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Leading a Dental Brand in the Modern Age Insights from clinician, to CEO, and now Chief Dental Officer : By Dr. Jeff Burg
I have a theory about the type of person that chooses to become a dentist. Growing up, these were kids who were good at navigating school and had a low risk tolerance, but also valued autonomy. They knew that if they worked hard and got good grades, they would wind up in a role where they could be successful.
Dentistry, however, isn’t exactly a wellspring for creativity and that’s perfectly fine for most dentists. Dentistry is largely a technical industry, filled with routines and processes that you repeat multiple times throughout your day. With pediatric dentistry, there are far fewer procedures to be done, which means that these routines and processes are even more exaggerated. There is not really a place for creativity when you are in the chair. Fortunately, things are changing, especially in the dental group practice setting. Today, there are a few more entrepreneurial-minded individuals who wind up in a dentist chair with a natural penchant for taking risks and embracing their creativity.
From clinical to administrative Some of these dentists may not even know that they are more of an entrepreneur type. Personally, I did not realize at first that the business side of dentistry would end up speaking to me more than the technicalities of patient care. I opened Burg Children’s Dentistry and Orthodontics in 2002 and over the last 20 years we have added
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roughly one location a year. My role had transitioned from a doctor with a single practice to a CEO operating multiple practices. Over the last few years, we had gotten to the point of looking at the possibility of a partnership with a couple of different
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021 • DENTAL GROUP PRACTICE
organizations. We ended up partnering with a larger dental group called Specialty Dental Brands, a niche support organization focused on building a network of specialty dental practices. Now, at Specialty Dental Brands, we offer a clear competitive advantage for our partners by combining the best providers and superior locations with exceptional business support. Specialty Dental Brands supports partners specifically in pediatric dentistry, orthodontics, and oral surgery. Our goal is to partner with dental brands that have hit their stride and know what they want to accomplish. Most of our doctors have a clear picture of what they are doing, and their offices have typically reached their full value or gotten as close as possible. My own role has transitioned to the Chief Dental Officer for the organization. As such, I bridge the gap between the clinical and administrative sides for our partner office locations. Any group that is set up as a true DSO or multi-location practice is under a lot more pressure from a compliance standpoint regarding the separation of the clinical and administrative sides of the operation. I serve as the go-between for any changes or ideas that each side of the operation wants to bring to the table. As the liaison, it is my job to ensure that each side feels listened to and has what they need, while making sure that our doctors
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