DSOPro: Tell us about your background and what brought you to DCA.
I started in dentistry about 15 years ago working with Dr. Roger Levin at the Levin Group. I was his right-hand and traveled around working on his seminars. I was responsible for most of the event planning and organization of the events. He taught me the foundation and fundamentals of dentistry and the industry. I was with Levin Group for 6 and a half years, and then decided to move on and take my career to the next level in a new role at Pacific Dental Services. At PDS, I sat on the University Relations Team where I found my true passion within the DSO space—working with young future dentists to discover their career.
When I began at PDS, we had a presence in approximately 25 dental schools. By the time I left in 2020 we were in all 67 dental schools. The program was built out by Dr. Brad Guyton, me, and a few others on the team. While at PDS I recognized my passion for building relationships and developing career paths with dental students. PDS gave me the platform to take my career to the next level.
Next, I spent a year at MB2 Dental, where I focused on doctor recruiting. I also brought in my expertise and talent in the University Relations space along with some CE program collaboration for the doctors. MB2 Dental was a very culture-driven DSO and helped me hone my skills on how to build out a successful team. One year in, though, Dental Care Alliance offered me the position of Director of University Programs and I couldn’t turn the opportunity down. I was given the ability to develop and grow their university program from scratch. This was a pivotal moment in my career.
In launching a university program there were two main areas I needed to focus on: I needed to create awareness of who we are and what our value proposition is for students looking to enter the DSO space. I started with career fairs, student conferences, and networking events. It was a slow start, but 2 and a half years later we are hosting 90-100 events a year. My incredible team includes Jennifer Schulze, University Hygiene Partner; Holly Farbo, University Specialty Partner; Joe D’Alessandro, Clinical Program Coordinator; and Morgan Graham, our Lead Marketing and Recruitment Specialist. We are taking University Programs to the next level here at DCA and I am excited to see the results.
DSOPro: How important is recruiting at the dental schools?
Very! The real recruitment relationship starts when students are in their second or third year of dental school. Many dental students have a lot of options in career choice, so it is important for them to understand the various options—private practice, DSOs, community health, etc.
As the university team, we are the brand ambassadors for our organization at the dental schools and specialty residency programs. We want to guide them in finding the right direction for their career path. Ultimately, we want students and residents to choose what’s best for them and what’s going to make them happy and successful.
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DSOPro: What kinds of things do you do at the schools?
I typically attend their career fairs and vendor fairs. This is a great way to start building a relationship with the school and the students. I also host networking events and ‘Dinner & Learns.’
Along with our Chief Clinical Officer, Dr. Don Gallo, we have implemented educational programming. Dr. Gallo lectures on practice management at the NYU College of Dentistry and Nova Southeastern University Dental School. We have found that students really like the “Business of Dentistry” lectures. We present at several other schools throughout the year as well.
I am also very active with the American Student Dental Association. We attend their annual meetings and often bring in a presenter.
DSOPro: What are some of the things that DCA offers your dentists and their practices?
The DCA model is a little different. Unlike many other DSOs out there, DCA doesn’t use a one-size-fits-all approach. DCA-supported doctors have the autonomy to make their own decisions and are encouraged to continue to grow.
Another differentiator for DCA is that about 20% of our supported practices are specialty practices and we have two dedicated divisions with expert clinical and operations leaders to promote growth and exceptional patient care. We have standalone oral surgery, endodontic, periodontal, orthodontic, and pedodontic practices. All our practices are partnered with a dentist or specialist who has been highly successful and looking to grow their practice or group to the next level. We partner with the best clinicians.
As practices affiliate with DCA, they retain their own brand and, most importantly, maintain their practice culture. It’s important that the clinician continues to lead their practice. Ultimately, we’re here to provide the management systems, proven processes, and help the practice run as efficiently and productively as possible. To new, young dentists, this is very attractive because they are mentored by a senior doctor and have the opportunity to partner into the practice later in their career.
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DSOPro: What kind of support do you provide these practices in terms of services?
We have a dedicated integrations team that works with new allied practices. They learn more about the needs of the office and help with integrating DCA systems. An example is the transition to Denticon, the cloud-based practice management software platform. Everything is systematized so that we can analyze the numbers and help the practice grow. DCA also provides a full suite of support services including accounting, insurance plan management, HR, marketing, IT support, training, and talent acquisition, to name a few.
When recent graduates come on board, we enroll them in our New Graduate Mentorship Program. This program was initially started by Drs. Edan and Mitch Blumenthal to train and mentor a small group of doctors. Because the program was very successful, we opened it up to the new grads coming on board each year. New grads are partnered with a senior doctor and have side-by-side training and mentoring. All new grads enrolled in the program are provided with CE courses throughout the year and monthly check in’s for progress and opportunity.
Joe D’Alessandro, our Clinical Program Coordinator, also works closely with each new doctor. They look at their growth by reviewing production monthly and discuss how they can continue to grow and be a better dentist. We host CE courses and training as well.
When I am out there canvassing the new graduates we want to bring on board, the first thing most of them ask is if we have a mentoring program because they’re not quite ready to practice on their own. Unlike some DSOs, DCA never places a new graduate in a practice on their own. We want to be sure they feel supported at every step in their journey with DCA.
When it comes to training, each region is a little different. Senior doctors overseeing new doctors may spend their time doing different things, but they are ultimately following through with the curriculum and making sure that our new doctors are gradually adding to their skillset and increasing their speed and production.
DSOPro: What else sets your team apart from other recruiters?
We have a talented and robust Talent Acquisition Team. With the combination of full-cycle recruitment and the DCA University Program, we continue to recruit and onboard highly qualified and successful doctors.
DSOPro: What trends are you seeing in terms of students’ attitudes that may have changed?
I’ve seen a change in work ethics. When talking with students about their expectations and how many days a week they are willing to work, some expect to achieve their goals working only 3 or 4 four days a week. That is an expectation that is hard to change. I’ve known dentists who worked 6 days a week, every single week. You don’t have to do that, but I feel the more you practice, the better you get. It just really depends on who they are.
Students are more committed to location as opposed to opportunities. We routinely see students only interested in working in specific locations like Miami and Chicago rather than areas where they can receive more mentorship and training. What they may not be thinking about is the highly competitive environment in those locations.
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DSOPro: Any final words?
In terms of our University Program, we continue to grow and evolve. We are thrilled to offer the New Graduate Mentorship Program and love seeing the success of these young dentists. DCA is truly a great organization that continues to grow and thrive. I’m honored to be onboard and be part of that growth.
More from the Newsletter
Karen Riley has been working in the dental industry since 2008, and for the last 8 years in the DSO space. She is passionate about helping young dentists and specialists to find their career path. Her talents are building and developing relationships, communication, and always striving to be better.
When she entered the DSO space in 2015 at Pacific Dental Services, she discovered her passion for organizing and helping implement University Relations within the organization. With a degree in Art Education, she believes in championing education along with creativity.
For Karen, working in the dental industry alongside so many talented and hard-working clinicians and team members is fulfilling and enjoyable.
Dental Care Alliance
Dental Care Alliance’s mission is to advance the practice of dentistry by partnering with and supporting dental professionals to create a lifetime of healthy smiles. DCA currently supports over 400 allied practices and more than 900 dentists across 22 states. DCA’s allied practices represent all dental specialties and provide treatment to patients under more than 150 brand names.