In your DSO or Group Practice

Mergers and acquisitions in Dental Support Organizations (DSOs) are more than financial transactions—they are people-driven transformations. While spreadsheets and deal structures matter, the real risk to success comes from unresolved tensions, misaligned expectations, and cultural friction that silently undermine retention, efficiency, and profitability.

Why Most Dental Practice Transitions Struggle
🔹 Cultural Misalignment – Differences in practice cultures create resistance to change and lower engagement.
🔹 Communication Breakdowns – Miscommunication fuels misunderstandings, damaging morale and trust.
🔹 Leadership Transition Stress – Uncertainty during changes in ownership or management can destabilize entire teams.

Ignoring these issues is a costly mistake.

42% of hygienists leave due to toxic work environments (ADA Health Policy Institute). 

You know the labor market—hiring replacements takes up to 12 months, leaving teams overworked and harming production, safety, and patient experience.

You need assistance. Yes, you want to keep things inhouse, but your HR team is not neutral. Your legal team is risk-averse. Your consultants don’t stay long enough to fix systemic issues.

An Ombuds Program is your early warning system, surfacing hidden issues before they become costly exits. I work directly with:

🟢 DSO Leadership – Providing anonymized insights into team health and operational risks to protect growth and efficiency.
🟢 Practice Owners – Offering a confidential space for leadership coaching, conflict resolution, and performance management strategies.
🟢 Clinical & Operations Teams – Facilitating mediation, feedback coaching, and communication training to improve collaboration.

"If you’re waiting for things to blow over,
don’t be surprised if they blow up instead.”

The DSO marketplace is rapidly consolidating. I specialize in transforming toxic transitions into thriving teams using my TrustBRIDGE Approach™, a structured, science-backed conflict resolution framework designed for DSOs. This system creates a high-trust, high-retention culture by integrating:

✔ Behavioral Insights – Identifying friction points before they escalate
✔ Retention Strategies – Keeping top talent engaged and invested
✔ Integration Planning – Aligning cultures for smoother mergers
✔ Dispute Resolution – Rapid mediation to resolve ongoing conflicts
✔ Growth Enablement – Strengthening leadership and team collaboration
✔ Engagement Metrics – Measuring success beyond productivity

You may think that everyone on your teams is nice. Everyone is an adult who knows what to say or do.  Of course, things will blow over in time.  

Uhmm, wrong.

Tensions between staff and associate doctors escalate the longer it's left unattended, causing your associate to leave sooner than you want, sometime after just one year.  What's that cost you per exit?

It’s simpler and more cost-effective to deal with conflict proactively.

Don’t think you have a problem? Great, but why not confirm that by using our Cost of Inaction Calculator below.

Using my proprietary TrustBRIDGE Approach™, you receive a custom transition plan that aligns your growth goals with the needs of both your clinical and operational teams. This ensures:

✔ A faster, smoother integration process
✔ Minimized disruptions to patient care and production
✔ Improved team morale and long-term retention

Most transitions fail due to misalignment and communication breakdowns—I help you proactively manage these challenges to protect culture, efficiency, and profitability from day one.

OrgHealth360

In a time of unprecedented dental industry change, an Ombuds program gives you the ability to stay agile, maintain trust, and adapt successfully.

A neutral, confidential Ombuds program helps you:

🔹 Prevent costly escalations before they impact retention and revenue
🔹 Reduce turnover by creating a safe space for employees to voice concerns
🔹 Foster open communication that builds team cohesion and engagement
🔹 Protect organizational integrity by identifying hidden risks early

🔹 Address leadership misalignment that hinders post-closing integration

Whether you’re scaling your DSO or resetting organizational health before expansion, an Ombuds program aids long-term stability and growth.

As a Fractional Ombuds, I act as a neutral, ongoing resource for your practice network—surfacing hidden issues before they become expensive problems.

I provide a confidential, safe space where team members and leaders can:

✔ Navigate complex situations without fear of consequences
✔ Raise concerns before they escalate into resignations or legal risks
✔ Gain conflict coaching to improve leadership and team dynamics

This early-warning system strengthens retention, enhances workplace culture, and protects your bottom line.

DentalResolve

Conflicts—if handled correctly—can become opportunities for growth, clarity, and stronger teams.

With over 100 hours of advanced mediation training and experience resolving high-stakes disputes, I specialize in:

✔ Identifying the root causes of conflict before they spiral
✔ Developing targeted intervention strategies for resolution
✔ Creating sustainable communication frameworks to prevent recurrence
✔ Providing an early-warning system to mitigate legal and operational risks

By transforming workplace tensions into productive conversations, I help DSOs retain key talent, improve collaboration, and maintain a high-performance culture.

What You Can Expect
✅ Immediate impact: Resolving active disputes in your affiliated practices.
✅ 6-9 months: Measurable improvements in engagement, retention, and productivity.
✅ Long-term: Strengthened culture and smoother future growth.

I have worked with organizations from 18 to 60,000 employees, including resolving tensions between the clinical and business sides in healthcare settings.

The best time to establish an Ombuds Program is at DSO formation, setting a durable foundation. The second-best time? When you have 10+ affiliated practices, resetting organizational health before expansion.

Matthew Ayres  Senior VP and General Counsel, Generous Brands

🔹 Not sure if this is a problem? Use the Cost of Inaction Calculator to quantify the financial risk.
🔹 Know retention is hurting your growth? Let’s talk. Schedule a free  Conflict Strategy Call today.

You don’t have to lose talent to fix workplace conflict. You just have to fix how conflict is managed.

 Why not try our Cost of Inaction Calculator to get a sense of what unresolved conflict is costing you.

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