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Acierno Family Dentistry, a general dentistry office, is one of 26 offices that comprise DecisionOne Dental Partners. Located in the Edison Park neighborhood of Chicago, Ill., the office is home to three dentists, five hygienists, seven dental assistants and five front-office team members.
“Being part of a group provides our doctors with numerous benefits,” says co-founder and chief medical officer Michael Acierno, DDS. “As part of a group, Acierno Family Dentistry is supported on all back-end business items, enabling our team members to focus on what matters most: providing patients with exceptional care. At the same time, the group offers our doctors mentorship and educational opportunities to help them grow professionally.”
“All 26 locations are community-based, which means our primary focus is on customer service and excellent patient care,” says Acierno. “We want our patients to be comfortable and to feel like we are their advocates.” That means addressing patients’ needs from the time they enter the office to the time they complete their visit, he notes. “Our front office staff work hard to provide patients with accurate treatment plans; they also work closely with insurance companies to ensure patients receive their full benefits.”
Efficiency in Group Practice: How does your practice implement new technology efficiently and effectively?
Michael Acierno, DDS: Oral cancer is becoming one of the most frequent cancers in the world, and catching it early is crucial. Fortunately, there is a lot of great technology in the dental field right now that allows us as clinicians to do more for our patients than ever before. We have placed a Velscope in every one of our practices. This oral cancer screening tool allows dentists to see changes in tissue that cannot be seen with the human eye. Being a part of a group has enabled us to work with the manufacturer to ensure not only that each of our offices has the technology, but that everyone is properly trained to use it. Several of my patients have benefited, as we have been able to catch this devastating disease early.
Efficiency in Group Practice: As more millennials enter the dental industry, how has this impacted your practice?
Michael Acierno, DDS: Dentistry in 2019 is changing drastically due to a number of factors. For one, the cost of a dental education is higher than ever, and it is continuing to rise. In addition, the rising costs of technology and dental materials are making it increasingly difficult to purchase a practice. For these reasons, a higher number of graduating dentists are less likely to practice on their own, and more likely to join a group. DecisionOne Dental Partners understands this. We have tried to create a model that meets these demands – a model where doctors can have ownership in our group while enjoying the benefits of a support organization. This has worked really well for us, and our doctor retention rate is over 90 percent.
Efficiency in Group Practice: We hear more and more about the connection between oral and physical health and the need for dentists to take a holistic approach to patient care. How has this impacted the way your dental professionals work with patients?
Michael Acierno, DDS: A majority of dental patients see their dentist more frequently than they see their physicians. We understand this. Instead of just treating teeth, we have shifted our focus to treating the whole body. We now take all of our patients’ blood pressure and recommend that those with high readings see their physician. We also screen for sleep apnea, diabetes and several other health risk factors that patients need to be aware of.
Efficiency in Group Practice: In your experience, what does the growing DSO market mean for traditional solo practices?
Michael Acierno, DDS: While there will always be a place for private practices in dentistry, group practices are going to continue to grow in popularity. As the expenses of the dental field continue to increase, those doctors that want to own a solo practice will need to be prepared to spend a lot of time and energy focusing on the business side of the practice. At the end of the day, whether an office is part of a DSO or is a solo practice, the only thing that really matters is that patients are treated with exceptional care and customer service.
