More dentists are going corporate in Indiana. The Indiana Dental Association cites a 25 percent jump in 2010 in what they call "large group practices," which are branded, corporate-type entities.
IDA Executive Director Doug Bush says most dentists in Indiana still maintain independent practices, but the offer to work for a dental management service group does have its benefits.
"It's attractive, especially to dentists who have just graduated from dental school and are carrying a great load of debt from their education," Bush says. "They're seeing this as a route to a regular paycheck without the expense of setting up a practice of their own."
Bush says the trend could possibly lead to dentistry being treated as a commodity, whereas it‘s better for dentistry to retain current practice as a relationship between dentist and patient.
Still, Bush says there‘s no denying the trend that involves multiple locations of dental offices under the same name brand.