Scaling a dental practice can feel a bit like juggling a bunch of spinning plates—one for patients, another for staff, a few for operations, and maybe one extra for luck. The good news? You’re not alone, and scaling doesn’t have to be a mad dash. Instead, think of it as building a bigger, more robust foundation for your practice, one that can stand the test of time and hold firm against any surprises over the years.
Whether you’re opening new locations, bringing in more patients, or just trying to keep up with your growing team, sustainable growth is key. Here’s how you can grow your practice into the thriving, resilient dental group you envision without sacrificing quality (or giving your staff premature grey hair).
How to Scale
There are three main ways to scale a dental practice:
1. Acquisition
Acquisition involves purchasing another dental practice to expand your business. Acquiring an existing practice can grow your patient base quickly and establish a presence in new locations without starting from scratch.
An acquisition allows for rapid growth by bringing in a built-in patient base and sometimes an established staff, equipment, and facility. Acquisitions can also open access to new market segments, increase referrals, and diversify the practice’s services.
2. Organic Growth
Organic growth is about building the practice from within, retaining current patients, improving patient experience, and gaining new patients through word-of-mouth referrals and marketing efforts.
Organic growth typically requires lower upfront costs and can be highly sustainable. By improving patient loyalty and satisfaction, practices can drive consistent, long-term growth. Strong relationships with existing patients often lead to increased referrals, positive reviews, and a more substantial reputation in the community.
3. New Offerings
Adding new services or treatments to an existing practice can attract more patients and keep existing ones returning, especially for services they would otherwise need to seek elsewhere. It can also differentiate your practice, making it a one-stop shop for comprehensive dental care.
Examples of new offerings include orthodontics, cosmetic procedures, telehealth, or even on-site labs. These offerings can appeal to a broader patient base and increase per-patient revenue.
Strategies for Scaling a Dental Practice
1. Build a Strong Operational Foundation
When scaling a group practice, operational efficiency is paramount. As you expand, processes that work in a single practice may struggle to meet the demands of multiple locations or increased patient flow. Establishing a solid foundation early on makes scaling smoother and more manageable down the line. The cornerstone of this foundation, of course, is your team.
Staff need to be highly qualified and align with your practice’s vision and values. Post transparent and specific job descriptions and create marketing materials showing why your office is a great place to work. After they’re hired, continue to support them with training and professional development options to show you’re invested in their career.
Once you have your team in place, you can begin standardizing routine operations procedures, such as scheduling, billing, and patient communication. Developing consistent protocols ensures that no matter where your patients go, they experience the same quality of care.
A final key factor in building a scalable foundation is technology. Cloud-based dental software can help centralize critical operations, streamline data sharing, and support a seamless patient experience across locations. With a solid software solution, your team can efficiently manage everything from patient records to treatment plans in one place, reducing administrative friction and helping your practice adapt as it grows.
2. Prioritize Patient Experience and Communication
Growth should never come at the expense of patient satisfaction. Maintaining a personal touch with patients can become more challenging as your group practice expands. Patients expect more than just treatment – they seek a positive, engaging experience. By prioritizing patient communication and experience, you foster long-term loyalty, generate positive word-of-mouth referrals, and build a strong reputation within your community.
To deliver consistent and personalized patient experiences across multiple locations, invest in robust communication tools. Allow patients to choose their preferred method of communication and provide them with automated reminders and personalized service.
Outside appointments, encourage patients to leave reviews and keep track of negative and positive feedback. Good customer service means a prompt response, letting patients know you value their opinions. A client-centric culture fosters a positive reputation, which supports long-term growth.
3. Invest in Data-Driven Decision Making
As your group practice grows, data becomes an invaluable asset. Data-driven insights guide decision-making, helping you understand where to focus your efforts for maximum impact. Consider implementing a centralized dashboard where you can monitor metrics across locations. Starter metrics to track include:
- Patient retention rates
- Case acceptance rate
- Average annual revenue
- Revenue per visit
- Revenue from insurance vs. self-pay payments
- New patients each month
- Returning patient percentage
- Number of active patients (seen in the last 12-18 months)
- Cancelations
Knowing this data makes it easy to identify trends, address issues before they escalate, and make informed decisions based on real-time data. Understanding your strengths, weaknesses, and areas of opportunity is essential before scaling your practice.
4. Button Up Your Marketing
Effective marketing is essential for growing your dental practice; strategically using digital marketing tools can make a significant impact. Start by identifying your target audience and understanding your local community’s unique needs and preferences. Use digital channels like email, social media, SEO, and online ads to reach potential patients where they spend time online.
Outside of the internet, engaging in local events and partnerships can further strengthen your presence in the community. Additionally, remember that patient feedback we solicited in point 2? Leverage those positive reviews! These endorsements build trust and credibility, making your practice the go-to choice for dental care.
5. Centralize Administrative Functions
Administrative tasks often increase exponentially with practice growth, so it’s wise to centralize these functions where possible. Centralizing billing, human resources, and marketing enables you to manage resources more effectively, control costs, and create a consistent brand identity across all locations.
For instance, having a dedicated team handle billing for all offices ensures that your processes are streamlined and compliant with industry regulations, reducing the risk of errors. Similarly, a centralized marketing approach helps establish a cohesive brand image, strengthening patient trust and recognition.
Cloud-based dental software provides tools for centralizing essential functions, making it easy to manage these areas across locations and stay organized. It also beefs up your cybersecurity far more than an on-premise server. This centralized approach supports operational efficiency and frees your team to focus on patient care.
6. Scale with a Focus on Quality Over Quantity
While expanding as quickly as possible may be tempting, scaling sustainably requires a balanced approach. Growth should be driven by quality care and thoughtful expansion rather than sheer numbers. This ensures that each new location or service aligns with your practice’s mission, values, and standards.
Take the time to assess each potential growth opportunity carefully. Consider how a new office or service will fit into your existing operations, and ensure you have the resources to support high-quality patient care. When scaling a dental practice, remember that slow and steady often leads to better outcomes than rapid, unchecked expansion.
7. Build a Culture of Continuous Improvement
Successfully scaling relies on fostering a culture of continuous improvement within your practice. Encourage your team to embrace innovation, collaborate on problem-solving, and seek ongoing professional development. Creating a growth-oriented culture promotes adaptability, which is essential for navigating the evolving landscape of group practice management.
Regularly solicit feedback from staff to identify areas for improvement and celebrate achievements. By prioritizing development and innovation, you create an environment that supports sustainable growth and helps retain top talent.
8. Embrace Technology for Scalability
One of the most effective ways to scale sustainably is by leveraging technology that supports your goals. From patient scheduling and treatment to communication and data management, a comprehensive dental software solution can significantly simplify growth. Cloud-based systems are especially advantageous for group practices, as they allow seamless data sharing, remote access, and easy scalability.
Oryx’s cloud-based software is designed with group practices in mind. It integrates essential functions such as billing, scheduling, charting, patient communication, and data management, helping you maintain control as you scale.
With software made by dentists for dentists, Oryx is considered a market leader in scalability and reliability. Features are customizable and can be tailored to a practice’s needs as it grows and changes.
Remember that growth is not just about expanding your patient base or adding new locations – it’s about creating a resilient, scalable practice that can thrive in a competitive industry.
If you’re ready to take your practice to the next level, Oryx’s comprehensive dental software is here to support you every step of the way.
Learn more about how Oryx can help your group practice achieve its growth goals today! Schedule your free demo.
