Leslie Soto on How Five Point Dental Specialists Transformed Operations
What does it take to run a multi-specialty dental business successfully, without ever losing the “why”? In this episode of The Dental Economist Show, host CRO Mike Huffaker of Planet DDS sits down with Leslie Soto, vice president of operations of Five Point Dental Specialists, to explore how to drive organic growth across sixty-eight locations spanning oral surgery, orthodontics, and general dentistry.
What you’ll learn:
- How to maximize organic growth through quality patient care and efficient service delivery
- The framework for successfully managing multi-specialty practices (45% oral surgery, 45% ortho, remainder GP and endo)
- Why building ownership and transparency drives better team alignment and retention
- How implementing new practice management software can transform business operations beyond just technology
- The strategic approach to centralizing revenue cycle management (RCM) while maintaining personal patient interactions
- Why maintaining organizational spirit and core values drives sustainable growth in uncertain times
- The importance of building leadership teams that share and spread your vision across multiple locations
- How to leverage technology solutions to address potential staffing challenges proactively
This episode offers valuable perspectives on balancing growth with stability while keeping patient care at the forefront.
Episode Highlights
In this episode, Mike Huffaker and Leslie Soto sit down for a power-packed conversation on modern dental support organization (DSO) leadership. Here are some highlights from the show:
Patient focus: The key to sustainable growth
Leslie emphasizes that stable growth comes from maximizing existing patient relationships rather than pursuing rapid expansion. The key to organic growth lies in delivering quality services efficiently while maintaining high standards of patient care. Essentially, she suggests that dental organizations must focus on what they currently have and optimize their operations before seeking new opportunities.
Why one-size-fits-all doesn’t work
Managing multiple dental specialties requires distinct operational approaches tailored to each specialty’s unique needs. Leslie reveals how their organization successfully manages a mix of 45% oral surgery, 45% orthodontics, and additional GP and endodontic services through specialized leadership strategies. Leaders must develop high emotional intelligence to navigate different specialty cultures while maintaining organizational cohesion by finding the right balance between standardization and specialty-specific adaptations.
Strategic RCM centralization for enhanced patient experience
Leslie shares their approach to RCM, maintaining personal patient interactions while centralizing insurance processes. This hybrid model keeps the human touch in patient-facing activities while streamlining back-office operations, removing administrative burden from clinical teams. The strategy improves both operational efficiency and patient satisfaction.
Building culture through a shared vision
Leslie reveals that creating lasting organizational culture requires surrounding yourself with people who share and can spread your vision. Strong cultures emerge when leaders empower team members to become culture carriers across multiple locations. This strategy proves particularly effective in large organizations where direct leadership presence isn’t always possible, enabling a self-perpetuating culture that maintains consistency while allowing for organic growth.
About The Dental Economist Show
Don’t miss insightful conversations with industry experts on the latest trends and top strategies to grow your DSO or dental business. Tune in to The Dental Economist Show each week as we meet at the intersection of profit and purpose.
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