Shared Practices | Your Dental Roadmap through Practice Ownership Practice Under Water - The Anchor Dentist Plan That Can Unlock a $4–5M Dental Practice - Part 1
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Mar 2, 2026 A dentist recounts buying and scaling a practice from $700K to over $3M and why growth can still trap owners in clinical work. They analyze five associate hires, turnover patterns, and hiring pitfalls. The conversation covers the struggle to keep a two-to-three-day clinical week, scheduling and operatory limits, and systems gaps that complicate sustainable staffing.
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First Associate Sparked Rapid Growth To $3M
- After hiring his first associate in early 2021 Nate cut back clinically and the practice grew from ~1.4M to over 3.1M last year with two dentists.
- Growth included eight doctor-days per week and a yo-yo effect in Nate's clinical schedule as hires and departures occurred.
Doctor Turnover Is Normal And Often Acceptable
- George reframes dentist turnover as an expected part of group practice, not necessarily a failure of operations.
- He notes all recent departures were for reasons Nate accepted (maternity, poor fit, spouse practice), so turnover didn't harm patient retention.
Be Patient And Selective When Hiring Associates
- Retain patience and be selective when hiring: Nate admitted he often 'settled' due to few applicants and now values waiting for the right fit.
- Use selective hiring to avoid repeating culture and productivity mismatches.
