{"id":4561,"date":"2026-09-10T06:00:35","date_gmt":"2026-09-10T06:00:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/operationdental.com\/?p=4561"},"modified":"2026-09-09T09:16:24","modified_gmt":"2026-09-09T09:16:24","slug":"debary-dentistry-office-manager-kaitlyn-shares-why-not-all-dsos-are-the-same-and-how-operation-dental-offers-the-best-of-private-practice-and-dso-support","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/operationdental.com\/es\/debary-dentistry-office-manager-kaitlyn-shares-why-not-all-dsos-are-the-same-and-how-operation-dental-offers-the-best-of-private-practice-and-dso-support\/","title":{"rendered":"DeBary Dentistry Office Manager Kaitlyn Shares Why Not All DSOs Are The Same and How Operation Dental Offers The Best of Private Practice And DSO Support"},"content":{"rendered":"

Long before joining Operation Dental, Kaitlyn spent eight years building her career at a small private practice with one dentist and two hygienists, where she wore multiple hats and eventually served as both a dental assistant and office manager.<\/p>\n

In 2019, the practice Kaitlyn was working for was sold to Operation Dental and later merged with another practice to form DeBary Dentistry. The transition allowed her to focus exclusively on front-office operations and continue developing her leadership skills.<\/p>\n

What she discovered was a model that didn't require the practice to sacrifice the qualities she valued in private dentistry to gain the resources of a larger organization.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is honestly as if you have the best of both worlds, the feel and patient care of a private practice with the knowledge, support, and benefits of a corporation.\u201d<\/i><\/p>\n

As the practice grew, so did Kaitlyn. In 2022, she was promoted to Office Manager at DeBary Dentistry \u2013 now a thriving three-dentist, eight-hygienist practice.<\/p>\n

At DeBary Dentistry, Kaitlyn describes the culture as friendly, supportive, professional, and patient-focused with plenty of personality mixed in. The team takes dentistry seriously without taking themselves too seriously.<\/p>\n

\u201cI like to say, \u2018Work hard, play hard,\u201d she said.<\/i><\/p>\n

That philosophy is reflected in the culture she works to create. The team is professional, but personable. Patients should feel comfortable when they walk through the doors, and employees should feel equally supported when they come to work. For Kaitlyn, culture isn't something that happens. It has to be intentionally nurtured.<\/p>\n

\u201cMost of us spend more time with our coworkers than our own families,\u201d she explained. \u201cI want our office to be a place where the staff genuinely enjoys being at work and knows they have a manager who genuinely cares about them, not just as an employee, but as a friend.\u201d<\/i><\/p>\n

One way she has brought that philosophy to life is through an Employee Shout Out, where each dentist selects a team member they believe has gone above and beyond and deserves recognition. She also introduces friendly competitions that allow employees to show their competitive sides while helping improve productivity and strengthening teamwork.<\/p>\n

It is a simple philosophy: create a team that works hard, celebrates each other, and enjoys achieving goals together.<\/p>\n

Several years ago, Kaitlyn implemented a comprehensive chart preparation process before every patient appointment. Before the patient arrives, the team proactively reviews the patient's history, treatment needs, upcoming appointment, and other relevant information. This allows employees to verify that information is accurate and properly documented, and to identify any outstanding treatment, missing information, or opportunities that may need to be discussed during the visit.<\/p> \n

The process has strengthened consistency and accountability while reducing the potential for errors and last-minute surprises, reinforcing Kaitlyn's belief that a smoother patient experience often begins long before the patient walks through the door.<\/p>\n

Patients may walk through the door feeling anxious, afraid, overwhelmed, or even embarrassed about their oral health. Creating trust begins with listening and communicating in a way that makes them feel respected rather than judged. The same principle applies to leadership.<\/p>\n

\u201cAlways be very open and approachable,\u201d Kaitlyn said. \u201cWhen your team knows they can come to you, and your patients feel that you genuinely care about their experience, it creates trust.\u201d<\/i><\/p>\n

As DeBary Dentistry has evolved, Kaitlyn says Operation Dental allowed her to keep pace. The resources and support available to her have helped her take on greater responsibilities, develop her leadership abilities, and become more confident in making decisions and solving problems. Just as importantly, she has felt trusted to have a voice.<\/p>\n

\u201cI appreciate that the company has allowed me to have a voice in the direction of the practice,\u201d she said. \u201cHaving that trust has encouraged me to focus on developing the practice and the experience we provide our patients.\u201d<\/i><\/p>\n

Her journey from a small private practice to leading one of Operation Dental's growing multi-provider offices also carries a message she wishes she could give herself at the beginning of the transition: Don't worry. Not all DSOs are the same.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u201cIt is honestly as if you have the best of both worlds, the feel and patient care of a private practice with the knowledge, support, and benefits of a corporation.\u201d<\/p>","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":4568,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5,8],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4561","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog","category-resource"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t