Are you a student?
Become part of the fastest-growing segment in dentistry and find the best career fit for your skills in a Dental Support Organization.
What does the DSO model offer?
Partnering with a DSO allows you to benefit from a wide range of non-clinical services, enabling you to focus on your core mission: serving your patients.
DSOs provide support in areas such as facility maintenance, discounted supply procurement, IT and practice management software, accounting, marketing, state-of-the-art tools and products, and comprehensive training programs.
Dentists who partner with a DSO can dedicate more time to clinical patient care, offer extended office hours and flexible appointment times, deploy and use advanced technologies to enhance care, and provide services at competitive costs to patients.
Advantages of the DSO model
On average, dentists in a DSO setting earn a higher salary than those in private practice, based on national data.
DSO dentists enjoy clinical autonomy and often have access to mentors who share their experience and expertise, helping you refine your skills.
DSOs provide access to modern dental materials, equipment, and technology, often partnering with the most successful and innovative suppliers in the industry.
DSOs enable you to focus on practicing dentistry without the distractions and burdens of running a business. This freedom allows you to prioritize your patients, quality care, and positive outcomes.
If you’re considering ownership, DSOs offer opportunities in both existing practices and new practice development with an equity stake.
Exploring Directions in Dentistry
Andrew Smith
In September 2022, ADSO Executive Director Andrew Smith was invited to contribute to Contour, the magazine of the American Student Dental Association (ASDA). Smith shared his insights on the DSO model and why it’s an excellent option for today’s dental students to consider as they explore career opportunities.
The world of dentistry has evolved in countless ways, including the career options available to new dentists after graduation. Inheriting your parent’s dental practice or starting your own private practice is no longer the only—or even the preferred—choice for today’s generation of dentists. Instead, you can choose from a variety of career paths, including private practice, research, public health, academia, the military, or working as a practitioner in a supported dental office, known as a DSO (Dental Support Organization).
The trend toward DSOs is accelerating. According to an ADEA study, in 2024, 32% of dental school seniors planned to join a DSO, up from 12% in 2015. This trend is supported by the ADA Health Policy Institute (HPI), which found that traditional solo practices are becoming less common as dentists increasingly gravitate toward group practices—a shift that is expected to continue. HPI research shows that while two-thirds of dentists were in solo practice in 1999, that number dropped to half by 2019. Among dentists under 35, only one in four was in solo practice that year. DSO affiliation also varies by age group, with one in five dentists under 35 affiliated with a DSO in 2019, according to the latest HPI data.
Why has there been such a dramatic increase in dental students planning to join DSOs? While every choice is personal, common themes emerge. New dentists often graduate with significant debt, making the investment in a private practice unrealistic or undesirable. Today’s generation tends to prioritize clinical practice over the dual role of patient care and small business ownership that characterized previous generations. Additionally, many seek flexibility and opportunities for lateral and upward career mobility within the dental field. Whatever the reason, DSOs are meeting a growing need for both current and future dentists.