Katerina Georgievska, Author at The Lead Magazine

Critical Traits of Today’s Chief Marketing Officers for Tomorrow’s DSOs

Chief Marketing Officers (CMOs) are the driving force behind a company’s brand, strategy, and customer engagement. As the role continues to expand and adapt to digital demands, certain traits have become indispensable for today’s CMOs.

Empathy
Understanding and connecting with customers on a deeper level goes beyond demographic data – it requires a genuine sense of their needs, desires, and pain points. In any relationship, empathy builds trust and loyalty. By fostering empathy within their teams, CMOs can cultivate a culture of people-centered business. Ultimately, an empathetic CMO can anticipate and address customer concerns sincerely, crafting campaigns and drafting messaging that resonate authentically. As CMOs often serve as the bridge between a company and its customers, empathy is a necessity.

Data-Driven Decision Making
In the era of big data, successful CMOs can utilize the vast amounts of information available to make highly informed decisions. By analyzing customer insights, market trends, and campaign performance metrics, they fine-tune strategies for maximum impact. Data-driven decision-making enables CMOs to allocate resources effectively, optimize marketing ROI, and customize experiences that better resonate with target audiences.

Digital Savvy
CMOs today must be proficient in digital marketing, digital analytics, and emerging technologies such as generative AI and machine learning. A strong understanding of social media, content marketing, and SEO is essential, as well as the digital tools that power these strategies. Strategic CMOs leverage their digital expertise to identify growth opportunities, anticipate market trends, and effectively allocate resources to achieve long-term objectives. It can also empower CMOs to assess competitive threats and market dynamics, allowing them to position the brand for success in a rapidly changing dental landscape.

Creative Vision
To differentiate one’s brands and engage audiences in a crowded marketplace, having a vision and being creative are both musts. On a daily basis, a creative vision guides CMOs in conceptualizing bold ideas, refining messaging, and visualizing the brand’s identity across various touchpoints. It also helps to ensure that every piece of content and every interaction, aligns with the brand’s core values while speaking directly to the consumer’s needs and desires. It’s about pushing boundaries and experimenting. Often, the best breakthrough ideas emerge when teams are not confined but are given the creative freedom to explore and experiment. By maintaining a strong creative vision, CMOs can inspire their teams to think outside the box, iterate and innovate, and create brand experiences that capture attention but also build lasting relationships with consumers.

Growth Mindset
A growth mindset is absolutely critical for modern CMOs. It’s how leaders are able to view challenges as opportunities for learning and development rather than setbacks. By fostering a culture of continuous experimentation and improvement, CMOs can also drive innovation within their teams.

Leadership
Exceptional CMOs are not just leaders within their marketing departments but are also influential across the entire organization. They know how to inspire their teams, creating an environment where creativity and strategic thinking can thrive. The best CMOs know how to collaborate seamlessly with other departments such as sales, product, customer service, and engineering. They understand that successful marketing is a cross-functional effort, and they work tirelessly to align goals, share insights, and drive a unified strategy across the organization. By inspiring and engaging these various teams, CMO leadership helps to ensure that the company’s vision is consistently executed and that all departments work together to achieve common objectives.

If the best CMOs embody change as a catalyst for opportunity for excellent innovation, bold creativity, and direct results, how do they translate these critical traits into real-world success? To gain deeper insights, we turn to three industry leaders who exemplify what it means to be a forward-thinking CMO. Mehmet Dogan of Planet DDS, Ash ElDifrawi of The Aspen Group, and Diane Vaccaro of 42 North Dental share their perspectives on the challenges and opportunities facing today’s marketing leaders and how they are preparing their organizations for the future.

Meet Ash ElDifrawi

Chief Commercial and Brand Officer, The Aspen Group

Officer at The Aspen Group (TAG), with over 25 years of experience in driving growth across industries. At TAG, Ash led the development of a digital platform supporting 2,000 locations with advanced analytics/CRM and content and rebuilt the marketing, product, and UX functions. A licensed Clinical Psychologist, Ash holds a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the Chicago School of Psychology and has published The Ten Worlds: The New Psychology of Happiness. He also co-hosts the podcast Hold Me Back with his son.

As the head of marketing, what do you view as your priority?
“The number one priority for me is to get the winning team on the field. In other words, to assemble a high-performance modern marketing organization. Like any sports franchise, it’s much harder than people think. Winning teams today look very different than 5 or 10 years ago, and CMOs are still figuring that out. I’m finding that more and more, marketing is becoming less of a ‘functional’ aspect of the business and more of the business driver. It’s becoming the engine of the business, which means the talent I find and hire goes beyond the traditional functional elements of marketing.

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Marketing is about growth, and growth is harder than it’s ever been. It’s about the customer experience, which is changing faster than it ever has. It’s about technology enabling every aspect of what we do. It’s about forgetting all the things you learned about best practices in brand marketing and realizing there are no more rules on how to build brands or win customers. Just like in sports, winning teams require the combination of world-class athletes and industry-leading specialists.” – Ash ElDifrawi

What has been the biggest shift in marketing in the last three years (since COVID)?
“More than ever, consumers truly own our brands. The power has shifted fully to consumers in terms of their ability to influence the success and failure of brands. We’ve always known that social media is relevant and all that comes with it, but now more than ever, due to the way the media landscape has evolved, consumers have significantly more power thanks to the proliferation of these platforms. As a result, we must be highly focused on things like reviews and being part of conversations happening on social media. A close second, which is related, is the nearly infinite places that you can engage consumers. Not long ago, a marketer could capture 75% of the market in 3-4 channels. Today, finding a channel that grabs just 10% of the market is almost impossible. This massive explosion of content on various platforms and the way consumers engage with them is forcing marketers to try to figure out how to stay relevant or how to diversify their media mix in a way that captures a significant part of the audience. It’s become quite a challenge. Lastly, I’d be remiss not to mention AI. The challenge here is not about marketers spending disproportionate time trying to fully understand all AI can do, but rather it’s about understanding how their key partners and platforms are using it or being influenced by it.” -Ash ElDifrawi.

Marketers can’t just be thinking about how they want to use Gen AI to optimize and become more efficient, but they also should be asking how AI is changing the way key platforms are producing winners and losers on their platforms.

– by Ash ElDifrawi

Meet Diane Vaccaro

Chief Marketing Office, 42 North

Diane Vaccaro is the Chief Marketing Officer at 42 North Dental, where she leads efforts to differentiate the organization with a focus on quality patient care. With a background in marketing for top designers like Liz Claiborne and Calvin Klein, she also led Kmart Apparel marketing for several years. Diane was previously the CMO at MyEyeDr., where she helped triple the company’s size. A former instructor at Baruch College, she taught marketing and consumer behavior. Once AI makes her job obsolete, Diane looks forward to retiring to the beach with her books, crafts, and dogs.

Curiosity. Linking problems to solutions with a sense for simplicity. An ability to distill a message to the core. Storytelling and an appreciation for the basic tenets of messaging.

– by Diane Vaccaro

How do you identify and evaluate new tech and trends to integrate into your strategies?
“I find myself on Reddit boards a lot. I read articles. I rarely respond to vendor outreach. I understand the limitations of the organization and team, and, even more importantly, the sequencing of new initiatives. I try to keep in mind the novelty isn’t the thing. What problem am I trying to solve, and where is it in terms of contribution to the organization?” -Diane Vaccaro

In your opinion, what skills will be most crucial for marketing professionals to thrive in the future landscape?
“Curiosity. Linking problems to solutions with a sense for simplicity. An ability to distill a message to the core. Storytelling and an appreciation for the basic tenets of messaging.” – Diane Vaccaro

What is the key to effectively leading marketing?
“A handful of items…
1. Patient centricity: making sure that the voice of the patient has a seat at the table when we are making decisions as an organization.
2. Deep understanding of your audience.
3. Identifying and discerning priorities to gauge ROI and resource planning.
4. Rely on subject matter experts (you can’t be an expert in everything!).
5. Remain purpose-driven.” -Diane Vaccaro

How do you ensure your team stays equipped and skilled to stay competitive?
“We attend the Hubspot conference (locally run). I think of it as CE for marketers. We get multiple folks involved in vendor pitches, as it always resonates differently among team members. We also carve out time for thinking and research. -Diane Vaccaro

Meet Mehmet Dogan

Vice President, Marketing at Planet DDS

Mehmet Dogan is the Vice President of Marketing at Planet DDS, with 25 years of experience across the US, Canada, and UAE. He has worked with brands like Overjet, Jarvis Analytics, and twofour54, contributing to projects such as The Dental Economist Show and campaigns like Star Wars: The Force Awakens amd Sesame Street Middle East. At Planet DDS, Mehmet leads a team driving marketing efforts for DentalOS, helping dental support organizations enhance efficiency and growth. An author of three books, Mehmet also runs an award-winning marketing blog, Alti Ustu Tasarim. He lives in Halifax, Nova Scotia, with his family.

What is the key to effectively leading marketing?
“The key to effective marketing leadership is to challenge the status quo. Of course,fostering collaboration, consistency, and building a strong team is important – but these are table stakes and baseline expectations for a leader. Real leadership in marketing is about pushing boundaries, encouraging new ideas, and not being afraid to disrupt the market. It’s about creating an environment where failure is seen as a stepping-stone to innovation.” -Mehmet Dogan

Are there any innovations or practices you’re seeing marketers do in other industries that you think could be transformative for dentistry?
“The famous marketing saying ‘50% of marketing is waste, but you don’t know which 50%’ is still painfully true in dentistry. While other industries have advanced in tracking and optimizing their marketing spend based on insight and data, dental marketing often remains in the dark. Many dental groups can’t even trace a click-to-chair patient journey with a high confidence rate. There are sophisticated tools (like Legwork) available that can track marketing spend by channel and its impact on production, yet they remain Underutilized. Personalized marketing at scale is another practice that could be transformative. By leveraging advanced data analytics, patient data/insights (demographic, family, insurance, treatment plan), and AI, dental marketers can create highly tailored campaigns and experiences for their patients. This approach, common in retail and tech, can lead to significantly improved patient engagement and outcomes in dentistry, which is the ultimate goal. Brand work is also crucial. In a sea of similar dental practices, what makes yours stand out is the question dental marketers must ask themselves. Tend, MiNT Dentistry, and DECA Dental are prime examples of groups that have successfully differentiated themselves through great branding and fantastic customer experience. Adopting these tactics and strategies might not revolutionize dental marketing, but it will undoubtedly enhance its effectiveness and return.”-Mehmet Dogan

Brand work is also crucial. In a sea of similar dental practices, what makes yours stand out is the question dental marketers must ask themselves.

– by Mehmet Dogan

In your opinion, what skills will be most crucial for marketing professionals to thrive in the future landscape?
Ruthless consistency is paramount for future marketers. This doesn’t get enough credit, but sticking to your strategy and executing it flawlessly, day in and day out, truly makes a difference. I do like creative marketers who try new things every day/week, but I LOVE ruthlessly consistent ones (as the famous Bruce Lee saying goes, “I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times”). Following that is curiosity, the drive to continuously learn and innovate. – Mehmet Dogan

Darby’s Commitment to Supporting Dental Hygienists

A delicate balance sustains a dental practice’s hum. Every team member plays a critical role in ensuring seamless patient care, from the moment a patient walks in until they leave with a smile. But what happens when the professionals at the core of this system—dental hygienists—are in short supply? This question has become an all-too-familiar reality for DSOs across the country.

In 2023, nearly 60% of dental organizations predicted that staffing shortages would remain their biggest challenge. The industry did not need a crystal ball to see it coming. The signs were everywhere, including practices understaffed, appointments backed up, and stress levels through the roof. The absence of dental hygienists can send operations to a halt. Furthermore, nearly one-third of the dental hygienist workforce (31.4%) expects to retire within the next five years, exacerbating the already dire situation.

The reasons for this attrition are also well-documented. Factors including negative workplace culture, insufficient pay, lack of growth opportunities, inadequate benefits, and feeling overworked are pushing hygienists to reconsider their career paths. Compounding this issue is the difficulty in recruiting new talent. A staggering 94.5% of dentists report finding a qualified hygienist is extremely challenging.

Amid this, Darby Dental Supply sees an opportunity not just to address a problem but to redefine how the industry supports one of its most vital roles. Darby is committed to shaping the landscape of dental hygiene by fostering community and spearheading innovation. By building a strong community of hygienists and investing in ergonomic solutions, Darby is positioning itself as a leader in tackling the DSO staffing issue.

“Our overarching goal at Darby has always been to identify customer needs and to meet them as best we can,” said Frank Massino, President of Darby Group Companies.

“Investing in the dental hygiene community by providing valuable resources and staffing solutions is essential for hygienists, facilitates same-store growth, and ensures better and easier access to quality oral healthcare in our communities for years to come.”

Hygiene HQ: Where Community Meets Innovation
Imagine a space where dental hygienists don’t just clock in and out but where their voices shape the future of their profession. This is the vision behind Darby’s Hygiene HQ, an online community that’s more than just a hub — it’s a movement. While other suppliers focus solely on the decision-makers, Darby has taken a different approach, one that puts hygienists at the forefront.

This approach resonates deeply within the dental community.

“The dental hygiene community is a valued resource for one another and for companies who are developing new products. To acquire information from a group of dental hygienists, a company has the ability to produce products and create programs based on the valued voice and opinion of the RDH,” said Jackie Sanders, MBA, RDH, Chief Editor of RDH Magazine at Endeavor Business Media.

By creating Hygiene HQ, Darby is not just offering a platform but building a foundation for the future of the profession. This community’s success lies in its ability to bring together hygienists from diverse backgrounds and experiences, allowing them to share insights, support one another, and contribute to the evolution of dental care. Hygienists who once felt isolated now can join a network where their contributions matter. This sense of community directly impacts patient care, as a supported and connected hygienist is better equipped to provide exceptional service.

A 2023 Salary Survey Report from RDH magazine and DentalPost found that 40% of hygienists’ top motivators for changing jobs were seeking a more positive environment or a more appreciative employer. Darby’s role in facilitating these connections underscores their commitment to being more than just a supplier. They are a partner in the professional lives of dental hygienists, understanding that the well-being of these practitioners directly influences the success of DSOs. Through Hygiene HQ, Darby is addressing the staffing crisis and laying the groundwork for a more engaged, knowledgeable, and empowered workforce.

Ergonomic Solutions: A Lifeline for Longevity
The physical strain of a dental hygienist’s work often do not make the headlines. The repetitive motions, awkward postures, and long hours create challenges that can lead to early retirement. The statistics are sobering. 91% of dental hygienists report suffering from or having suffered from musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). The most commonly affected areas include the neck (30.6%), shoulder (25%), and lumbosacral region (23.3%). For hygienists over the age of 35, these numbers spike even higher, with 94.2% reporting work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMDs).

At Darby, we recognize that dental hygienists are the heart and soul behind every practice.

– by Allison Alexander, VP Darby Group Companies

“As a supplier, it would be easy to focus our attention solely on the person in the office making buying decisions, but we have always believed that it is more important to provide holistic value to our customers, explains Allison Alexander, Vice President of Darby Group Companies. “Dental hygienists are essential to the success of any practice — from providing quality patient care to encouraging case acceptance — and we are committed to giving them a much-needed voice in purchasing decisions and providing ergonomic products that will extend their health and careers.”

This commitment is evident in initiatives like the Love Your Glove division and the “Find Your Fit” program. For hygienists, finding the right glove isn’t just about comfort but also career longevity. Darby’s investment in DenTouch gloves which are ergonomically designed to reduce hand fatigue, is just one example of how the organization is actively addressing the physical demands of the job. By ensuring that hygienists can work comfortably and sustainably, Darby not only enhances the well-being of these professionals but also strengthens the operations of the DSOs they serve. A healthier, more satisfied workforce means fewer disruptions, lower turnover, and ultimately, better patient care — benefits that reach across the entire organization.

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Darby is always looking for products with ergonomic benefits and strives to educate dental professionals on the importance of using the right supplies. At last year’s Greater New York Dental Meeting, Darby’s booth featured a “Find Your Fit” glove program. Visitors were encouraged to try on different gloves to assess the fit, material, thickness, texture, and ease of putting them on, ensuring their hands are protected by wearing the best-fitting gloves.

Melissa Massetti, RDHAP and Kristina Mankins, BS, RDHAP, co-owners of The Dental Hygiene Coach, were on the lookout to purchase supplies for their portable dental hygiene practice in Central California and visited the booth.

“One of our main concerns was finding gloves that would help reduce hand fatigue while providing a great feel and fit,” shares Melissa. The two met with Darby’s Business Development Specialist, Maria Mulé, who helped them explore the various options Darby offers customers.

“Darby’s Le Soothe Polychloroprene Gloves were a perfect match thanks to their fit, feel, and smoothness! These factors are crucial for a hygienist, as they see numerous patients in a single day and frequently change gloves,” Melissa continues.

“Because hygienists are prone to suffer from hand fatigue, which can lead to carpal tunnel, the proper fit of a glove and textured fingertips are extremely important in preventing these issues.”

By helping to extend the careers of these professionals, Darby is ensuring that DSOs have access to experienced staff who can deliver high quality care without the interruptions caused by injury or burnout.

Darby’s focus on ergonomics even goes beyond gloves. The organizations are actively exploring and developing other products to alleviate the physical strain on hygienists. From adjustable chairs that support proper posture to tools designed to minimize repetitive motion injuries, Darby is leading the way in creating a safer, more sustainable working environment for dental professionals.

Because hygienists are prone to suffer from hand fatigue, he proper fit of a glove and textured fingertips are extremely important

– by Melissa Massetti, RDHAP

Data shows that working longer hours per day (over 8 hours) and more hours or days per week (over 40 hours) significantly increases the risk of WRMDs, which affects 90% of those with these conditions. By addressing these risks, Darby is not just extending careers—they’re enhancing the quality of life for dental hygienists, ensuring a healthier workforce for the industry.

onDiem: Redefining Staffing for Modern Times
Darby’s partnership with onDiem is a game-changer in a world where flexibility is critical.

Picture this: a hygienist with young children who must balance work and family life. Traditional employment models don’t often cater to this need, but onDiem does. Offering temporary staffing solutions with benefits such as health insurance and vacation time, onDiem allows hygienists to choose when and where they work without sacrificing stability.

This forward-thinking approach is creating real success. Hygienists who once struggled to find work-life balance now have the flexibility they need, and DSOs that previously faced constant staffing disruptions now benefit from a more stable workforce. Darby’s investment in onDiem is not just about meeting today’s challenges but about laying the groundwork for a more adaptable and resilient industry.

For DSOs, the benefits are clear. No more scrambling to fill shifts at the last minute, no more compromising on the quality of care due to staffing shortages. onDiem offers a solution that’s as flexible as it is reliable, and Darby’s investment in this platform speaks volumes about their commitment to evolving with the times.

A Vision for the Future Darby’s commitment to the dental hygiene community is more than just a response to a staffing crisis but a strategic investment in the future. By focusing on the people who make dental practices run smoothly, Darby is ensuring that the industry is resilient and thriving.

Through initiatives like Hygiene HQ, ergonomic resources, and investments in solutions like onDiem, Darby is not just tackling the DSO industry’s number one problem. They are leading the way in reimagining how that problem is solved. As the industry evolves, Darby’s commitment to innovation and support for dental hygienists will likely set a new standard for how suppliers and DSOs can work together to build a stronger, healthier industry.

Join Hygiene HQ

By Brian A. Colao
Director, DSO Industry Group at Dykema

2024 2nd and 3rd Quarter DSO Industry Update

The DSO industry is facing unprecedented economic challenges, marked by record-high interest rates, rising labor costs, and increased expenses for supplies and materials, compounded by persistent inflation since mid-2022. Although there are signs of improvement in inflation and interest rates, uncertainty persists, particularly concerning U.S. job reports, upcoming economic data, and the presidential election. This update highlights key areas of interest for the DSO sector.

M&A Update
The consolidation of dentistry, which began around 2010, accelerated rapidly until early 2020. The pandemic then caused a temporary slowdown, but consolidation rebounded strongly in late 2020 and throughout 2021, reaching unprecedented levels. By the end of Q2 2022, however, rising interest rates significantly impacted large transactions. Many large DSOs paused their recapitalization efforts. Some DSOs have managed to secure substantial credit facilities, indicating ongoing confidence in the dental market.

In 2022 and early 2023, smaller transactions continued relatively normally until mid-2023, when they also experienced a slowdown. Large DSO transactions have been scarce, and prospects for improvement uncertain, heavily influenced by the upcoming presidential election. A new administration might implement measures to reduce interest rates and inflation, potentially revitalizing large transactions. However, the timing and valuations of such a resurgence remain unclear, especially given the record high valuations before the downturn.

Smaller transactions persist, but at a reduced pace and lower valuations compared to 2021. While some traditional buyers are currently unable to pursue acquisitions, others are limited to fewer transactions. A few buyers are maintaining normal transaction volumes, and new entrants are exploring the DSO market, providing some optimism.

The final quarter of 2024 is expected to be critical, with year-end economic reports and the presidential election likely affecting significant DSO transactions. Despite current challenges, high demand for transactions and many willing sellers suggest a positive outlook for the future.

Valuations for smaller transactions are now highly organization-specific, influenced by:

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Payer mix
Growth potential
Specialty integration
Infrastructure adequacy
Cost savings and economies of scale
Organizational culture
Seller’s business and leadership skills
Regulatory considerations

DSO Priorities for 2024
Traditionally, DSOs focused on increasing EBITDA through mergers and acquisitions. However, current economic challenges have shifted priorities toward same-store growth, aiming to organically boost EBITDA organically. Strategies for same-store growth include technological innovations such as AI solutions, patient finance tools, RCM tools, discount and membership plans, and specialty integration. Progress in these areas has been slower than anticipated due to subscription fees, capital investment costs, and integration issues with many vendors lacking open architecture.

Fortunately, many of these issues are being addressed, and ongoing case studies on technological innovations for same-store growth are expected to yield valuable insights soon.

Another key priority for DSOs in 2024 is renegotiating credit facilities to ensure adequate capitalization for the coming years. While some DSOs have managed this process smoothly, others face challenges, with some resorting to receivership or bankruptcy. This area requires close monitoring.

Regulatory Update
The challenging economic climate has intensified regulatory scrutiny and enforcement, with various entities seeking to recover funds. In 2024, this has resulted in:

Increased auditing and enforcement from Medicaid and private insurers, leading to substantial and often unrealistic repayment demands.
Stricter HIPAA enforcement, accompanied by significant fines and penalties.
Heightened enforcement of labor and employment laws, leading to a rise in individual and class-action lawsuits.
Increased actions to recover PPP loans, with the government scrutinizing loan recipients’ compliance amidst conflicting advice and unclear guidance from 2020.
Growing disputes with affiliated dentists, particularly regarding dissatisfaction with DSOs unable to complete recapitalization events.

These developments reflect a response to economic difficulties, with stakeholders seeking revenue under sometimes questionable circumstances. This heightened regulatory and litigious environment is expected to persist until broader economic conditions improve.

Dykema DSO Conference Recap
A notable highlight of an otherwise challenging year was the 2024 Dykema DSO Conference, which set a new attendance record, becoming the largest event in the DSO industry’s history. With over 2,000 attendees, the conference offered exceptional content, networking opportunities, and overall experience. The 2025 Dykema Conference is scheduled for August 6-8, 2025, at the Gaylord Rocky Mountain Resort in Denver, with the aim of breaking another attendance record. Registration will open in January of 2025 at Dykemadso.com.

You are what you think

MARTIN R. MENDELSON, DDS, FIADFE, CPC

Your thoughts shape your emotions, guide your actions, and manifest your results. In the world of dentistry, challenges abound regardless of your role in the practice. When working with dental professionals and their teams, I’ve observed that mindset and transparent communication are the linchpins that differentiate good teams from exceptional ones. Fostering a cohesive and contented team is not just desirable but indispensable in today’s dental landscape. Easier said than done.

Dr. Viktor Frankl, a leading authority in neurology and a Holocaust survivor, made a powerful observation about human behavior when he said, Between stimulus and response, there is a space. In that space, is our power to choose our response. In our response, lies our growth and our freedom.” Our interpretation of stimuli guides our responses. Thus, the pivotal factor is not the event itself but how we perceive and react to it. What does this mean for dental providers?

Consider this scenario. It is your practice’s policy not to leave contaminated instrument trays in the sterilization room unattended. One day, you discover this policy was violated. Because of the instruments on the tray, you immediately know who left them. So, the instruments left in the sterilization room is technically neutral. As Dr. Frankl describes, what happens next is how you choose to interpret this action.

You might think this individual did it intentionally, or you may even wonder, “Why do I have to do everything around here?” — now, you
are angry. Your thought has given rise to an emotion, which is now facilitating an action. So, you decide to give this person a piece of your mind. You march towards the break room to find them.

When you find this colleague, they are crying. Why? Something awful had just happened in their lives. Now, what are your thoughts? Now, what are your actions? What changed? How would giving them a piece of your mind manifest in the result of processing those instruments? It doesn’t.

Once you discovered the colleague in the breakroom, the only thing that changed was your thinking about the situation based on new information. The fact a procedural policy was violated still exists. You went from anger to compassion in the blink of an eye because an assumption was voided.

How often have you encountered this type of scenario — not the same one, but one where something happens, and there is an interpretation? The resulting actions (or silent treatments) can be carried out for days, weeks, months, or even years. What would it be like to have a culture where all practice members are expected to communicate on a different level?

This shift in thinking exemplifies the ability to reframe reactions. The adage, you cannot teach an old dog new tricks is false, and there is a term for this. The term is neuroplasticity. Dr. Matt Puderbaugh1 describes it as “a process that involves adaptive structural and functional changes to the brain. It is defined as the ability of the nervous system to change its activity in response to intrinsic or extrinsic stimuli by reorganizing its structure, functions, or connections.”

So, yes, anyone can learn new thought patterns, and positive brains will help your dental practice succeed. Creating a cohesive and
happy team is possible. When I work with teams, we create an agreement, a constitution, and a contract that focuses on what kind of practice we want to attend every day, how we agree to show up when there are challenges, and how we agree to keep each other accountable.

This exercise establishes a mindset that can change the face of a practice. By opening the door to effective communication, all parties are able to be heard and gone are the days of sweeping things under the rug. Trust is established. Teams work together to provide excellent patient care by prioritizing effective communication and mutual respect.

Science supports the importance of a positive mindset.

Positivity Influences Brain Function

Dr. Barbara Fredrickson’s Broaden and Build Theory2 substantiates that a broadening effect of our cognitive function is biological. The “positive chemicals” of dopamine and serotonin help us to feel and function better. These chemicals allow for additional neural connections, allowing us to think more clearly and creatively and become more adept at complex analysis.

Reflect on moments when you’ve felt upset, exited a conversation, and regretted not expressing specific thoughts or missing key points. Barbara Fredrickson’s Broaden and Build Theory offers a compelling rationale for such experiences.

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Positivity Helps Us See

A study by Dr. Taylor W. Schmitz3 showed that our mood changes how effectively our visual cortex operates. Individuals were shown pictures.
Participants in negative moods did not process all the details in the pictures. They missed significant parts of the background. Those in good moods saw all the details.

In another study by Dr. Heather A. Wadlinger4, participants who were trained to concentrate on positive information selectively “looked significantly less at the negative images in the visual stress task following the attentional training, thus demonstrating a learned aversion to negative stimuli.”

Comprehensive attention to detail is crucial in a dental practice regardless of your role. If team members harbor negative mindsets, it will impact your bottom line.

Positivity Influences Diagnosis

Clinicians need to assimilate large volumes of information to make a diagnosis, and inflexibility in thinking or anchoring (trouble letting go of an initial diagnosis or the anchor), even in the face of new evidence, can be detrimental to the diagnostic process.

Dr. Carlos Estrada5 sought to investigate the influence of a positive effect on clinical reasoning, anchoring, and efficiency. In his study, he split physicians into groups, and they were given medical information to review and then come to a diagnosis. The group that was promised some candy (i.e., primed to be positive) demonstrated less anchoring and came to a diagnosis faster than the other groups involved in the study. Even just a minimal burst of positivity affected their diagnostic acumen.

Treatment planning and case acceptance are the bread and butter of any practice. Imagine what we may be missing by harboring negativity instead of working through it on a more regular basis.

Positivity Influences Performance

A study by Bryan assessed the impact of positive moods on students’ feelings of self-efficacy and math performance. A group of students were asked to remember one of the happiest days in their lives before taking a standardized math test. Those students who were asked to remember these happy times outperformed the other students not asked to recall fond memories. The study concluded that “children in the positive-mood condition completed significantly more problems accurately than children in the no-treatment control condition.”

Positive brains operate more efficiently, enhancing diagnostic accuracy with fewer missed details. Psychology devotes an entire branch to positivity, and these studies barely scratch the surface. Studies and knowledge are one thing — action is another.

Now, take tangible steps forward to cultivate positivity and improve team dynamics with these suggestions:

Establish a culture of transparent communication.

Create an agreement or constitution outlining expectations for communication, teamwork, and accountability within the practice.
Hold regular team meetings or huddles to discuss practice policies, challenges, and successes openly.
Encourage team members to express concerns, share ideas, and constructively provide feedback.

Integrate gratitude practices into daily routine.

Start each day with a morning huddle focused on expressing gratitude for successes and positive experiences and identifying challenges.
Encourage team members to share moments of gratitude, whether related to patient care, teamwork, or personal achievements.

Promote a positive mindset and resilience.

Provide training or workshops on the science of positivity and the impact of positive emotions on cognitive function.
Offer resources for team members to develop resiliency skills, such as mindfulness practices, stress management techniques, and self-care strategies.
Foster a supportive environment where team members feel empowered to overcome challenges and bounce back from setbacks with optimism.

Cultivate strong interpersonal relationships.

Encourage collaboration and mutual support in daily interactions, emphasizing the importance of treating colleagues with kindness and respect.
Provide opportunities for team members to engage in activities in and outside work to strengthen bonds and foster camaraderie among team members.

As a profession, we stand as heroes, alleviating pain, restoring function, and nurturing self-confidence through aesthetic procedures. Our work is undeniably miraculous. In your most challenging moments, I urge you to keep this in mind.

We have all fallen into patterns of thinking that have served us in one way or another to get us to where we are today. If you are feeling stressed and burnt out, you can change your patterns to better serve you. You cannot choose everything in life, but you can choose your
attitude. By cultivating a positive mindset and fostering open communication, dental professionals can navigate challenges with resilience and optimism to enhance patient care and practice outcomes. As the dental industry continues to evolve, may we embrace positivity as a guiding principle, empowering us to overcome obstacles and thrive in our incredible field.

Dr. Martin R. Mendelson

Dr. Martin R. Mendelson, FIADFE, CPC, leverages his clinical background to empower leaders for over two decades. Through Metamorphosis Coaching, he enhances decision-making and fosters excellence-driven cultures. Dr. Mendelson’s unique approach focuses on internal T.E.A.M, (Thoughts, Emotion, Action, Manifestation) versus External T.E.A.M. (Trust, Engagement, Accountability, Mindset), profoundly impacting team cohesion and productivity.

He can be reached via both his:
Website: www.martinmendelson.com
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/metamorphcoach/

References

1. Puderbaugh M, Emmady PD. Neuroplasticity. [Updated 2023 May 1]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2023 Jan.
2. 2004 The broaden–and–build theory of positive emotions Phil. Trans. R. Soc. Lond. B3591367–1377
3. Opposing Influences of Affective State Valence on Visual Cortical Encoding Taylor W. Schmitz, Eve De Rosa, Adam K. Anderson Journal of Neuroscience 3 June 2009, 29 (22) 7199-7207; DOI: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.5387-08.2009
4. Wadlinger HA, Isaacowitz DM. Looking happy: the experimental manipulation of a positive visual attention bias. Emotion. 2008 Feb;8(1):121-6.
5. Carlos A Estrada, Alice M Isen, Mark J Young, Positive Affect Facilitates Integration of Information and Decreases Anchoring in Reasoning among Physicians, Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Volume 72, Issue 1, 1997, Pages 117-135,
6. Bryan T, Bryan J. Positive mood and math performance. J Learn Disabil. 1991 Oct;24(8):490-4.

Learn from the Women in DSO® members shaping the future of dentistry and DSOs. Their insights, tools, and secrets to success are yours to discover in Lessons in Leadership. Gain an intimate glimpse into the diverse world of leaders who illuminate the path forward with both inspiration and practical guidance.

Temporary and part-time staffing is an investment that comes with its challenges—but it also leads to significant ROI.

Investing in temporary and part-time staffing is crucial for adaptive, thriving organizations.
Dental practice owners today face the challenge of balancing financial stability with employee satisfaction. Rather than just cutting costs, focusing on longer-term investments in part-time and temporary staff can drive long-term success. Oxford University research shows a strong link between employee well-being and financial performance. Companies with higher well-being scores yield better returns, higher profits, and greater valuations, making investment in the well-being of temporary and part-time staff a smart business strategy.

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Key benefits of investing in temporary and part-time staffing include:
Enhanced productivity, stronger relationships, increased creativity, improved health, and better talent retention. However, practices may struggle to support temporary and part-time workers in the way they support full-time employees. Staffing companies must help by ensuring retention, reducing liabilities, and caring for dental professionals. For instance, onDiem partnered with the American Dental Hygienists’ Association (ADHA) to provide benefits that support dental hygienists’ well-being, reflecting a commitment to their professional and personal growth. This includes rebates on ADHA membership and onDiem Care Benefits, a monthly wellness stipend that covers health and wellness-related expenses.

Visit onDiem

Empowering Female Entrepreneurs and Investors

Today, women dominate clinical and business roles across the dental industry — they know and understand the dental industry’s needs, challenges, and opportunities better than anyone else. So why are they often left in the shadows when accessing venture capital?

Women-founded/led companies receive less than 2.5% of venture capital funding. This statistic is even more staggering in the dental industry. Despite being the backbone of clinical care, women are often sidelined when securing the capital necessary to bring their innovative ideas to life. Recognizing this disparity, Women in DSO® has partnered with Dental Innovation Alliance (DIA), to launch the Entrepreneurship Corner, a new initiative designed to empower women and men equally as both entrepreneurs and investors. DIA is a venture capital firm that funds, advises, and propels the success of early-stage companies building the future of dentistry and health through technology. We hope that this partnership reshapes the landscape of dental innovation by engaging more women.

The Entrepreneurship Corner is not just a response to this imbalance. It is a bold step toward redefining who gets to lead in dental innovation. It is built on the premise that empowering women to become successful entrepreneurs and savvy investors is not just beneficial for women but essential for the future of the dental industry. The topics discussed are also relevant for women who are supporting technology companies at various levels of their careers.

A Two-Fold Approach

The Entrepreneurship Corner offers two distinct curriculums: one focused on entrepreneurship and the other on investing. Both are designed to be practical, accessible, and deeply impactful.

The entrepreneurship curriculum will:

Help women cultivate an entrepreneurial mindset, a critical step in identifying opportunities and driving innovation
Share how to develop robust business plans, conduct thorough market research, and navigate the financial and legal nuances of starting and scaling a business
Equip women with the skills necessary to lead successful ventures and prepare them for potential exit strategies

The investor curriculum is equally comprehensive and will:

- Guide participants through the complexities of early-stage and late-stage investment
- Cover the basics of different types of investors, from angel investors to venture capitalists to corporate backers
- Offer insights into evaluating startups and understanding the risks and rewards associated with various investment stages

Entrepreneurship Corner

As Dr. Aman Kaur, the founder and president of Women in DSO®, aptly shares, “We know a lot about the salary gap, but another important issue is the wealth gap. Women leaders in dentistry have just as much to offer and need to be equipped with the right tools and opportunities, so they can make money with their money, bounce back from failures if they happen and become confident investors.”

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Learning by Doing
What sets the Entrepreneurship Corner apart is its emphasis on actionable learning. Each module includes a 15-20 minute video followed by an “assignment” designed to help participants apply what they’ve learned in real-world scenarios to prepare themselves for entrepreneurship as well as investing. The curriculum features insights and expertise from leaders across the dental and investment industries, bringing real-world expertise directly to participants. Learnings are built from their experience and strategies that go beyond textbook knowledge. Participants will gain practical advice and actionable tips that they can immediately put into action and see results.

Building a Community of Leaders
As this group of investors and entrepreneurs work together, these relationships will develop into a community that can continuously help others with their expertise and lessons. It will provide these innovative leaders the opportunity to discuss their successes and setbacks, exchange ideas, and provide each other with the encouragement and advice needed to navigate the often challenging paths of entrepreneurship and investing. It will create space for participants to connect, share their experiences, and learn from one another.

A Vision for the Future
Women across the dental industry already possess expertise and ideas; they just need the tools and support to bring them to fruition. Confidence is often a product from knowledge; by combining education with practical application, the Entrepreneurship Corner aims to dismantle the barriers that have historically kept women from accessing the capital and investment opportunities they deserve.

This initiative is about creating a new vision for the dental industry — where women are not just participants, but also are leaders in innovation and investment. Through the partnership of Women in DSO® and DIA, the Entrepreneurship Corner is an invitation to all progressive leaders in the dental field to come, be empowered, and change the future of dentistry together.

Your Tech Stack, Unstacked

By Alan Rencher
Chief Technology Officer, Henry Schein One

In my conversations with DSOs, I’m consistently struck by how many still rely on a patchwork of third-party vendors to run their operations. Think about the sheer number of systems involved in a single day—imaging, revenue cycle management, scheduling, analytics—each handled by a different tool. How much time is being wasted manually entering data, fumbling to find patient information, and clicking between tools?

In today’s rapidly evolving dental landscape, scaling successfully means investing in a tech ecosystem (tech stack) that doesn’t just support growth, but actively drives it.

To run your DSO effectively now and in the future, you need a tech stack that adapts easily, improves your team’s efficiency, and enhances every step of the patient’s experience.

What Your Tech Stack Should Do for You
When I talk about tech stacks, I’m referring to the tools and technologies you use to run your organization. Think of it this way: You don’t carry a phone, camera, voice recorder, and Walkman anymore. You carry a smartphone that gives you access to everything. A tech stack functions the same way.

Your tech stack is the heartbeat of your operation, and it should do more than just function. It needs to bring clarity and confidence at every stage. And when it provides the four things below, your DSO’s growth can finally be unlocked.

01
It Should Simplify Workflows and Amplify Results
Your tech stack should eliminate redundancies and manual tasks, dramatically reduce administrative workload, and—most importantly—help create a better patient experience.

A truly connected platform should create automated synergies between common workflows. I’m excited by the work our team has done to address this, streamlining the entire patient intake process, from booking to check-in to payment.

• Revenue cycles run themselves.
• Capacity planning is proactive.
• Patient experiences feel seamless, every time.
• Your data tells you what to do next—before you even ask.

A patient finds your practice on Google, books an appointment, and completes their forms—scanning their ID and insurance card right from their phone. That information flows directly into the patient record—no manual entry, no errors.

Insurance eligibility is verified automatically ahead of the visit—without front office staff spending time calling payors or digging through portals. Your patient walks in and your team is already prepared with their information and benefits confirmed.

During the appointment, imaging is annotated with AI and tied to the treatment plan with transparent cost visibility—giving patients the confidence to move forward. CDT codes are applied instantly. Claims go out clean. Denials drop. Cash flow improves. This is smarter care in action—where technology works quietly in the background, and your team gets back to focusing on patients.

I’ve seen large DSOs produce some significant results with a more connected platform. For example, Areo Dental, based in Chicago, has seen 20% growth thanks to connected cloud-based technology, revenue management automation, and real-time data analytics. 42 North Dental, based in Massachusetts, has seen the benefits of standardizing operations, and can now manage data collection, among other things, for all 96 of its practices.

02
It Should Protect Your Data
I firmly believe that credible technology companies have a responsibility to protect your patient and practice data, and the security measures they implement should be just as important as any other software feature.

You shouldn’t have to worry whether your practice management system is secure. Those controls should be in one place, managed by your vendor’s team of experts who handle security concerns like edge protection, secure coding practices, and cyber incidents.

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Let’s bring back our friends at 42 North Dental: Security played a huge role in their decision to move to the cloud. Centralizing data management in a secure cloud environment provides a far more robust disaster recovery strategy than managing disparate, on-site servers.

One of the things I always say is, “It’s not a matter of if a breach happens, but when.” Data security is nonnegotiable. We were pioneers in this area with Dentrix Ascend as the first cloud-based practice management system to meet SOC 2 Type II compliance standards, which helps us protect against data breaches and offers a secure audit trail for prescriptions, treatments, and records.

Security is at the root of your tech stack, so the first question you’ll want to ask any potential software provider is “Do you have SOC 2 Type II certification?”

03
It Should Give You the Freedom to Connect—Anywhere
Being untethered from a physical workstation empowers real-time decision-making and the flexibility to pivot instantly as situations evolve. This mobility benefits more than just your team—it transforms clinical operations as well.

I often hear from DSOs how essential the cloud is to their operations. Doctors are able to seamlessly move between locations while maintaining access to all essential patient information. Scheduling and communication don’t need to be done at a desktop.

These DSOs are able to access key practice data and workflows from any internet-connected device, enhancing communication, collaboration, and overall efficiency across their team. For instance, FlossTime, a Boston-based mobile dentistry practice, depends on cloud-based Dentrix Ascend to access patient files, send texts for appointment reminders, and manage online bookings from anywhere.

I also hear how using the cloud helps you be you. For example, sending in a prescription after hours for a patient while you’re at your daughter’s soccer game or quickly checking a report in your car before taking your dog to an appointment—the cloud provides that secure, trusted connection when you need it, wherever you need it.

04
It Should Be Customizable to Meet Your Unique Needs
As part of my role as Chief Technology Officer, I’m constantly considering how technology can empower DSOs. With our API exchange, DSOs can effortlessly connect trusted third-party applications or build their own. This ability to build custom integrations has allowed DSOs like Kare Mobile to address very specific operational needs.

For instance, Kare Mobile developed DentaFlo, their own scheduling system that automates appointment booking. By connecting DentaFlo with Dentrix Ascend through our API, they’ve automated scheduling for over 1,500 appointments, resulting in significant time savings. This integration has also maintained or even improved productivity and no-show rates in various locations.

Centralized systems aren’t a luxury— they’re your new foundation.

Fuel Your Growth
The smartest DSOs understand that the right tech stack doesn’t just accommodate growth—it fuels it. I hear the same message consistently: Centralized operations are not just beneficial—they’re essential. This centralization provides the clarity and consistency needed to make informed decisions, streamline processes, and ultimately drive scalable, sustainable growth across their entire DSO.

And the data bears that out. Our latest benchmarking report highlights top-performing DSOs, and the difference between the leaders who prioritize scalable, flexible tech ecosystems and the industry average is striking. Among other things, these leaders achieved:

This is the future we’re building: One where doctors are free to focus more on their patients and passion, not their systems, and DSOs can truly flourish. The momentum is real, the impact is growing, and we’re excited to be a part of it. Join us.

henryscheinone.com
833-210-7614

Chief Technology Officer Henry Schein One

Alan Rencher

Chief Technology Officer

Henry Schein One

Alan Rencher is a technology executive at Henry Schein One, an innovative technology company that provides industry-leading practice management, market, and patient engagement solutions. Previously, Alan worked in executive technology leadership roles at MasterControl, Target, Melaleuca, and various other technology companies. Alan enjoys solving complex problems with incredible tech and even better people. Alan holds various engineering and computer science degrees. Alan resides in Highland, Utah, with his wife and four children.

Safeguarding the Modern DSO from Ongoing Cyber Threats

The dental industry is currently at a unique inflection point. There is increased demand for data, increased cybercrime, and ongoing privacy concerns, which together challenge practices — and their brands — like never before. The transition to digital has improved the ability to collect and process data and empowers dental practices to provide a better experience for their patients, employees, and partners. However, it has also created new vulnerabilities that can significantly impact EBITDA and the “brand trust” they work so hard to create.

Data has never been more important. The role of data — its quality and security — is instrumental to fueling technology, running operations, automating processes, enhancing experience, and improving decision-making. Data is, indeed, the linchpin for innovation in the industry.

Unfortunately, this data is of value to both your organization and to outside threats. Healthcare organizations store immense patient data, making them attractive targets for cybercriminals. Cyberattacks, data breaches, and ransomware represent real threats to your data and business. Ransomware attacks alone have tripled (246%) in volume over the past five years and top the list of biggest perceived security threats. Needless to say a breach can lead to severe financial and reputational damage to a DSO, regardless of size.

Gary Salman, CEO of Black Talon Security, emphasizes the importance of cybersecurity for DSOs. “Protecting your investments and critical patient data is paramount. Cybersecurity is not just about safeguarding sensitive information but also about preserving the trust and integrity that are fundamental to patient care. A robust cybersecurity strategy ensures that DSOs can operate securely and confidently in a landscape where data breaches and cyber threats are increasingly prevalent.”

The often uncomfortable conversations about cybersecurity can no longer be ignored. It is no longer just about meeting compliance, but it is about safeguarding the lifeblood of your organization and demands attention and engagement from the highest levels of corporate leadership. When it comes to cybersecurity, there are three big questions every C-Level leader should feel comfortable answering. Leaders, it is time to get informed of the risks and equip yourselves with the right questions and tactics to disarm cyber threats.

Effective cybersecurity is required for all businesses in the healthcare space. As a holding company, we need to be great partners and find and recommend great strategies for the 100+ small businesses who we are partnered with. The tools that my third-party security provider has deployed on our systems give me much greater visibility than I had before. I can actually track and keep a tally of attacks that were launched against some of our businesses. If even one of those attacks were successful, it would have cost our organization more money than we will ever spend on preventative security. That fact alone makes it easier for me to justify what I ask for when submitting my IT/security budget. I can emphatically state that I sleep better at night after partnering with a third-party cybersecurity provider.

– by Andy Taylor, Senior Director of IT for Dentive

What’s at risk if I don’t invest in cybersecurity?

Your patient’s financial and medical data is at risk.
Patient records, including personal and medical information, are among healthcare organizations’ most valuable assets. Healthcare data is attractive to cyber criminals because it contains financial and personal data, can be used for blackmail, is ideal for fraudulent billing, and is regulated by HIPPA law.

Your brand reputation is at risk.
Building a positive brand image is a gradual task that takes years. Within days, a cybersecurity breach can undo brand perception, severely damage an organization’s reputation, and erode patient trust. While security starts with internal commitments and discipline, to the outside world, security plays a significant role in achieving customer satisfaction — infusing trust into each interaction with your brand.

You risk regulatory fines and legal action.
With the increasing number of data privacy regulations, compliance has become a significant concern for all healthcare leaders. Implementing a strong cybersecurity strategy is not only a best practice but also a legal necessity to avoid the possibility of hefty fines and legal repercussions.

You risk significant financial loss.
Cyberattacks can have devastating financial consequences. The impact ranges from large ransom payments and business disruption to costs for remediation, legal fees, possible regulatory fines, and potential class action lawsuits. Revenue cycle is impacted often creating difficulty making payroll and paying expenses. A 2020 estimate from IBM placed the average monetary cost of a data breach in a company with fewer than 500 employees at $2.64 million.

CASE STUDY

A hard-hitting example of what’s at risk:

In mid-October 2023, a multi-specialty DSO with 15 locations running a Cloud-based EMR system was the victim of a significant ransomware attack.

The first indications of the event were ransom notes and encrypted files on almost all of their 400+ computers, which employees discovered upon arriving at their desks. Internal IT was immediately contacted, and the ransom notes and encrypted files were quickly confirmed as real. The hackers accessed their data and downloaded patient records via workstations within the DSO. The hackers also installed screen-sharing applications on the computers, providing them persistent access to the network.

After a week, a difficult recovery process began. Since each machine was impacted, all workstations and servers needed to be rebuilt from scratch. The rebuilding process took two weeks due to the size of the organization.

The ransom demand was more than $2,000,000, and the hackers provided a detailed list of all the patient records and files they stole. The DSO chose to negotiate and pay the ransom in order to get the decryption code to unlock their data. This also mitigated the chances of the hackers publishing and selling the stolen patient and operational data. The hackers agreed to accept $1,400,000, utilizing Bitcoin (BTC).

After four weeks, the DSO had exhausted its $3,000,000 cyber insurance policy. It was paying out of pocket an average of $250,000 per day for mitigation and recovery while generating $0 in revenue due to closed offices. This DSO experienced a total loss of over $5,000,000 from
operational outages due to the inability to see and treat patients, collect accounts receivable, office closures, legal fees, restoration expenses, and the ransom payment.

The IT department was not necessarily negligent; they were simply unaware of the sophistication of modern-day ransomware attacks and missed critical components of a robust security stack. A comprehensive offensive and defensive security stack could have prevented the intrusion and exploitation of the network.

This real-life example is not an outlier. Unfortunately, it is all too typical. Operational shutdown is a likely and immediate consequence for DSOs with more than five locations — lasting 7-10 business days. Generally, every workstation and server are impacted and requires a replacement or rebuild. Also, nearly all healthcare breaches involve patient data theft which requires forensic investigation. Painfully, no data can be moved or accessed until the investigation concludes. Engaging a cybersecurity firm for threat negotiations and forensic investigation is crucial and expensive. Ransoms for large dental organizations start at around $1 million.

Beyond the immediate aftermath, recovery is lengthy and expensive. DSOs can potentially be required to notify patients of the breach, offer ID monitoring, be subject to compliance fines, and possibly class-action lawsuits due to data theft and exposure. Often, the reputational harm of the events presents PR nightmares and the possibility of patient attrition when not handled properly.

Are we equipped to handle a cyberattack?

As a C-suite executive, you may not be a cybersecurity expert but it’s crucial for you to understand your organization’s cybersecurity
posture and potential vulnerabilities. To ensure that your organization is adequately protected, begin by asking your IT resources the following questions:

Where is our organization most vulnerable to cyberattacks?
When was our last vulnerability scan and what action was taken with these results?
Do we have continuous, 24/7/365 monitoring of our network and data?
Do we have a complete inventory of our data locations and the assurance that it is protected everywhere?
What is the status of our cybersecurity awareness training at all levels of the organization?
When was our last third-party security risk assessment conducted?
Do we have a comprehensive response plan and protocol for handling a cyber intrusion?
When was our last penetration test performed?
Do we have a data map showing where all our data is stored?
Do we have KPIs and Business Intelligence showing us trends in our security risk?

The answers to these questions will provide valuable insights into your organization’s security posture and help to highlight areas that may require immediate attention.

After our IT provider fell victim to a ransomware attack across all of our dental locations in Maryland, we turned to Black Talon on our insurance company’s recommendation. Their team was not only able to negotiate the ransom down by 25% but also managed the entire decryption process swiftly and effectively. Throughout the ordeal, they communicated clearly and patiently, guiding us through each step in a way that was easy to understand, even for someone not versed in IT. Their professionalism and support were invaluable during what was undoubtedly the biggest crisis of my 20-year career. I highly recommend Black Talon for their expertise, prompt response, and unwavering dedication.

– by Dr. T

What is our approach to preventing security threats?

Consult with experts and take a proactive, data-driven approach to prepare for the unexpected. An excellent place to start is a conversation with your IT resources and cybersecurity provider to assess gaps, prioritize focus areas, and implement changes accordingly. Meanwhile, there are also several proactive steps to consider. Start on these sooner rather than later.

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It’s essential to distinguish the difference between IT resources and dedicated cybersecurity firms. IT companies concentrate on managing and maintaining your overall infrastructure, which includes tasks like managing firewalls, traditional antivirus protection, maintaining hardware, software updates, and backups. In contrast, cybersecurity companies go beyond traditional IT measures and specialize in safeguarding your data against threats and breaches. They employ highly credentialed security engineers who utilize advanced security measures such as intrusion detection, encryption, and conduct regular security audits, penetration testing, and vulnerability assessments to ensure comprehensive protection.

Empower employees
Foster a security-conscious culture within the organization where every employee understands their role in protecting its information assets. Educate them on the latest cybersecurity threats and train them to thwart cyber risks, social engineering, and other common threats. Conduct regular simulated security and phishing tests to reinforce this training measure performance.

Conduct vulnerability scans
Exploiting technical vulnerabilities is the second most common way hackers successfully target healthcare organizations. Vulnerability scans are a way to be aware of your wide-open “doors and windows” on your network before a hacker finds them. Using continuous vulnerability scanning tools helps identify weaknesses before hackers can exploit them. Vulnerability scans should be performed daily against your entire IT infrastructure, including all workstations, servers, and firewalls.

Implement advanced XDR and MDR anti-virus technology
Traditional anti-virus (AV) software has been a great tool for the past 30 years to defend organizations; however, it is not designed to protect DSOs from modern-day cyberattacks. Criminal groups that target healthcare organizations are well-funded, sophisticated, tech-savvy gangs of cyber criminals. They own most of the AV programs on the market and know how to re-engineer their malicious code to become invisible to traditional AV.

Upgrading your defense to Extended Detection and Response (XDR), or Managed Detection and Response (MDR) can significantly increase your chances of fending off an attack. XDR and MDR uses advanced analytics, machine learning algorithms and threat intelligence feeds to detect and prioritize security threats, isolate endpoints and notify who is responsible for network monitoring. An effective MDR solution should include 24/7 monitoring by a human security professional.

Conduct security risk assessments (SRAs)
Engage with a third-party expert to perform a SRA against your DSO. This assessment should involve a thorough analysis of your organization’s security posture, including identifying threats, vulnerabilities, operational risks, and lack of controls and SOPs. The third-party will provide you with a risk register, how to prioritize risks based on their potential impact, and recommend appropriate mitigation strategies and controls to address the identified risks. Commit to annual assessments and consider increasing their frequency after major changes such as mergers, technology integrations, and changes in the threat landscape. It’s especially crucial during the due diligence process to complete a comprehensive SRA before proceeding with an acquisition, as you don’t want to inherit any security breaches (or “buy a breach”).

Develop an incident response plan
The time to plan for a cyber incident is not in the middle of the crisis. It is critical to have a plan in place before an incident occurs. Develop a detailed incident response plan highlighting the steps for detecting, responding to, and recovering from different types of cyberattacks. Ensure that everyone in your organization is aware of their roles and responsibilities during a security incident.

Commit to implementing and validating
Once you’ve committed to implementing these top strategies, develop a way to track and verify that the money you are spending for protection is being used effectively. Modern security professionals are looking at ways of reducing redundant toolsets, increasing visibility into their blind spots and monitoring from a “single pane of glass.”

Develop security metrics
Security metrics allow you to base decisions on actionable data. Executive teams often make cyber decisions based upon “feelings” instead of developing a way to quantify risks and impacts. Cyber resilient DSOs monitor and track:

Real-time security metrics through actionable dashboards that ingest data from all your computers, servers, firewalls, anti-virus, and people. This provides organizations with a clear picture of where you have security risks so you can either accept or remediate them.
Current and historical data so leadership can ensure their IT and cybersecurity investments produce results.
A cybersecurity risk score based on vulnerabilities from computers and firewalls, threats stopped, cybersecurity training, simulated phishing, open ports on firewalls, and more. This risk score helps non-technical leaders grasp the overall risk and helps them align budgets to address it or ask more follow-up questions.

Today’s prevention secures tomorrow’s future
As stewards of the organization, executives set the tone for their organization to follow. Incorporate cybersecurity and risk management into your strategic planning. The outlook may seem bleak, but attacks are preventable. Implementing robust preventative measures will significantly reduce your risk. In these changing times, reevaluate your cybersecurity strategy to safeguard your revenue cycle, EBITDA, and growth plans against the consequences of inaction or outdated security practices.

This article is sponsored by Black Talon Security, the recognized cybersecurity leader in the dental/DSO industry. With deep roots within the dental and dental specialty segments, Black Talon understands the unique needs that DSOs and dental groups have when it comes to securing patient and other sensitive data from hackers. Black Talon’s mission is to protect all businesses from the devastating effects caused by cyberattacks—and that begins with a robust cyber risk mitigation strategy.

To evaluate your group’s current security posture visit www.blacktalonsecurity.com.

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Author: Katerina Georgievska

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Capital Gains

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A hard-hitting example of what’s at risk:

Bold Moves & Rising Stars