Dear Reader,
There’s a moment in every dentist’s career where the focus shifts. It’s no longer about “How busy can I stay?” It becomes: “Is my practice performing in a way that protects my future?”
You start thinking about long-term stability. You start thinking about retirement timelines. You start thinking about whether selling in the next few years makes sense or whether it would be smarter to wait. And if you’re honest with yourself, you begin looking at the numbers differently.
Not as daily production reports, but as assets, something you’ve built, something you’ve poured decades into, something that needs to be protected.
There is no single factor that strengthens your practice value more reliably, more predictably, or more quickly than this: High-value dentistry.
- Cosmetics.
- Implants.
- Clear aligners.
- Full-mouth restoration.
- Multifaceted treatment plans that change lives and show the financial strength of your practice.
If December is the month of clarity, then this is the truth every established dentist needs to hear: Your mix of high-value dentistry is one of the strongest indicators of practice health, and one of the strongest multipliers of your eventual sale price.
Let’s break down why.
- DSOs Don’t Buy “Busy.” They Buy Value.
A practice that’s booked solid with low-fee, low-value procedures looks good on paper until a buyer sees the revenue-per-visit, case acceptance rate, and production mix.
High-value dentistry tells a different story:
- Your patients trust your clinical judgment
- Your team can present and convert larger cases
- Your practice attracts a patient base that values comprehensive care
- You can diagnose, plan, and deliver more complex and profitable outcomes
This is the profile buyers crave. DSOs don’t simply want a full schedule. They want the right kind of production, the kind that reflects:
- Clinical leadership
- Operational discipline
- A strong patient relationship model
- A stable and skilled team
- Predictable profitability
When you show strength in high-value dentistry, your practice moves to the front of the line.
- High-Value Dentistry Makes You More Profitable Now, Not Just at Sale Time
Let’s be clear: Increasing high-value dentistry is not just about preparing to sell. It’s about boosting the quality and stability of your practice today.
High-value dentistry:
- Increases revenue without adding more patients
- Drives profitability far more effectively than routine dentistry
- Improves cash flow
- Reduces burnout (fewer, more meaningful appointments)
- Elevates the perception of your practice
- Strengthens patient loyalty
Even if you never sell to a DSO, strengthening high-value production makes the business easier, healthier, and more resilient. And if you do plan to sell? It’s one of the most powerful levers you can pull.
- The High-Value Case Mix Is a Direct Predictor of EBITDA (Your Most Valuable Number)
EBITDA is the financial backbone of DSO valuation. It’s the number that buyers care about most. Think of it as the “true profitability” of your practice. High-value dentistry has a direct, immediate impact on EBIDTA because it increases revenue without proportionately increasing overhead.
More implants and cosmetic cases don’t require:
- More hygiene checks
- More staff
- More chairs
- More insurance headaches
- More schedule density
They simply generate more value. That’s why DSOs look closely at:
- Implant case volume
- Cosmetic case acceptance
- Clear aligner sales
- Comprehensive treatment plans
- Full-arch or complex restorative work
These numbers are predictive. They tell buyers the practice is not only profitable, it’s sustainably profitable.
- High-Value Dentistry Is a Practice’s “Confidence Signal” to Buyers
The presence or absence of high-value dentistry says something meaningful about a practice.
It signals whether:
- Patients trust you
- You educate well
- You diagnose comprehensively
- You run a stable team
- You can lead case acceptance
- Your community sees your practice as an authority
- You’ve kept up with modern dentistry
A practice with a healthy mix of high-value cases signals strength, maturity, and stability. A practice without it signals:
- Underdiagnosis
- Team presentation issues
- Patient trust gaps
- Weak systems
- A ceiling on growth
- Greater risk for buyers
As someone who helps dentists evaluate offers and navigate DSO negotiations, I can tell you this with certainty: High-value dentistry is one of the fastest ways to increase your leverage.
- December Is the Best Month to Strengthen Your Case Mix
Patients are motivated right now:
- They want to use remaining benefits
- They want to improve their smile for the holidays
- They want to start 2026 fresh
- They have more flexible schedules
- Families are thinking about their overall health
This is the ideal moment to:
- Re-present large cases
- Review pending treatment
- Offer cosmetic consults
- Push implant solutions
- Educate on long-term smile transformation
- Showcase your expertise
Every case accepted in December improves your 2025 profit profile and strengthens your valuation in a way that compounds for years.
- Protect Your Future by Strengthening Your Case Mix Now
If you’re anywhere near the stage of considering selling, whether that’s in 2026 or 2030 the smartest move you can make is building a higher percentage of high-value cases into your practice.
It increases your income today. It increases your valuation tomorrow. It increases your negotiating power with buyers. It increases your options, security, and control. And it ensures that when the time comes, you’ll be selling the strongest version of your practice, not the one that drifted off course.
You’ve spent decades building your practice. You deserve to protect its value. If you want clarity on how your current case mix impacts your valuation, or how to strategically increase high-value dentistry in 2026, we’re here to help.
To your unstoppable success,
Your Team at Everything DSO
