Dr. Stallard didn’t just want to practice dentistry; he wanted to build something.

When he joined Palm Springs Dental in 2019, one of Operation Dental’s early acquisitions, he wasn't chasing a job. He was chasing opportunity: the chance to grow clinically, the ability to own equity, and the freedom to practice dentistry on his own terms.

That’s exactly what he found.

From day one, Dr. Stallard noticed something different.

He wasn’t boxed into a rigid clinical model or told how to treat patients. Instead, he was trusted to make decisions, pursue advanced procedures, and expand his skillset without limitations.

That level of autonomy enabled him to expand beyond general dentistry into more advanced procedures, including IV sedation, wisdom tooth extractions, and complex implant cases. Along the way, he continued refining core skills, such as root canals, through continuing education. Over time, he didn’t just improve, he evolved.

Ownership was always the goal for Dr. Stallard.

Unlike traditional DSOs that offer stock options with limited control, Dr. Stallard wanted something different: real equity ownership in real practices.

With Operation Dental, that became possible.

What started as one single opportunity quickly turned into many opportunities for Dr. Stallard. He began his journey in a foundation role at Palm Springs Dental, where mentorship played a critical role in shaping his early development.

Working alongside an experienced dentist, Dr. Stallard was pushed daily, given challenging cases, guided through real-world scenarios, and encouraged to step outside his comfort zone.

“The mentorship was probably the best thing that could have happened to me,” he explains. “Having the right mentor in your practice can really help you grow quicker. I saw that he was doing a lot of different types of dentistry.”

For over two years, he was coached in hands-on learning, not just on performing procedures, but also on thinking like an owner and clinician at a higher level.

For over two years, he was coached in hands-on learning, not just on performing procedures, but also on thinking like an owner and clinician at a higher level.

“I wanted to be like him, and he wanted the person that was going to take over the practice to be as similar to him as possible, so it was a mutual relationship that he mentored me for two and a half years,” said Dr. Stallard. “He would put things on my schedule and push me to the limit, and walk me through this is how you’re going to do things.”

Today, the roles have flipped. Dr. Stallard now mentors other dentists across the organization, hosting shadowing opportunities, answering clinical questions, and helping others accelerate their clinical growth.

And Dr. Stallard didn’t take on ownership alone.

One of the most meaningful parts of Dr. Stallard’s journey has been building it together alongside his wife.

After establishing himself, Dr. Stallard encouraged his wife, also in dentistry, to join him. Together, they launched a startup practice, Clermont Dentistry, navigating the challenges and growth side by side. As Operation Dental’s first startup, they were given a unique opportunity to learn, adapt, and help shape the future model to open more practices.

Today, that practice is thriving.

Their approach is simple: live below their means, reinvest profits, and think long-term by living off a portion of their W2 income and reinvesting 100% of their profits from the practices to accelerate growth and capital accumulation for future practice purchases.

The result? Financial stability, multiple income streams, and the ability to scale together.

It has allowed them to pay off student loans early, remain nearly debt-free, and continue expanding into new opportunities.

For Dr. Stallard, equity isn’t just a financial tool; it’s a mindset shift.

Building equity creates a path to income that isn’t tied solely to time spent in the chair. It provides a level of security and flexibility that isn’t possible as an associate.

“It gives you a safety net. You can enjoy your work more because you’re not worried about the financial side of things,” says Dr. Stallard.

Owning multiple practices adds another layer of stability.

It creates diversification in different locations, different patient bases, and multiple streams of income. It also provides flexibility, allowing him to adapt if one market slows down.

“It’s a plan A, B, and C,” he explains.

Owning multiple practices usually comes with overwhelming stress, but that’s where Operation Dental’s support model changes the equation. Operation Dental manages various aspects of the business, keeping dentists’ stress levels lower than they would be in a private practice.

The organization handles much of the operational complexity, staffing, systems, and backend support, allowing dentists to focus on high-level decisions and clinical excellence.

“I don’t share all the burden. Operation Dental takes care of a lot of things that would provide even more stress,” Dr. Stallard says. “I happen to enjoy what I do, and it’s nice to go to work because I want to be there.”

The result is a rare balance that Dr. Stallard gets the upside of ownership equity, distributions, and growth without being buried in day-to-day operational chaos. That balance allows him to focus on what matters: practicing high-level dentistry, mentoring other dentists, and expanding into new opportunities.

Today, Dr. Stallard isn’t just a dentist. He’s an owner. A mentor. A partner in a growing organization. He’s helped grow multiple practices, supported other dentists in their development, and, most importantly, he’s built a career that aligns with how he wants to live and work.

“I’ve enjoyed creating something,” he says. “The most rewarding part for me is knowing that I chose the right company to grow with and that we are on a similar mission to do things the right way and not ever cheat anyone out.”

Following the startup’s success, Dr. Stallard invested in a third location with real estate, with plans to add additional operatories and another dentist. He is also involved in additional development practices and aims to expand across Florida and beyond for greater flexibility and a consistent workflow.

For dentists considering ownership, his perspective is simple:

The upside risk is far greater than the downside, especially when you’re part of a team that’s built to support you and alleviate most fears of ownership.

At Operation Dental, that’s exactly what dentists are empowered to do.