Why Your DSO Exit Strategy Is
Probably Worthless
Episode 21
Vince Dilley, founder & CEO of Platinum Dental Services (bootstrapped DSO since 2012), drops truth bombs about dentistry's ticking time bomb: succession planning through private equity-backed DSOs.
Key Revelations:
Doctors drive the ship, DSO provides support - not the other way around
Doctors fixate on upfront valuations but ignore the fine print: rolling 40% equity forward with ZERO guarantee it maintains value
New DSO operators often underperform original owners, destroying that rolled equity
Associates are the key to organic growth, yet many DSOs don't align incentives for them to become partners
The Succession Planning Crisis
AVAILABLE ON
"Is cash basis accounting actually hurting my practice or my DSO?"
Ken's answer: Absolutely yes. Cash basis only shows where money went, not what you actually produced or the value you delivered to patients. Most owners don't realize the damage until it's too late. If you're not on accrual basis, you need to fix this NOW.
The "Ask Ken" Question:
While everyone chases valuation multiples and arbitrage plays, doctors are sleepwalking into retirement disasters - discovering too late that their 40% equity rollover is now worthless, the new operators can't maintain performance, and investors expect them to keep working years beyond their planned exit.
'Roll the Equity - How Smart Dental Founders Sell Their DSO'
Learn how sophisticated dental founders navigate a DSO sale
Selling your DSO is one of the most consequential decisions of your career. Roll the Equity: How Smart Dental Founders Sell Their DSOs is the playbook for founders who want to approach private equity transactions with clarity — not guesswork.
NEW BOOK - IT'S OFFICIALLY LIVE ON AMAZON
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