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The 2018 DEO Summit, The Emerging Future of Group Dentistry, was held June 7-9 in Phoenix. The event featured leading group dentistry experts, DSO’s, and pioneers in the use of technologies such as artificial intelligence and robotics in dental treatment. More than 500 attendees from all over the United States and Canada gathered to experience top notch speakers, who either presented or sat on panels, on the many aspects of the future of group dentistry and patient care.
In order to thrive in the future, successful dentist-entrepreneurs know that they must look ahead and not let the past repeat itself. Rapidly changing technologies are at the forefront of a shift in the way dentists must approach their practices. The DEO has seen an overwhelmingly positive response from Summit attendees, and watched attendance grow this year by nearly 175 attendees over last year’s event.
Nearly all of dentistry (dentists, advisers, pundits, and vendors) spend their attention and intention on today’s issues and problems. Some anticipate tomorrow’s challenges, but tomorrow’s problems are essentially an extension of today’s. Through the words of the experts who presented at the Summit, the attendees can now better identify key trends that will shape the services, programs, and products being offered to patients, associates and staff. This allows them to build sustainable practices that meet their long term career and retirement goals.
What became clear at this year’s Summit is that dentists are not alone in their journey into an unknown yet exciting future. The support that is there for them from financial, legal, medical, and technical experts as well as DSO’s is astounding. One can easily be overwhelmed by the wealth of resources available, but the first step is to take action toward owning the future of your group practice, and that is exactly what each and every dental professional at the summit did. The road ahead is long and mysterious, but the takeaways from the topics we explored are invaluable to the future of dentistry.
Summit Topics Examined the Future of:
● Dentistry in 2028 – What Will It Look Like?
● Emerging Groups & DSO’s
● Hospital Dentistry
● Robotics in Group Dentistry
● Practice Acquisition for Groups
● Artificial Intelligence in Dentistry: Surviving the AI Invasion
● Dental Therapists/Midlevel Providers
● Impact of Advancing Technology on DSO’s and Their Dentists
● Bank Financing for Group Dentistry
● Specialty Care in Group Practice
The panelists for both days were phenomenal, and gave attendees the chance to focus on some of the most important financial aspects of running a group dental practice. Karan Garg of Houlihan Lokey, Dana Soper of Cordental Group, Justin Jory of Light Wave Dental, and Geoffrey Ligibel of Gentle Dental New England offered their expertise on capital investors and equity financing. This enlightening discussion helped everyone in the room better understand how to position themselves for equity financing and the impact it can have on the culture of operations and the group.
We heard from Ken Cooper of North American Dental Group, Mitch Olan of Dental Care Alliance, and Margaret McGuckin of i3 Ignite in a brilliant discussion on increasing profitability in a dental group. During this engaging panel, attendees had the unique opportunity to get their burning questions answered and go home with the knowledge to develop a strategy to maximize profits that they can implement right away.
Although a variety of valuable information was presented at the 2018 Summit, the theme that resounded throughout the entire event was that staying at the forefront of all aspects of the future of dentistry will be the only way for dentists to find success. It will be men and women like the dental entrepreneurs in attendance who will lead the charge in the seismic shift that has already begun. Those looking toward the future of financing, technology, and DSO’s will shape how these aspects affect group dentistry and patient care.
Speakers and panelists included:
Gordon Christensen
Sulman Ahmed
John Snyder
Alon Mozes
Maria Melone
Charles Jennings
Frank Catalanotto
Andrea Shepperson
Angela Baker
Darius Somekhian
Karan Garg
Dana Soper
Justin Jory
Geoffrey Ligibel
Ken Cooper
Mitch Olan
Margaret McGuckin
Marc Cooper
Jacob Puhl
Special recognition goes to Patient Prism and Tusk, two of the event’s premiere sponsors. Patient Prism graciously hosted the opening reception, and Tusk held an exclusive DEO members-only workshop in an intimate setting that provided hands-on instruction in consulting, case-study analysis, and collaborative teaching around how a dentist can maximize the value of their group to increase cash flows or eventual sale value.
Are you ready to take the next step?
Registration is now open for the DEO Fall Summit: Dancing with the DSO’s, which will take place in Dallas Nov. 1-3. Presenters from highly successful DSO’s will lead discussions focused on “The Emerging Future of Group Dentistry,” designed to equip emerging market leaders with the information they need to prepare for the future and make decisions about their group practice when it comes to DSO involvement. Attendees will hear from 6+ DSO’s including how they “made it” and what it’s like to work with them, as well as dentists who have been down this path and what worked for them.
Interested in joining a community of group practice owners in a collaborative learning environment? Click here to learn more about the Dentist Entrepreneur Organization and how it can help your practice succeed and grow.
