Back to All

Dentistry Needs A New Business Model: Creating an Ethical Unfair Advantage

Presented by: Robert H. Maccario, MBA

Original Publication Date: January 24, 2025

Take the Course - Coming Soon This course is available for CE Credit as a "Members Only" benefit. Not a Member? CLICK HERE to learn more about AAOSH Membership.

Enjoy a Free Course Preview - Coming Soon

Course Description:

Consumerization of Healthcare
Today’s healthcare consumers want wellness, not just the absence of disease. It’s all-inclusive: appearance, physical, mental, emotional, and social in the quest for well-being. To meet this demand, a practice must have a clear vision and the ability to synchronize new science and technology to meet this vision. Dentistry needs a new business model.

Managing Uncertainty
Dentistry will always be evolving, forever pursuing improved patient care. Some episodes of evolution are more turbulent than others. The make-or-break decision for practice is its willingness to “let go” of the dinosaur logic of yesterday and embrace proven consumerized strategies and tactics that meet today’s market demands. It has been said that “The only thing that stops evolution is extinction.”

Our Practice is a Prime Mover
Regardless of the challenges in the marketplace, a Prime Mover, as they are known, represents the most evolved practices – those willing and able to build off of traditional values with an unwavering commitment to clinical excellence and professional ethics. Prime Movers guide patients into wellness as a lifestyle choice and welcomes them as a lifetime member of the practice. Simply stated, quality of care is the focus, and profitability is the by-product.

Learning Objectives:

  • Mindset, the power of System Thinking vs. Silo Management.
  • How to attract “Wellness Consumers” to your practice.
  • Getting off the new patient treadmill, focus on the lifetime value of a patient.
  • Why multi-tasking sounds efficient but often backfires.
  • Understanding Throughput Economics vs Cost Accounting.
  • Stop selling dentistry and create a buying environment with transactional loyalty vs. emotional loyalty.
  • Attract and retain the best team member, intrinsic motivation vs extrinsic motivation.

Practical Applications:

Is dentistry ready to assume its rightful place in healthcare? Dentistry has been fortunate to have some dental and medical all-stars leading the charge, but it’s time to accelerate these efforts. Dentistry needs to reevaluate its protocols and processes to meet or exceed medical standards and make wellness, beyond just prevention, the prevailing standard of care.

It’s no longer about dentistry or medicine; it’s called 4.0 Healthcare. Dental practices that adopt a 4.0 Healthcare philosophy will not just be thrust to the forefront of dentistry, and they will be thrust to the forefront of healthcare. Dentistry’s new business model is one that is consistent with clinical excellence, effectively monetized wellness and meets consumer demands.

Speaker Bio:

Mr. Maccario is the President of Dental Management Sciences, LLC. He earned his M.B.A. from Pepperdine University. Previously, Bob owned a large commercial dental laboratory for 18 years and has spent the last 35+ years managing dental practices. He has collaborated with over 1,500 practices in the U.S. and Canada, employing various strategies ranging from pure capitation to boutique cosmetic practices. He has held an Adjunct Assistant Professor position at the University of the Pacific Dental School and has also served as a faculty member at one of the nation's largest postgraduate dental institutes. Bob has been a speaker at several prestigious events, including the American Dental Association (ADA), California Dental Association (CDA), American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD), and the Seattle Study Club, as well as various private study clubs. In addition to his speaking engagements, Bob has consulted with several national dental companies and is regularly published in national trade publications. Currently, he manages the business operations of four private practices that collectively generate over six million dollars in patient care. Furthermore, Bob is a past president of the Virginia Range Wildlife Association (VRPA), where he worked to protect the wild Mustang horses on the Virginia Range. He lives in the Virginia Highland Ranches, Reno, NV, with his wife, Kari.