tives to the traditional solo practitioner model to enable them
to focus on patient care and regain personal freedom outside
the practice.
Five years ago, Dr. Layla Lohmann and her husband David
noticed that the available alternatives to private practice own-
ership did not align with the career expectations of today’s prac-
ticing dentists, and the traditional broker-driven ownership
transition options that had dominated the industry for decades
no longer met the needs and desires of many dentists. True to
many entrepreneurial stories, these challenges seeded the idea
for a better approach. With these challenges in mind,
Dr. Lohmann and David joined forces with entrepreneur Matt
Hale to found Apex Dental Partners.
A Better Approach to Practice Transitions
Apex Dental Partners is proving that a changing world doesn’t
have to mean changing your values. Historically, dentists have
relied on two primary options for practice transitions. Through
a traditional practice sale, a doctor would work full-time until
the end of their career at which time he or she would sell their
practice and retire. Alternatively, a growing practice might hire
an associate with the expectation that the younger doctor would
one day purchase the practice.
“Unfortunately, those once popular transition paths are no
longer meeting the needs of many dentists,” David explains. “I
talk with dentists everyday who are nearing the end of their
career but are not yet ready to retire. They want both financial
security and the flexibility to end their career on a timeline that
makes sense for them and remains flexible as their needs
change. Joining Apex through a practice affiliation provides a
dentist all the benefits of a traditional practice sale without the
inherent drawbacks and risks of being forced out of their prac-
tice.”
A Model for all Ages
As Apex has grown, the company has seen its model appeal to
practice owners earlier in their career as well. While ownership
transitions are typically associated with retirement planning,
generational trends mean more dentists are looking for ways to
regain a work-life balance. The changes that have taken place
in dentistry over the past two decades have forced dentists to
divide their attention between competing demands on their time
and to operate in an increasingly competitive business environ-
ment. Many find that these expanding demands have impacted
the time they are able to devote to actually practicing dentistry,
and they are seeking a way to return to doing what they love
while ensuring a practice that will thrive into the future.
Apex works closely with its Clinical Leadership
Council to ensure it’s meeting the needs of its
supported doctors.
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