U.S. Oral Surgery Management Positions Oral Surgeons for Continued Growth

Being an oral surgeon at the top of one’s game, is only part of the equation for success. Competition is increasing, as dental specialties add overlapping services. In addition, business operations are getting more and more complex, costs for essential supplies and technology continue to rise, and the demand for qualified associates and surgical staff is far greater than the supply. To be successful, oral surgeons not only have to be the best of the best, clinically-speaking, but in addition, they have to manage an ever-growing list of business necessities.

“As a founding partner of a private, oral surgery practice with 40 or so years of industry experience, I learned the value of a good juggling act long ago,” says Colin S. Bell, DDS, MSD, USOSM chief clinical officer and a founding partner of Oral Surgery Associates of North Texas. “However, my partners and I were increasingly frustrated with the lack of time to focus on what we enjoy most and do best—clinical oral surgery. There was just too much to do to build the business and keep it running smoothly. With this in mind, we began searching for solutions and found U.S. Oral Surgery Management (USOSM).”

Business Specialists:

Never-ending operational tasks that are non-clinical but necessary include: billing and collections; finding and retaining a top-notch staff; having the right technology infrastructure in place to keep patient records and other sensitive information organized, easily accessible to medical personnel, and safe from data attacks; ensuring that the office is clean, organized, and well-stocked with the right materials and supplies; reaching target markets effectively and much more.

“With so many responsibilities demanding attention, it can be difficult to get all the necessary jobs done correctly and on time, not to mention, that taking care of all these details can be physically and mentally draining,” adds Dr. Bell. “USOSM is a true partner, managing the day-to-day operational details, while giving us a significant financial stake in the entire USOSM network. We have complete clinical autonomy and the freedom to focus on patient care. We’ve been very pleased with the results.”

Similar to a dental services organization (DSO), but exclusively serving premier oral and maxillofacial surgeons, USOSM was the first company of its kind. The shared-services, specialty management company was founded in November 2017. It continues to lead the industry today as the largest and fastest growing oral surgeon network in the U.S., with more than 180 surgeon partners across 25 states.

USOSM has a 100% partner practice retention rate and nearly 50% of the company is owned by the oral surgeons themselves—a unique equity model. USOSM’s proven partnership model creates a platform for aligning clinical practices to support exceptional patient outcomes and financial success across the board.

Driving Value:

One of the ways USOSM drives value for its partners is by protecting them from cyber threats. For example, a few years ago, right before Thanksgiving, there was a ransomware attack in the Denver market that came through the MSP. It affected dozens of practices in the area, including a USOSM partner practice.

When briefed on the situation, USOSM Chief Information Officer Chad Ehmke and his team immediately sprang into action, bringing in clean servers and other tech to get the practice back in business quickly. While other practices took weeks to recover, the USOSM partner practice didn’t miss a beat—they didn’t lose any surgical days or have to reschedule patients.

“We assist USOSM and our partner practices with everything technology related from computer and phone systems to cyber security, rewiring and cabling, enterprise systems, reporting solutions, tech vendors and everything in between,” explains Mr. Ehmke. “Precision, communication and collaboration are essential for everything we do. It’s not about doing something to someone or even to their tech, it’s about collaborating with them to find and implement the best solution.”

A Strong Competitive Advantage:

In short, USOSM helps its partners to regain revenue and improve efficiencies, so their practices can continue to compete in this rapidly changing and highly competitive market. Surgeon partners focus on what they do best—treating patients. The USOSM team takes care of the business side, from marketing strategy and execution, to day-to-day billing, to office management and everything in between.

USOSM has experienced, proven administrative leadership and support, and it provides its surgeon partners with best-in-class marketing solutions to support growth and expansion. In addition, USOSM partner practices consistently achieve a Net Promoter Score (NPS) ™ of 80 or above, a feat that’s recognized as “world-class” by one of the ranking system’s founders: Bain & Company.

Strategic Growth:

USOSM is dedicated to its surgeon partners and their patients, and it shows. The company and its partners continue to grow, despite increasing competition, widespread economic fallout from the COVID 19 pandemic, rising interest rates and extensive macroeconomic volatility. Through its sustainable partnership model, USOSM helps fuel innovation, clinical excellence, and steadier, more profitable growth for all.

About the Author:

USOSM President and CEO Richard Hall has more than 40 years of knowledge and executive experience in Fortune 500 and private healthcare services companies, enabling him to provide USOSM with powerful visionary leadership and strong strategy execution. A former U.S. Marine, Mr. Hall has an ideal combination of organization, discipline, leadership skills and wisdom to help companies reach their goals. In addition, he has a proven track record of building high-performing teams and is a natural networker, seamlessly connecting people together.