![](https://www.groupdentistrynow.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/PK-DB-5297929-110124_GDN_NOV.gif")
Dentists affiliated with and supported by Dental Support Organizations (DSOs) are patient-centric and focus on providing the best oral health care to the patients they serve. DSOs increase access and affordability to high quality healthcare, often in traditionally underserved areas, by relieving affiliated and supported dentists from the burden of the non-clinical aspects of the operation of a dental office. This allows the dentist to concentrate on the clinical practice of dentistry, providing their patients with an unparalleled patient experience, using the most up to date technology and treatments available; ensuring positive patient outcomes.
Through its government affairs team, the Association of Dental Support Organizations (ADSO) is committed to preserving a public policy environment that fosters positive patient outcomes. To this end, the ADSO engages and works with elected officials and stakeholders to create and foster an environment that encourages positive patient outcomes by providing access to ethical, affordable, and high-quality oral healthcare.
Since 2015, the ADSO engaged in Maryland to protect every Marylander’s access to ethical, affordable and high-quality oral healthcare. Working with stakeholders, the Maryland State Dental Association, and elected officials, the ADSO was finally able to reach consensus legislation, which was introduced early in the 2020 legislative session.
In 2019, the ADSO supported amendments to California legislation that, as introduced, would have unintentionally undermined a patient’s access to financing for costly procedures. At the time of its passage, the bill achieved the underlying policy goals of the author – to protect consumers – while also realizing the ADSO’s policy goal of preserving a patient’s access to ethical, affordable and high-quality oral healthcare through access to affordable financing.
In addition to confronting legislative issues, the ADSO remains diligent in identifying regulatory issues that may impinge on a patient’s access to high quality oral healthcare. Specifically, the ADSO engaged in Georgia on two problematic administrative rules: Fee Splitting and Advertising. The proposed fee splitting rule would have created confusion in the marketplace over how a dentist appropriately compensates a DSO for the services it rendered. These matters are still being considered by the Georgia Dental Board.
The ADSO Government Affairs team also represents their members interests at the annual meetings of the American Dental Association (“ADA”) and the American Association of Dental Boards (“AADB”). This past year the ADSO Executive Director, Christopher Badgley, testified against several resolutions before the ADA House of Delegates because the proposals would have eroded a patient’s ability to get the ethical, affordable, and high-quality oral health care they need. Other ADSO Government Affairs staff met with leaders of the AADB to continue the dialogue between the associations and to seek out common ground as to how their organizations and the members represent best serve patients across the United States.
Learn about the ADSO’s upcoming Summit, March 11-13, at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center right outside Washington DC in National Harbor, Maryland. The Summit is the largest DSO event in the country and is consistently the gold standard event for the DSO industry.
Listen to our podcast with Chris Badgley, Executive Director of ADSO. He talks about the newly announced ADSO Academy, the Summit, how the ADSO partners with emerging dental groups to help them grow, and more. Learn more about Chris here.
Listen to our podcast with Luke LaLiberté, Membership Director at ADSO. He explains the benefits of being a member of the ADSO for both Industry Partners and DSOs. Luke also explains what the ADSO does and how it benefits the entire DSO community. Learn more about Luke here.
Read our interview with Lisa Steelman, Vice President, Government Relations and Strategic Alliances at ADSO. She provides a clear picture of the ADSO’s relevance and significance in our industry. Providing a unified voice for the industry, her team creates and maintains a presence that supports a legislative and regulatory environment that allows DSOs of all sizes to continue to grow and serve communities. Learn more about Lisa here.
Looking for a Job? Looking to Fill a Job? JoinDSO.com can help:
Subscribe for free to the most-read and respected
resource for DSO analysis, news & events:
Read what our subscribers & advertisers think of us:
