9 Managerial Responsibilities to Release when Joining a DSO

There are many well-known pros and cons when it comes to joining a dental service organization (DSO). One significant advantage of affiliating with a DSO is releasing the managerial responsibilities that tend to take a backseat to the clinical reasons you got into dentistry in the first place. Here’s a list of some tasks that a DSO can take care of for you and your dental staff so you can all achieve a better, healthier work-life balance.

Managing human resources (HR)

There’s more to HR than hiring and firing. A dedicated HR department can also help with recruiting associates, as well as training new employees and offering continuing education options. They can also ensure employees don’t reach a point of burnout and keep staff happy and motivated, in addition to streamlining communication from management. 

Juggling employee benefits

Employees are entitled to benefit packages when signing on to work for a dental practice. This includes retirement plans and health insurance, which make a big difference in the hiring process, especially during a hiring crisis. A DSO can prioritize this task and put together a package that stands out above your competitors. 

Marketing to new patients

In a competitive environment, it can feel like bigger dental practices have bottomless marketing budgets. Personalized marketing and online efforts, including your dental practice’s website, are best left to the pros, rather than a task added to someone’s already-full plate. A well-laid marketing strategy takes time to plan in terms of reach and return on investment specific to your staff and client demographics. 

Procuring supplies

Lowering your overhead is always in your best interest but not always a top priority. Just as you would shop around for any personal or professional products, a DSO can find the best deal on office and dental supplies by buying in bulk or changing suppliers. This can even include what your dental practice is paying for lab work. 

Triaging calls

Front office staff can often become bogged down with calls from patients asking common questions. Some DSOs now offer direct lines to a call center so new and existing patients can talk directly with a representative to get all their pre-visit questions answered. What’s more, DSOs may have invested in technology, such as chatbots, that can streamline communication and answer immediate questions. 

Sorting accounting and legal

When owning your own dental practice, it can feel natural to take accounting and legal responsibilities into your own hands. However, DSOs have departments that handle payroll service, tax preparation and more without having to involve the owner of the dental practice. 

Providing IT support

One of the less glorious aspects of owning your own business is having to deal with IT-related issues for which you are not trained. Rather than having to then outsource the problem, a DSO has a dedicated team that can help with everything from server problems to cloud-based software management system issues.

Assessing capital and financing

Though not common, some DSOs can help with raising capital and financing to help dental practice owners who want to grow their businesses. Even if you just want advice on expanding your services or evaluating the cost of running your current business, a DSO can take on that task and figure out how that fits into your life plan. 

Managing risk

When owning a business, there’s always the question of what happens if you aren’t able to work, for example, if you’re involved in an accident. A DSO takes the risk off the doctor in case they are not able to work by bringing in coverage during the recovery period. 

What’s next?

Whether you’re considering selling your dental practice or just looking to achieve a more productive and efficient work environment, affiliating with a DSO might be the answer to all your managerial problems. Contact the experts at Professional Transition Strategies to figure out if this is the best path forward for your dental practice.