Let’s talk frogs.

If you put a frog into a pot of boiling water, it will jump out. But if you put it in cool water and slowly turn up the heat, it will sit there until it dies.

Now let’s talk about dentists.

We’re seeing an alarming number of doctors who know something’s changing. They feel the temperature rising in the profession. Staff is harder to keep. Patients are harder to please. Margins are shrinking. DSOs are circling. And what are most doctors doing?

They’re sitting still, hoping the heat will go down.

This blog is for the smart, skilled, well-meaning practice owner who is unknowingly in hot water—and whose exit strategy is at serious risk of being boiled away.

First, the Water Isn't What It Used to Be

Not long ago, selling your practice was straightforward. You worked until you were tired, found a younger dentist to take it over, and handed over the keys. That timeline doesn’t exist anymore. DSOs have fundamentally changed the marketplace—and while that’s not inherently bad, it is something you have to understand.

The market has evolved. The buyers are different. The rules are different. And if you’re still playing by 2005 logic, you’re swimming in a pot that’s getting hotter by the minute.

Second, the Heat Isn’t Always Obvious

Here’s how the slow boil works:

• You start working more hours because profits are down.
• You stop taking vacations because you’re short-staffed.
• You say, "I’ll just wait until I hit one more financial milestone."
• You say, "I’m not ready to retire yet, so I’ll wait."

Meanwhile, the DSO world is consolidating at an unprecedented pace. Private equity is driving multiples and demand for practices like yours right now — but that demand won’t last forever. As markets mature, deal structures shift, and the favorable terms you're hoping for today might be gone tomorrow.

It doesn’t take a catastrophe to ruin your exit. Just a little more heat. A little more waiting. A little more hoping it cools off.

The Boil Is Coming From the Bottom

Let’s be clear: you’re not doing anything wrong. You’re providing excellent care. Your patients love you. You’re the heart and soul of your practice.

But that’s exactly what makes you vulnerable.

Because without you, the practice struggles. And when DSOs or private buyers look at that model, they see risk. They see a business where the value disappears if you disappear. And the more your practice relies on your personal output, the lower your valuation falls.

That’s one form of heat.

Here’s another: many DSOs are approaching dentists with offers that sound generous—until you realize what’s baked into the contract. Burnout clauses. Earn-outs that are impossible to achieve. Management handcuffs that turn owners into employees with no say.

The water looks nice. Until it doesn't.

How Do You Know It’s Getting Hot?

Ask yourself:

• Have you been approached by a DSO but felt unsure how to respond?
• Do you think you know what your practice is worth, but haven’t seen an EBITDA-based valuation?
• Are you working harder than ever, but feeling stuck or uncertain about the future?
• Are you planning to work "a few more years" without a clear endgame?

These are not warning signs of failure. These are signs of someone who’s in the pot and doesn’t realize the burner is on.

The Good News: You Still Have Time to Jump

This isn’t about panic. It’s about timing.

The DSO market is still hot. There is still massive opportunity for dentists who are willing to explore their options before they need to.

At Everything DSO, we help you:

• Understand your true practice value using the same formulas DSOs use
• Identify which DSOs are a cultural and financial fit for your goals
• Structure deals that prioritize your future—not theirs
• Avoid the hidden traps and power imbalances baked into so many contracts

Best of all, our fee is paid by the DSO—not by you.

We’ve helped doctors exit on their terms. Secure their retirements. Take cash off the table and still enjoy working chairside. Or walk away completely, knowing they got every dollar they deserved.

But we can’t help if you stay in the water.

Want a Safe Way to Test the Temperature?

We offer confidential, no-cost conversations for doctors who are even thinking about exiting in the next 1 to 5 years. No pressure. No commitment. Just clarity.

Because frogs don’t know they’re being cooked. But dentists? Dentists can jump.

To your unstoppable success,
Your Team at Everything DSO