Empowering DSOs

Driving Growth & Innovation with Darby

Procurement reports and staffing dashboards are essential decision-making tools for any growing dental support organization (DSO). They help identify gaps, reduce inefficiencies, and unlock growth opportunities. Darby Dental excels in this space by acting as a steadfast partner for DSOs, bringing proven solutions and personalized support to the forefront. Whether the goal is to refine operational workflows, meet evolving patient expectations, or leverage data to optimize costs, Darby provides innovative, tailored solutions that empower DSOs to achieve sustainable success.

Traditionally, the growth strategies of DSOs have centered on mergers and acquisitions. The pace of merger and acquisition activity has slowed due to recent market shifts, causing DSOs to shift their focus towards same-store growth.

“The trend we’re seeing now is a greater emphasis on profitability and efficiency within existing locations,” said Andrea Hight, Director, Strategic Accounts/DSOs at Darby. “This shift has created an opportunity for us to introduce solutions that directly impact operational performance and drive sustainable growth.”

For example, Children’s Surgical Centers is a network of ambulatory surgery centers with a mission to serve underserved children and individuals with special needs. Facing the challenge of scaling operations while maintaining affordable and accessible care, they turned to Darby. Using Darby’s procurement best practices, Children’s Surgical Centers consolidated purchasing processes, optimized inventory, and significantly reduced costs.

“Working with Darby has made life so easy,” says James Walters, VP of Operations at Children’s Surgical Centers. “My supply costs were cut down substantially. Plus, I have everything I need on a convenient list that Darby provides — eliminating the time and energy it takes to track down the right products and prices. We were able to get top-of-the-line products that have led to happier doctors and happier patients.”

Debbie Kessler, Darby’s Director of Strategic Accounts for DSOs, collaborated closely with James Walters and the Children’s Surgical Centers team, delivering cost-effective solutions that aligned with their specific needs. She was instrumental in helping them identify the right products — at the right price — so they could spend more time focusing on their mission.

Now, Children’s Surgical Centers can better focus on filling a nationwide gap in coverage for those who need access to dental procedures under general anesthesia far more urgently than extensive hospital wait times can accommodate.

Darby’s unique ability to provide innovative tools with tailored, hand son support ensures DSOs can optimize operations while dedicating more resources to their core missions. By enabling DSOs to simplify operations and allocate resources more effectively, Darby ensures their partners can prioritize their core mission: delivering exceptional patient care.

Darby uses advanced analytics to uncover opportunities for improvement. The company’s industry-leading AI-driven tools evaluate spend data interactively, helping DSOs identify best practices and pinpoint areas for improvement.

“We don’t just look at pricing,” explains Scott Walsh, Vice President, Sales at Darby. “We analyze product mix, duplication, inventory management, and even private-label adoption to create holistic strategies tailored to each DSO.”

This approach played a pivotal role in helping one large DSO struggling with high supply costs. Using Darby’s analytics tools, the team uncovered inefficiencies like product duplication and non-standardized purchasing.

The DSO significantly reduced costs and improved scalability by implementing changes such as streamlined inventory management and cost-effective private-label products, realizing financial and operational benefits that aligned with its growth strategy.

As operational efficiencies are crucial for DSOs to thrive, addressing workforce and equipment maintenance challenges has become equally vital. The dental industry’s staffing shortages as well as availability of equipment repair technicians have posed significant challenges for DSOs nationwide. Darby has solutions for both.

Darby Dispatch is the innovative approach to comprehensive, technology-driven access to essential equipment repairs, capital inventory management, regulatory compliance, and data to support expansion and EBITDA demands.

Darby’s partnership with onDiem offers a proactive solution for its DSOs by connecting practices with pre-vetted dental professionals and simplifying onboarding processes.

“It’s about more than just filling a position. It’s about finding the right fit and alleviating administrative burdens so DSOs can focus on growth,” shares Scott.

The onDiem platform offers comprehensive services, handling everything from payroll taxes to ensuring compliance with state and federal laws. By centralizing staffing needs and reducing the complexities associated with hiring, onDiem allows DSOs to maintain staffing levels without administrative strain.

Additionally, quickly onboarding temporary and permanent staff has helped many DSOs bridge staffing gaps during peak times or unexpected absences, ensuring that patient care remains uninterrupted. onDiem’s combination of efficiency and reliability exemplifies Darby’s commitment to empowering its partners with practical, high-impact solutions.

Beyond procurement and staffing, Darby provides DSOs with a comprehensive suite of services designed to drive efficiency and scalability. From IT integration to subscription management platforms, Darby’s offerings align with the evolving needs of tomorrow’s DSOs.

Tools for Growth

Method Procurement – amplifies savings and provides purchasing transparency through one modern dental spend management platform.

TechForce – delivers tailormade, dental-specific and HIPAA compliant technology solutions fromdesktop support to network security, and everything in between.

Dispatch – provides cutting-edge software solutions and equipment repair services to minimize downtime, ensure compliance, and improve operational efficiency.

onDiem – connects practices with temporary and long-term dental hygienists, assistants, and front office professionals2through an on-demand staffing platform and proprietary onboarding process.

Subscribili – allows dental practices to increase access to care, strengthen their customer base, and improve patient outcomes.

Darby TechForce, for example, provides tailored cybersecurity and IT solutions. TechForce seamlessly integrates with hardware and software while protecting patient data. As DSOs expand, this offering is especially valuable as robust IT infrastructures are required to connect multiple locations securely and efficiently. With automated monitoring, system backups, compliance-driven support, and more, TechForce empowers DSOs to focus on operational excellence without worrying about IT disruptions.

Subscribili is another Darby offering that allows DSOs to implement in-house subscription plans, boosting patient retention and generating recurring revenue streams. Patients on these plans are 25% more likely to return for care and three times more likely to accept treatment. This tool improves financial stability and enhances patient satisfaction, making it a win-win for the organization and its patients.

Combined, these solutions reflect Darby’s commitment to understanding its clients’ challenges and delivering tools that enhance operational efficiency while fostering long-term growth. Darby is a tremendous partner for DSOs as it anticipates industry trends and remains responsive to DSO needs.

Working with Darby has made life so easy. My supply costs were cut down substantially. Plus, I have everything I need on a convenient list that Darby provides.

– by JAMES WALTERS, VP OF OPERATIONS CHILDREN’S SURGICAL CENTERS

By combining cutting-edge technology with personalized service, Darby empowers DSOs to overcome challenges and capitalize on growth opportunities.

“As they scale, DSOs face unique challenges that require innovative solutions. Vendors have a critical opportunity to act as strategic partners in overcoming these obstacles — the top three being recruiting and retaining skilled dental professionals, navigating regulatory compliance, and adapting to changing patient expectations,” says Kim McCrady, RDH, of Signature Dental Partners.

Darby’s unwavering commitment to empowering DSOs through innovative solutions and personalized support underscores their value as a true partner in navigating these challenges.

“By addressing these key challenges, vendors can position themselves as indispensable allies to DSOs, helping them improve operational efficiency, patient care, and overall success,” Kim adds.

Darby addresses immediate challenges while actively supporting long-term growth strategies.

Beyond serving merely as a vendor and viewing themselves as a true partner ensures its commitment to maximizing impact for growing DSOs.