DDSWhat does a DSO do for a dental practice?
A DSO takes on non-clinical work such as staffing, IT and billing for the practices it supports, part of the wider consolidation of dentistry. The New Jersey Dental Association describes the purpose as letting dentists focus on clinical care while the DSO runs the business infrastructure, with diagnosis and treatment left to licensed dentists.
How is a DSO different from a DPO or an MSO?
A management services organization (MSO) is the general term for a company that manages a practice’s business side under contract, and a DSO is the dental form. A dental partnership organization (DPO) is generally a group in which participating dentists hold significant ownership. Labels are used loosely, so the agreements matter more than the name.
How does a DSO relate legally to the practices it supports?
In states that require dentists to own and control practices, the dentist owns the practice and the DSO is paid a management fee under a contract. One state dental association cites a statute barring a dentist from practicing for an entity not owned and controlled by a licensed dentist. Rules differ by state, so counsel should review any structure.
The contract is covered in management services agreements. Because it is private, public records understate affiliation, a point developed in how many dental practices DSOs own.
Which dentists are most likely to join a DSO?
Newer graduates. In 2022 the ADA Health Policy Institute found 27% of dentists five or fewer years out of school affiliated with a DSO, against 13% of dentists overall. Practice ownership also moved the other way: 72.5% of dentists owned a private practice in 2023, down from 84.7% in 2005.
Growth over time is charted in how fast DSOs are growing. The age profile of the profession is in dentist age distribution, and ownership changes surface as corporate signals.
Frequently asked questions
What does DSO stand for in dentistry?
Dental support organization: a business entity that provides non-clinical services to dental practices while dentists keep clinical care.
Do DSOs own dental practices?
In states that restrict ownership to licensed dentists, a DSO usually contracts with a dentist-owned practice rather than owning it. Rules vary by state.
What percentage of dentists work with DSOs?
16.1% of U.S. dentists were DSO-affiliated in 2024 (ADA Health Policy Institute). The often-quoted 35% is a different, undisclosed measure.
Is a DSO the same as private equity?
No. Some DSOs are backed by private equity and some are not. See private equity in dentistry.
Who buys practices on behalf of DSOs?
The DSO or its investors do. See who buys dental practices for how DSO and private-dentist buyers compare.
Sources
- American Dental Association. More dentists affiliating with DSOs (ADA News, June 2023). adanews.ada.org.
- ADA Health Policy Institute. The U.S. Dentist Workforce, 2025 update. ada.org.
- ADA Health Policy Institute. Dental practice research (DSO affiliation and practice ownership). ada.org.
- New Jersey Dental Association. Dental support organizations in New Jersey: how they operate and how ownership works. njda.org.
Questions or corrections: request a correction. Markdown version: /dso/what-is-a-dso.md.