The People First Ethos that Defined Our Year of Growth
December 30, 2024

As the clock inches closer to 2025, we can’t help but pause and look back at the incredible journey we’ve traveled this year. From reimagining our brand to equipping our dentists with leadership tools and embracing real-time insights, this year we built bridges to a brighter future. As most executives do, ours each set out at the beginning of this year with new goals they wanted to accomplish. From redesigning our digital presence to planting leadership seeds that flourish, here is a look inside the great minds that fuel our “People before Profits” way of serving the dental industry.

Let’s begin where every great idea begins… marketing. Dave Womble, Chief Marketing Officer, knew we needed to renovate our brand with an overhaul on our website, so that our mission and identity were crystal clear to all who discovered us. “The update to the corporate brand and website better reflects who we are as a company, our values, the people who make us successful, and how we’re different from other DSOs. The DSO space has become quite crowded, so having strong differentiators with our dentist partner program and our people-before-profits ethos gives us a sharp edge against our competitors."

In a sea of similar organizations, Operation Dental’s brand shines brighter with clarity, heart, and purpose.

Behind the scenes, our acting Chief Financial Officer, Jonathan Bunte, was busy turning data into a superpower. With the implementation of Sage Intacct and Velixo, he transformed how we see and use financial information. Here’s how Jonathan described the impact:

"Sage Intacct is all-encompassing accounting software that replaced QuickBooks, allowing for a much faster consolidation process and keeping our books in one place. Velixo is an Excel plugin that connects to Sage and pulls data in real-time, allowing for on-demand reporting of our financials. Instead of waiting until 15 days after the prior month to get the full breakdown, Velixo allows me to update financials at any point, providing much more visibility into the profitability of each office."

With managers and the executive team now able to see exactly where the business stands at any given moment, leadership is able to drive with greater strategy and understanding.

In the excitement of our new website build and data re-imagining, Matt Robinson, our Chief Operations Officer, faced a difficult consideration for the sake of progress.

"There had been one difficult conversation I had been putting off for over a year. It was constantly in the back of my mind, and I knew I needed to act for the betterment of the company. Even after reading a book called Crucial Conversations, I was still delaying what I knew I needed to do. Finally, I heard a quote that said, 'On the other side of a few conversations is everything you've ever wanted.' This helped give me the confidence and push I needed. I had the difficult conversation, led with compassion, and got the outcome I was looking for."

Matt’s courage not only moved the company forward but also helped foster a culture where leaders embrace candid, constructive conversations.

If culture refining was a key theme this year, then CEO, Dr. Peter Kelly, launched something truly special: our dentist incubator program. A place where experienced dentists and budding professionals come together, sharing wisdom and skills to grow into strong leaders. Dr. Kelly shared his vision:

"My goals for 2024 were to not only support our doctors clinically but also help them grow leadership and communication skills, giving them the tools to become the CEOs of their own practices. We launched our incubator program, which brought experienced dentists together with newer dentists. I’m so excited about these newer dentists reaching new potential."

Dr. Kelly couldn’t pick just one standout, but he gave a heartfelt shout-out to Dr. Kirk Maples, Dr. Shauni Cowan, and Dr. Nathan Pirino for their incredible growth this year. It’s proof that when we nurture our people, we all thrive together. As we look toward 2025, the excitement is tangible. From refreshed branding to empowered dentists, real-time insights, and a culture of honesty, we’ve built something that sets us apart.

To everyone who’s been part of this journey—our team, our partners, and our communities—thank you. Here’s to another year of compassionate care and people before profits. Cheers to 2025!

For more information on the unique partnership and investment opportunities available to our dentists, click here.

About Operation Dental
Operation Dental is a people-centric DSO built around a servant leadership culture. CEO Dr. Peter Kelly and COO Matt Robinson created a unique organization where dentists can focus on being great clinicians, building wealth, and achieving their business and life goals. Operation Dental supports dentists with the resources they need to succeed while empowering them to maintain the personality and patient experience of a private practice.

Do you want a brighter future in dentistry?
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About Operation Dental
Founded in 2016 by Dr. Peter Kelly, DDS, and Matt Robinson, MBA, Operation Dental breaks the DSO stereotype by pioneering a management style that prioritizes people over profits and always puts our dentists, employees, and patients first.
By combining the best components of private and group dentistry, our ultimate goal is to empower everyone in our organization to achieve personal and professional fulfillment beyond what they could find in any other setting. We believe happier dentists and employees lead to better patient outcomes, resulting in healthier communities and a brighter future for us all.
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