Should You Sell to a DSO?

Deciding whether to sell your dental practice to a Dental Service Organization (DSO) is a major strategic move for medical professionals. Understanding the implications helps ensure you make a choice aligned with your long-term goals. Before exploring companies that buy dental practices, it’s essential to evaluate how selling might affect your practice’s value, your legacy, and your future involvement.

Benefits of Selling to a DSO

Selling to a DSO can unlock several advantages. DSOs often provide:

• Access to capital and resources for modernization.
• Post-transition support in areas like operations, marketing, and staffing.
• The potential to simplify your role while retaining continuity for your patients and team.

CTC Associates specializes in guiding doctors through these transitions and emphasizes their win-win intermediary approach—focusing on structuring deals that benefit both seller and buyer while preserving practice integrity.

Considerations Before Selling

Alignment And Values

Ensure the DSO you’re considering shares your philosophy on patient care, staff engagement, and clinical standards. As highlighted in CTC Associates’ “Considerations Selling to a DSO,” alignment of mission and culture is paramount.

Fair Valuation and Structure

DSOs may offer convenience, but compare their offer against your practice’s true worth. Knowing your dental practice for sale price through an objective valuation helps avoid underselling. CTC recommends professional appraisals and clear terms to safeguard your interests.

Transition Terms and Involvement

Negotiate the level of post-sale involvement you’d like in operations or patient care. CTC Associates’ model includes post-transition coaching, team support, and communication plans to maintain practice performance after a sale.

Case Studies of DSO Sales

Case Study 1: Smooth Transition with Support

A mid-sized general dentistry office partnered with a DSO after realizing that private buyers could not meet their dental practice for sale price expectations. By working with CTC Associates, the seller secured a valuation aligned with market trends and negotiated ongoing part-time clinical involvement. The DSO handled administrative tasks while the seller maintained patient relationships, resulting in a smooth transition and strong revenue stability post-sale.

Case Study 2: Regional Considerations in Utah

An orthodontist evaluating a practice for sale in Utah had several private buyers interested, but the offers were below market value. With CTC Associates’ guidance, the seller negotiated with a DSO that understood the region’s growth potential. The deal provided upfront liquidity, a clear succession plan, and employee retention assurances, ultimately benefiting both the doctor and the staff.

Case Study 3: Independent Path Over DSO Sale

Another dental group initially considered selling to companies that buy dental practices, but decided against it after CTC’s valuation showed stronger long-term profits by bringing in an associate. The practice avoided restrictive terms, kept decision-making autonomy, and continued to expand with internal leadership. This highlights that a DSO is not always the best path.

When Selling Isn’t the Right Move

For some dental professionals, remaining independent is more suitable. Avoiding DSO acquisition might make sense if:

• You hope to sell regionally or yourself as a buyer.
• You currently see better margins than typical companies that buy dental practices offer.
• You prefer guiding staff and patients personally through growth or retirement.

Understanding local demand—like practice for sale in Utah—can significantly influence whether to pursue a DSO sale or other exit paths.

Exploring Alternatives

There are options beyond DSOs. You could:

• Partner with an associate or form a collaboration.
• Transition the practice to a younger dentist over time.
• Remain independent while modernizing and optimizing exit readiness, using insights like updated dental practice for sale price benchmarks.

CTC Associates recommends exploring multiple outcomes early. Their consultants can help with appraisals, buyer screening, and strategic timing.

Navigating Your Next Chapter with Confidence

Selling to a DSO is a significant decision that blends financial considerations, cultural alignment, and long-term vision for your practice. While the potential benefits include access to capital, streamlined operations, and attractive exit opportunities, the trade-offs around autonomy, valuation terms, and post-transition involvement deserve careful review.

The most successful transitions happen when doctors approach the process with a clear understanding of their priorities and an experienced advisor by their side. Whether you ultimately accept an offer from companies that buy dental practices or choose to pursue a private buyer, knowing your true dental practice for sale price is critical. Exploring options—whether local interest, such as a practice for sale in Utah or national DSO bids—allows you to compare pathways and make a decision that protects both your financial goals and your professional legacy.

With expert guidance from CTC Associates, you gain not only accurate valuations and deal structuring but also the assurance that your patients, staff, and reputation remain central throughout the process. The decision to sell is about more than numbers—it’s about ensuring your practice continues to thrive, no matter which path you take.