How best can DSOs survive and thrive through these turbulent market conditions? Join us Thursday, August 11, 2022, at 2PM EDT to listen to Dr. Rick Workman, Founder of Heartland Dental, Robert A. Fontana, Founder and CEO of Aspen Dental, Stephen Thorne, IV, Founder and CEO of Pacific Dental Services, Steve Bilt, Co-Founder and CEO of Smile Brands, and Andrew Smith, Executive Director of the ADSO, as we discuss wages and workforce, navigating margin compression, risk mitigation, and the roles DSOs will play in dentistry in the future.
ABOUT THE SPEAKERS
Steve Bilt
Co-Founder and CEO of Smile Brands, Inc.
Steve Bilt is the Chief Executive Officer at Smile Brands Inc. (SBI) and OneSmile, LLC. He co-founded Smile Brands in 1998 and OneSmile in 2015 and in 2016 combined the two businesses. Steve was integral in SBI’s three initial platform acquisitions and led the acquisitions of Monarch Dental Corporation [NASDAQ: MDDS], Castle Dental Centers Inc. [NASDAQ: CASL], and Midwest Dental. In addition to these transactions, Steve oversaw the development of 200 de novo practices. Smile Brands and OneSmile have 8,000 employees and affiliated providers in approximately 700 locations across the United States. Steve also serves as Chairman of the Smiles for Everyone Foundation. The Smiles for Everyone Foundation has established international outposts serving six countries in South America, Asia and Africa and conducts ongoing events throughout the United States. Steve was named Entrepreneur of the Year by Ernst & Young and the Kauffman Foundation and is a member of the Entrepreneur of the Year Hall of Fame and Academy. Steve was also honored with the Excellence in Entrepreneurship Award from the Orange County Business Journal for his role in founding and developing Smile Brands Inc. and led the Smiles for Everyone Foundation to two American Red Cross Humanitarian Awards and numerous other international awards related to its ongoing services, including recognition by the governments and/or monarchies of Paraguay, Thailand and Ghana. Additionally, Steve led Smile Brands to be honored with Inc. Magazine’s Inaugural Hire Power Award for creating and sustaining job growth, numerous inclusions on Inc.’s Fastest Growing Companies in America list and in 2013 was honored by CEO Connection and the Wharton School as Mid-Market CEO of the Year for Social Impact. Smile Brands was further recognized in 2017 with the Best in Business Awards, including Most Customer Friendly Large Company and with a 2018 Employee Choice Award as one of the Top 50 Large Employers in the United States by Glassdoor. Steve earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in business economics from the University of California, Santa Barbara; a Master of Business Administration degree from the Graziadio School of Business and Management at Pepperdine University; and completed the Harvard Business School Presidents’ Program. He is a Certified Public Accountant in the State of California. Steve was a founding member, former President, and Executive Board Member of the Association of Dental Support Organizations (ADSO) and has been a member of the Pepperdine University Board of Visitors. Steve serves on the Board, Audit Committee and Strategic Planning Committee for THINK Together, the largest non-profit after-school education program in the United States. In addition, Steve is a long-time board member of the Young Presidents Organization, an international association for chief executives. Outside of his community and professional activities, Steve enjoys scuba diving, mountain climbing, travel and spending time with his family.
Robert A. Fontana
Founder and CEO of Aspen Dental
Robert Fontana has served as Aspen Dental’s Chief Executive Officer since he founded the company in 1998. He is also Chairman of The Aspen Group. With a unique grasp of the intersection between consumerism and healthcare, Bob pioneered an operating model that breaks down barriers to care and puts patients at the center of everything, creating more choice, greater value and better access to care. Equally important is his commitment to partnering with talented healthcare professionals and giving them the support, development, and expertise they need to build thriving practices. Together, that focus ladders back to a simple vision: Bringing better care to more people. Under Bob’s leadership, TAG has become one of the largest and fastest-growing healthcare business support organizations in the U.S., building the infrastructure, expertise, and core competencies that successful healthcare practices need to accelerate their growth and fuel their success. Through organic growth and a series of strategic acquisitions, TAG now supports more than 1,100 health and wellness offices across 45 states across three verticals: Dental care, urgent care, and medical aesthetics. In dentistry, TAG supports Aspen Dental, the largest and fastest-growing branded network of dental practices in the U.S. with 940 locations in 43 states, as well as ClearChoice Dental Implant Centers, leaders in fixed, full arch dental restorations for patients with missing or failing dentition, with more than 75 locations in 27 states. Collectively, the two are the largest provider of fixed and removable prosthetics in the U.S. In the urgent care category, WellNow Urgent Care now stands at more than 100 locations, putting it among the top 10 urgent care providers nationwide, while in late 2020, the TAG family expanded to include Chapter Aesthetic Studio. Bob has more than 25 years of leadership experience in the healthcare industry. He is a founding member of the Association of Dental Support Organizations, an international consortium comprised of dental service organizations throughout the U.S., Australia and Canada, and continues to serve on its board. Since 2010, he has served on the board of the National Veterinary Association, and previously served on the board of MedExpress Urgent Care, a national leader in delivering fast, affordable, high-quality care for those seeking medical treatment for illness and injury. Bob received his Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Business Management from the State University of New York at Potsdam.
Stephen Thorne, IV
Founder and CEO of Pacific Dental Services
Pacific Dental Services is a dental support organization established in 1994 and headquartered in Irvine, California. PDS currently provides business services to nearly 450 supported practices throughout California, Arizona, Nevada, Colorado, Idaho, Oregon, Washington, Texas, Utah, New Mexico, Missouri, Kansas, Georgia and Minnesota. Mr. Thorne began his work in the dental field in 1989 when his father, a dentist, offered him a job managing a struggling dental office. That first office became a big success, and Mr. Thorne continued to work with his father for several years before venturing out on his own and creating Pacific Dental Services. Mr. Thorne graduated from the University of California Los Angeles in 1989 with a major in Economics-Business. In 1994, he earned his Masters Degree in Health Administration from Chapman University. Pacific Dental Services was borne on the fundamental belief that the company would be the best choice for practicing dentists through the development of efficient systems, dedication to effective quality support services, and a commitment to maximizing individual and professional God given potential. Mr. Thorne was instrumental in forming the Association of Dental Support Organizations which is the largest association of dental support organizations in America and served as the founding President for the first three years. He has been married for 24 years and has seven children.
Rick Workman, DMD
Founder of Heartland Dental
Dr. Workman is the Founder and Executive Chairman of Heartland Dental, the nation’s largest dental support organization with over 900 supported offices in 37 states. Thousands of dentists and team members across the country have benefited from the non-clinical support, leading continuing education and priceless mentorship opportunities available at Heartland Dental. With nearly 40 years of experience, he is highly regarded as a leader in the dental and DSO industries. Dr. Workman is a graduate of the Southern Illinois University School of Dental Medicine, a founding member and former president of the Association of Dental Support Organizations, a past recipient of the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award, and in 2017, was ranked number two in Incisal Edge Magazine’s 32 Most Influential People in Dentistry.
ADSO Monthly Membership calls feature short presentations and Q&A on timely topics from DSO thought leaders, academics, and industry partners. Call topics and information about registering for these calls will be announced in advance. Monthly Membership calls are free, but to attend you must be an employee of a member company in good standing and you must register for each call you plan to attend. You can register up until the time the call begins. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.