DSO Blog

What the ‘Quiet’ Dentists Are Doing That No One’s Talking About

Written by Everything DSO | Aug 28, 2025 1:00:00 PM


There’s a quiet shift happening in dentistry.

You won’t read about it in industry magazines. You won’t hear it discussed in Facebook groups. It’s not flashy. It’s not loud. And it’s definitely not coming from the “influencer” dentists on stage at conferences.

But it’s real.

We’re talking about the quiet dentists.

The ones who’ve built strong, respectable practices. The ones who don’t feel the need to broadcast every win. The ones who care more about what’s next than what it looks like on social media.

And quietly, these dentists are making the smartest moves of their careers.

They’re not burned out. But they’re not fired up either.

These aren’t the dentists counting down the days to retirement. They’re not desperate. They’re not in crisis. In fact, most of them like what they do.

But something has shifted.

  • The joy isn’t as consistent.
  • The energy to fight for every PPO reimbursement has faded.
  • The weight of managing staff, schedules, and vendors is heavier than it used to be.
  • The freedom they imagined in their 40s hasn’t quite materialized.

And so, without announcing it, they start asking questions.

What are my options?
What if I worked less but still earned well?
What if I took some chips off the table without giving it all up?
What would it take to finally step back, on my terms?

They don’t post about it. They plan for it.

Here’s the key difference between the loud and the quiet crowd: The loud ones talk. The quiet ones act. They gather information behind the scenes. They work with advisors they trust. They look into options no one else around them is discussing.

Some restructure their practices. Some negotiate hybrid deals. Some sell a portion and stay on with flexibility. Some take a payout that sets up their entire next chapter—and nobody but their spouse knows.

They’re not seeking applause. They’re seeking autonomy.

It’s not always about money. It’s about control.

One of the biggest misconceptions we hear is that dentists only consider DSO or private equity conversations when they’re after a big payday.

And yes—money matters. But the quiet dentists are more concerned about something else:

Control over their time, their future, and their exit.

They want to:

  • Keep doing the parts of dentistry they love (and delegate the rest).
  • Protect their staff from corporate churn.
  • Avoid fire sales or rushed decisions if life takes a turn.
  • Leave on a high note—not in a state of regret.

They’re not running from their practice. They’re designing what comes after it.

If you’re someone they trust… they may be waiting on you

This is where you come in.

If you’re a spouse, friend, broker, hygienist, CPA, or financial advisor, you may be one of the few people a dentist truly listens to.

And if you’ve seen the signs:

  • Less joy in the work
  • More conversations about “what’s next”
  • A subtle pulling back from growth

...then your voice matters.

You don’t have to have all the answers. You just need the courage to say:

“Have you talked to someone about your options?”
“You’ve earned the right to explore.”
“It doesn’t hurt to know.”

Many of the best deals we’ve seen started with a quiet conversation between trusted friends, before the dentist even knew what to ask.

Why this matters more than ever

There’s more money flowing into dental acquisitions than ever before. There are more deal structures, more opportunities, and more flexibility than most dentists realize. But none of that matters if no one’s talking about it.

So while others keep grinding…

...the quiet dentists are making calculated moves.

...the quiet dentists are protecting what they’ve built.

...the quiet dentists are getting rewarded—not just financially, but emotionally.

And one day, when they’re spending more time at the lake, on the golf course, or with their grandkids…

...you’ll wonder how they pulled it off so seamlessly.

Now you know.

To your unstoppable success,
From your team at Everything DSO