with the panel, Dr. Jeff highlighted some of the reasons new dentists are interested in joining his team at Grove Dental Group in Wyomissing, PA. Grove’s commitment to a culture built on support and trust attracts recent grads who are looking for a role where they can continue to learn and grow in their field. The dentists at Grove Dental enjoy frequent one on one mentorship time with Dr. Jeff. They work on expanding their dental skills and improving patient interaction. Leadership coaching and even student loan debt repayment strategies are also topics of conversation for Jeff and the dentists. Grove’s dentists also take advantage of a $5,000 annual contribution toward continuing education. This level of benefits, support, and mentorship would be hard to find at a small one to two doctor dental practice.
“Having the CE benefit was so important for me because it took away the question of – ‘can I afford to take this course while working on paying off my student loans?’ It allowed me to focus on furthering my education as a new dentist.”
– Dr. Amanda Sonntag
So why does it seem like DSOs sometimes get a bad rap? According to the American Dental Association, 7.8 percent of dentists are now part of a DSO, and that figure is expected to rise rapidly as dentists increasingly seek help with non-clinical responsibilities such as managing payroll, ordering supplies, and staffing. In recent years, DSOs have sometimes been seen as more of a rigid and corporate type of work environment, where doctors have less control over clinical decisions. But for recent grads, the key to navigating the world of DSOs, might just be as simple as finding the right DSO. A DSO grounded in core values that include support, mentorship, continuing education, and a commitment to doctors maintaining clinical control over the practice can provide exceptional benefits to both the patients and the team members.
Doctor mentorship, continuing education, and a culture grounded in core values are just a few reasons why Grove Dental has expanded to now include six general dentists and two orthodontists. The Grove Dental model has been so successful that in May 2018, Dr. Jeff partnered with business management expert, Ryan Jones, to launch Dynamic Growth Dental Support. Seeking to replicate Grove Dental’s success with solo dental practices and with dentists seeking to transition or retire, Dynamic Growth represents the Berk’s County’s first non-clinical solution for dental practices.
