Conditions of Satisfaction for Posting on Dentaltown.
I recently had an in-depth interview with Howard Farran about dentistry, the future of dental practice, group practice, and the radical and rapid changes that are occurring throughout the dental industry. Howard and I go way back. This is the second time I’ve been on podcast.
My area of work in the dental industry is in managed group practices / DSO space. I work with dentist-entrepreneurs operating emerging and small group practices, and assist them in becoming much larger (multiple locations, multi-million-dollar revenue entities, with non-dentist senior executive teams, i.e. COO, CFO, HR, Marketing).
Howard asked that I post my eNewsletters on Dentaltown. I accepted his request. But like any commitment, all commitments are conditional, so I wanted to be clear with you on my conditions for those who choose to read these posts.
Like each of you, I have a belief system. A belief system is shaped by many elements – family systems, peer relations, society, educational experience, life experiences, one’s own psychology, knowledge and understanding and certainly one’s worldview.
My belief system leads me to see the future of dentistry where solo practices will continue to shrink in numbers till they are less than 20% of the landscape, and group practice will continue to rapidly expand to fill the void. In my eNLs over the years, I gave my rationale based on the present evidence, statistics, and facts that validate and reinforce these beliefs.
I also understand most readers on Dentaltown are solo practitioners. And, that many of the readers have as part of their belief system that managed group practices are the “devil,” they don’t deliver quality care, they are only interested in making money, they are stealing patients, they are causing strife and struggle throughout the industry, and their ongoing expansion puts solo practice in eminent danger.
When I speak my beliefs to most solo practitioners, what I experience is heavy resistance usually in the form of anger and denial. This anger and denial is then expressed with hostility, resentment and antagonism. A few years ago, I did some posts on Dentaltown about the future being group practice, I found myself mostly defending my position, arguing back, and a lot of disparaging words were directed at me. I decline to do that again. I decline to get into a “pissing match.”
As an example, here is a post that landed on our Facebook page just today; “Whatever happens, DSO groups are bad for dentists, patients and all of dentistry. ADA and state associations have failed to control the destruction of the single DDS owned office..... A shame.”
My condition is simple. If you don’t like what I say, don’t read it. I will not respond to those that are not open minded about what I present. I am not posting to change anyone’s mind. You are the only one that can change your mind. I am not the “chooser” in your life or your work – you are.
You can choose to continue with what you believe, and by the way that is fine with me. You can try to get your State Boards, your Dental Societies and your state legislators to attempt to save your “bacon,” but in my view, that will be futile. You can’t stop the future from happening and the future, at least the way I see it, what I believe, is substantial managed group practice will become a overwhelming majority of dental practices.
The 80/20 rule always prevails. Given the direction of solo practices in terms of shrinking numbers, losing 7% per year per the ADA, now being less than 60% of the practices in this country, and given that managed group practices (DSOs large and small and regional group practices) are growing at 20% per year, I continue to have confidence that managed group practices are the dominant future.
If the elements that are shaping this future are of interest to you, I invite you to read my posts and comment. If you want to yell, scream or ‘bitch,’ make it wrong, or make me wrong, I will not respond. That is my condition of satisfaction.
Thank you in advance for your consideration.
Dr. Marc B. Cooper
President & Chairman
The Mastery Company