Matching dentists during practice transitions

By | April 1, 2019

Dentists seeking to join a practice in Wisconsin and Maine or owners in those states who are looking for a partner, associate or someone to purchase their practice can fill out their online profiles to begin the match-making process.

On April 1, the ADA Business Innovation Group launched the profile functionality of ADA Practice Transitions, a new online service focused on helping dentists make the process of joining, expanding or leaving a practice easier and more predictable.

ADA Practice Transitions is expected to release the rest of the online platform’s functionality on June 3 and begin to make matches between participating dentists.  The online service will match dentists with practice owners by considering aspects such as philosophy of care, personality traits, location and desired practice characteristics.

More than 100 dentists have already expressed interest prior to the release of the platform, according to ADA Business Innovation Group.

“I believe this service will offer a great new opportunity for both owner dentists and younger dentists who are looking for new opportunities,” said Dr. Joseph P. Crowley, member of the ADA Business Innovation Group Board of Directors and former ADA president. “[The service] offers some much- needed help to the solo and smaller group practitioners who are serving less densely populated areas, as well as dentists in urban and suburban communities.”

As the first two states to test the program, the Wisconsin Dental Association and Maine Dental Association worked closely with the ADA Practice Transition team to help make the platform helpful for their members.

ADA Practice Transitions includes a profile functionality that includes demographic information, a personality assessment and a detailed section that helps a dentist articulate their philosophy of care. The platform also includes worksheets and templates to help dentists customize and organize their thoughts.

Once a match is made, an ADA advisor will be assigned to the matched dentists to help facilitate the process and foster a positive relationship for both parties.

“Every decision along the way has been thoughtful, careful and well-reasoned,” said Dr. Kirk Norbo, 16th District trustee, who was part of the governance team that provided oversight in the program’s early stages and is now a member of ADA Business Innovation Group Board of Directors. “There is every indication that we are on to something here that will provide a tremendous benefit to our members and the dental profession.”

The pilot program was developed after field research uncovered a need in the marketplace for dentists who want to connect for both employment opportunities and to facilitate the transition of a practice from one owner to another but have had difficulty doing so. Research also found additional needs around learning skills related to basic business management, ownership, patient acquisition, purchasing and staff relationships. The ADA Business Innovation Group unveiled ADA Practice Transitions during the House of Delegates town hall meeting at ADA 2018.

For more information on ADA Practice Transitions, visit ADAPracticeTransitions.com.

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