You can assist patients in maintaining and improving their oral health by working in the dental sector. You can choose from a wide variety of positions in this industry, including openings in public or private dental offices. You can start down a career route that suits your objectives, preferences, and personality by being aware of the distinctions between these two sorts of practices. To assist you in choosing the right dental path, we compare and contrast a corporate dentist and a private practice dentist in this blog.
What is a corporate dentist?
A corporate dentist is a dental professional who practices within a multi-location dental business. These dental service organizations (DSOs) may have a nationally recognized brand name with many locations throughout the country. Private equity firms or other non-dentist investors often own these DSO locations, so each location can employ a large clinical staff. Based on staffing availability, corporate dentistry practices can provide patients with a variety of dental services. While dentists who work in a DSO may earn a higher salary than other types of dentists and work toward career advancement, they often don't own the location in which they practice.
What is a private practice dentist?
A private practice dentist is a medical professional who provides dental services within a smaller, more traditional practice model. The doctor associated with a private practice business often owns the company or shares ownership with a small number of other doctors. This means that private practices often employ either one doctor or just a few, resulting in a smaller number of available services.
Private practice dentistry companies often have only one location. While the company's name may be locally recognizable based on quality service or referrals, it may not be a common name in other geographical locations. Patients often create established relationships with private practice dentists, resulting in long-term business.
Corporate vs. private practice dentists
Here are some of the differences between corporate and private practice dental businesses to help you determine which type of practice matches your career goals:
Ownership
Non-doctor investors or equity firms often own corporate dentistry practices. A small number of practicing dentists may own a private practice. While leadership decisions and strategies may depend on personal traits and goals, private practice doctors may feel more motivated to pursue opportunities and policies that match their understanding of dentistry. In contrast, corporate owners may feel motivated by their competencies in marketing, customer service, profitability and growth. Although corporate leadership may be competent, it may be more challenging to communicate with someone who runs multiple locations.
Number of locations
A major difference between a corporate and private practice dental business is the number of locations. Corporate dental practices may have several locations across the country, while a private practice may only have one. Besides affecting national recognition, the number of locations can also offer employee flexibility in the case of relocation. For example, an employee of a corporate practice may be able to find a position in a new location if they move. If a practice has several locations within the same city, employees may have additional freedom to join a new office within the same geographical area.
Marketing efforts
Since a corporate dentistry practice may have the backing of a national or international corporation, each location may receive marketing support to promote its services. Brand recognition can similarly help a location attract customers who are familiar with the brand name. This can increase the number of customers and employees and drive expansion goals.
A private practice organization may not invest as much money in marketing its doctors' services. Instead, it may focus on referrals from other local service providers or word of mouth from satisfied patients. Although some private practices may employ a dedicated marketing staff to create local ad campaigns, marketing is often not as much of a focus for a private practice location.
Services
A corporate dentistry practice may offer a wider range of services than a private practice. Since a corporate location may employ several doctors, it can offer patients increased options. If you'd like to work in a less specialized business, a corporate dentistry practice can offer freedom to learn new service options and gain additional skills.
Since a private practice often has only one doctor, it may offer the services in the doctor's area of specialty. In many cases, a private practice doctor may refer patients to other practices for more specialized services. If you're interested in pursuing a particular type of dentistry, a private practice may help you strengthen your skills in that area.
Career path
Your professional goals may determine which type of practice you pursue. Since many private practice doctors own the business where they work, it may be more challenging for you to pursue a leadership role within that location. If you'd like to begin your career as a dental assistant or hygienist, you may want to look for a role within a private practice.
You could also work toward developing your own practice. If you're qualified, you could find leadership roles within a corporate dentistry practice, but you may not work toward ownership. You could similarly begin an entry-level role within a corporate setting.
Benefits
Since a corporate dentistry practice often has the financial support of a large corporation, it can offer employees a significant list of benefits, such as insurance or paid time off. While a private practice can also offer employees benefits, the smaller nature of the company may mean that ownership can't offer as many perks as a corporate entity. If benefits are an important consideration for your career choices, a corporate dentistry practice can offer additional security.
Relationship with patients
While dentists within a corporate practice may build strong relationships with patients, brand recognition can motivate some patients to select a doctor rather than personal relationships. Additionally, the larger number of doctors and higher patient numbers can mean that patients switch between various doctors. This can make it more challenging to develop lasting relationships with patients, which may be important to some professionals.
For private practices, relationships are often an influential factor in a business' success. In many cases, long-lasting practices can serve the same patients for many years. If those patients remain satisfied, they may refer friends or family members. If you'd like to pursue a role that allows you to build long-term connections with patients, a private practice may offer this opportunity.
Relationships with coworkers
Since corporate dentistry practices often have a larger staff, it may be more challenging to develop meaningful relationships with all of your coworkers. In comparison, private practice locations a smaller staff which can allow for closer staff relationships. Some employees may prefer a more distanced and professional working environment, while others may be interested in a social work environment. You may want to consider your individual desires before beginning a role in either practice type.
Community
Since corporate dentistry businesses may have locations in many areas, it may be more challenging for a corporate business to create a meaningful role within the local community. Instead, patients may associate the brand with a national identity rather than seeing it as a member of the local community.
In comparison, private practices may be more likely to develop recognizable names within the community. If a doctor begins their practice in a community where they've lived for many years, they may enhance aspects of the business with local relationships. For example, a private practice may sponsor a local family restaurant or event. Additionally, doctors in a private practice may know patients and other service providers through professional or personal means. If you'd like to pursue a role that allows you to feel like a valued member of a small community, you may prefer working in a private practice.
New patients
Corporate dentistry practices may frequently bring in new patients from national marketing campaigns or referrals from other locations. If you'd like to develop new relationships with a consistently evolving list of patients, corporate dentistry could provide that opportunity. Private practice dentistry may focus less on bringing in new customers and focus more on retaining current customers. If you'd like to work with similar patients for many years, a private practice may be preferable to you.
Turnover
Corporate dentistry practices may have increased turnover of patients and employees. Since a dentistry corporation may have many locations, employees may move to new locations or leave to pursue opportunities with the potential for ownership. Similarly, patients may select a new or more convenient location or choose to work with a different doctor.
Private practice dentistry may have less patient turnover based on a smaller list of patients and more developed relationships between a patient and the doctor. This practice may also have less employee turnover based on smaller staff sizes and deeper employee relationships. Since a private practice may have smaller patient and employee numbers, it may focus on retaining current relationships rather than utilizing resources to develop new ones.
Growth
Since a corporate dentistry practice is a singular location within a larger corporation, the corporation's overall goals may affect the goals of the practice. In many cases, this may mean a focus on growth and expansion. This focus can appear in efforts to increase marketing, start new patient initiatives, expand the staff and open additional locations. Focusing on growth can help a business increase profitability, offering financial and job security for employees.
Since private practices often stay in a single location, growth is often not as big of a priority. Staying in one location, a private practice may limit the number of new patients and employees. While a private practice may provide employees with sufficient compensation and make enough profit to stay operational, it isn't part of a corporate goal of expansion. This means that ownership may not consistently focus on profit maximization.
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