If you’ve ever wondered how some dentists explode from one small practice to multiple thriving locations, you’re not alone. Most dentists want growth—more freedom, more opportunity, and more control—but the road to get there usually feels confusing, expensive, and overwhelming.
But here’s the good news: it doesn’t have to be.
This article breaks down exactly how to grow a dental practice using the real, in-the-trenches story of Dr. Andrew Vallo, a dentist who built 10 startup offices in just over four years while keeping his sanity, his marriage, and his mission intact.
?? Prefer to watch instead of read?
Click here to watch my full interview with Dr. Vallo and see exactly how he did it.
From One Office to a 10-Location Group: Meet Dr. Andrew Vallo
Dr. Vallo didn’t come from a family of practice owners, and he didn’t buy a million-dollar turnkey practice. His path looked a lot like most Dentaltown members:
- Graduated in 2016 with $400K in student loans
- Started in corporate dentistry
- Moved to public health
- Wanted ownership but lost his first deal when the sellers backed out
- Moved states anyway and built a startup from scratch
Fast forward a few years, and he’s operating a multi-location group where:
- One office hit $447,000 in a single month
- A brand-new startup collected $80,000 in two days
- Multiple locations produce $3.5M–$4M annually
- Six new offices were opened in six months
These numbers didn’t happen by accident. They happened by following a repeatable set of principles he uses across every location.
The One Word Behind His Success: Grit
When I asked Andrew to sum up his growth in one word, he didn’t say strategy, systems, or marketing.
He said grit.
Building a group wasn’t easy. He dealt with:
- Delayed buildouts
- Staffing nightmares
- Lawsuits
- Cash-flow timing issues
- Equipment failures
- Landlords
- HR problems
Most dentists hit these roadblocks, panic, and pull back. Andrew leans into them. He calls it an “into the storm” mentality—meaning you deal with problems head-on instead of avoiding them.
If you truly want to learn how to grow a dental practice, that mindset is everything.
Why Most Dentists Get Stuck at One Office
Dental school trains you to be a great clinician—not a business owner. So the “safe” path becomes:
- Buy or join a practice
- Max out your schedule
- Work 25–35 years
- Sell to a DSO
But if you want to grow beyond one location, you have to think differently.
Andrew didn’t ask, “What’s the safest path?”
He asked, “What would it take to scale?”
That shift changed everything.
Strategy #1: Hire Earlier Than You Think
Most dentists wait until their schedule is jammed before they hire. Andrew does the opposite.
In his first startup, he hired a full-time hygienist on day one—even when people told him he couldn’t afford it.
He added:
- Front desk
- Assistants
- Hygienists
- An associate
before he “needed to.”
Why? Because every new hire creates new production capacity. He looks at people as revenue multipliers, not expenses.
If you want to grow a dental practice, you must break the “only hire when you’re drowning” mindset.
Strategy #2: Spend Real Money on Marketing
Most dentists want 80–100+ new patients per month, but only spend $500 on marketing.
Andrew spends:
- $15K–$20K/month for a startup
- $10K/month for mature offices doing $3.5M–$4M
And the money actually works because he matches the marketing channel to the case type:
- Facebook = implants
- Instagram = Invisalign
- Google Ads = emergency + general new patients
He doesn’t guess. He tracks, tests, and meets with his marketing company twice a month.
If you want fast growth, marketing isn’t optional—it’s oxygen.
Strategy #3: Use Second-Gen Spaces to Save $400K+
One of the biggest reasons he scaled so fast is his use of second-generation dental spaces—offices already built out by a previous dentist or DSO.
Instead of spending $600K–$1M on construction, he’s opening offices for:
- $150K–$350K total, including equipment
Often all he needs to update is:
- New chairs
- Updated décor
- Fresh waiting room setup
This allows for:
- Lower risk
- Faster openings
- Higher ROI
If you want to expand without massive debt, second-gen spaces are a game changer.
Strategy #4: Spend on What Patients Actually Notice
Andrew doesn’t waste money on:
- Ultra-premium chairs
- Overpriced cabinets
- Fancy equipment patients never see
Instead, he invests in small upgrades with big impact, like:
- 50–55 inch TVs in every room
- Simple but attractive lighting
- Clean, modern décor
- A “tech-forward” look
Patients don’t care about how expensive your chair is. They care about how comfortable, clean, and modern the office feels.
Strategy #5: Become a CEO, Not Just a Clinician
If you want multiple offices, eventually you must get out of the chair.
Andrew transitioned slowly:
- Full-time dentistry
- Then 3 days a week
- Then 2
- Then 1 (which he hated)
- Now full-time CEO/CMO
Your highest value as an owner is not doing fillings. It’s:
- Leadership
- Recruiting
- Systems
- Marketing
- Strategy
Many dentists stay stuck because they’re afraid to let go of clinical days. But growth requires stepping into a different role.
Strategy #6: Use AI and Automation to Remove Friction
Andrew uses technology where it matters:
- Automated reminders
- Automated recall
- Google review systems
- AI tools like Overjet
- Insurance automation
- Patient communication tools
These tools reduce the workload on the team so they can focus on what matters most—patient care and production.
The 3 Biggest Takeaways for Dentists Who Want to Grow
1. Fix your mindset
Abundance > scarcity.
Think growth, not protection.
2. Treat marketing like an investment
You can’t grow if nobody knows you exist.
3. Build a business, not a job
Systems, people, and leadership are non-negotiable.
Final Thoughts: Growth Is a Choice
Most dentists never expand because they think growth is reserved for unicorns, DSOs, or doctors with special connections.
But the truth is simpler:
Growth is a skill. And like any skill, it can be learned.
If you take anything from Dr. Vallo’s story, let it be this:
You don’t need to be perfect.
You just need grit, good decisions, and a plan.
And if you’d rather watch the full breakdown:
?? Click here to watch the full interview with Dr. Andrew Vallo and see how he built 10 practices in four years.