Emerging Dental Groups ‘Partner for Growth’

On September 21st and 22nd in National Harbor, Maryland, the ADSO held its first ever Partnering for Growth event.  The ADSO’s newest meeting for emerging dental groups drew 197 attendees from 55 dental groups and DSOs around the country.

“This was a first ever meeting sponsored by the ADSO that was designed for emerging DSOs that wished to grow strategically. The CEOs of the ADSO member companies and their team members provided a great deal of information that was received very well by those in attendance. The ADSO will be planning similar programs in the future based on the overwhelming positive feedback from the participants,” stated Chris Vranas, newly appointed Executive Director of the ADSO. (Read more about Chris Vranas HERE.)

Highlights of the day and a half meeting held in the Riverview Ballroom at the Gaylord National Harbor featured educational sessions on:

Leadership
Michael Bileca put “first things first” with a workshop on the fundamental principles of personal and team leadership.  The leadership principles presented have the power to fundamentally change your perspective on what personal and professional leadership is truly about.  Mr. Bileca has presented and worked with many of the leading DSOs on this leadership model which is heavily influenced by Dr. Stephen Covey’s work.

DSO CEO Leadership Panel
CEOs from the top DSOs in the country shared their best practices and provided invaluable insights in growing and developing DSOs.  Speaking from a wealth of experience and expertise, the industry’s top leaders presented their DSO’s key differentiators, as well as tips on how emerging groups can replicate their success.

Financial and Legal Fundamentals for Your DSO
Michael “Mike” White of MWA covered accounting issues related to setting up and managing a DSO. During this presentation, Mike covered the difference between a management company structure and DSO, went over fundamentals of financials and common mistakes related to setting up the structure.

Principles of Case Acceptance
Dr. Don Gallo, Chief Dental Officer of Dental Care Alliance guided the audience of emerging group practices through his thorough and proven approach to case acceptance.

 

Evolving Your Compliance Program: Lessons from our Experience
Andy Oreffice, Senior Vice President of Compliance & Government Relations with Benevis, shared Benevis’ experience in evolving their compliance program for Kool Smiles and addressed elements of an effective compliance program for any DSO.

Marketing Executive Panel
This session, moderated by Chris Vranas, was an opportunity to learn from marketing executives who are leading their DSO’s growth efforts.  The panel featured Jodi Evans of Community Dental Partners, Jonathan Kaufman of Dental One Partners, and Marta Sweezo of Midwest Dental.  In an ever increasing competitive environment for patients, these executives shared their strategies.

Networking Opportunities
There were plenty of networking opportunities throughout the event to talk with DSO leaders and DSO industry partners.  Networking opportunities included time during breakfast and lunch, as well as quality educational time with industry partners during their table talks.  The highlight of the networking opportunities was certainly the outdoor cocktail hour on the deck of the Riverview Ballroom with views of the Potomac River and Woodrow Wilson Bridge.

If you missed 2017’s Partnering for Growth event, keep following us here at GDN for news on at least one Partnering for Growth meeting in 2018. And possibly two!

Also, don’t forget about the big ADSO event, Summit. It will be held at the JW Marriott in downtown Austin, Texas from April 18th – April 20th.  2017’s ADSO Summit held in Orlando, FL had nearly 900 attendees. Many more are expected in 2018.