Employment law affects nearly every decision a dental practice makes about its staff, from hiring and pay to workplace policies and employee discipline. HR compliance means meeting the legal requirements that govern those decisions. When those obligations are overlooked, even unintentionally, a practice may face employee claims, government investigations, financial penalties, or...
What Is a Letter of Intent When Buying a Dental Practice?
A letter of intent (LOI) is a preliminary document that outlines the basic terms of a proposed dental practice purchase before the parties negotiate a final purchase agreement. While many of its business terms are nonbinding, an LOI can shape the direction of the transaction and establish expectations for both the buyer...
How Payer Audits Can Lead to License Discipline and What to Do
A payer audit can create problems that extend far beyond reimbursement disputes. In some situations, findings from a dental insurance audit may be reported to a state dental board, leading to investigations that put a dentist's professional license at risk.
If a payer alleges billing irregularities, improper coding, recordkeeping...
What Is a Dental MSO and How Does It Differ from a DSO?
A Dental Management Services Organization (MSO) is a company that provides administrative and business support services to dental practices. A Dental Support Organization (DSO) is a broader term often used to describe organizations that support dental practices, and many DSOs operate through an MSO structure to comply with state laws governing...
Common Legal Mistakes DSOs Make When Acquiring Practices
Dental service organizations continue to expand, and a successful transaction can create long-term revenue opportunities. Still, acquisitions often involve legal complications that might not be obvious until after closing.
Many problems begin during the due diligence and structuring stages. A rushed review, incomplete agreements, or misunderstandings about ownership...
How Audits Lead to License Discipline (and How to Respond)
An audit can feel like a simple billing problem or a routine records request, but for a dental practice owner, it may carry much higher stakes. Insurance reviews, documentation audits, and compliance inquiries can expose issues that lead to licensing complaints – not to mention potentially put your practice itself at risk. How...
Red Flags in Dental Practice Purchase Agreements
Buying a dental practice can feel like a major step forward—you might already be thinking about new patients and long-term growth. Before you sign a purchase agreement or letter of intent, though, it’s important to look closely at the legal and financial terms tied to the transaction.
Purchase...
What Triggers a Dental Board Investigation?
Finding out you’re under investigation by your dental board is an alarming situation – and it’s not something you want to postpone dealing with. Even at an early stage, an investigation can raise concerns about your professional license, your practice, and your future in the profession of dentistry. To help you understand why...
Transferring Ownership to a Junior Dentist: Legal Steps to Make the Transition Smooth
If you’re considering retiring or stepping back from your dental practice, you might also be thinking about passing it on to one of the junior dentists in your office who wants to have a practice of their own. However, you’ll need to follow specific steps to ensure a smooth transition that ensures...
Succession Planning for Your Dental Practice: Exit Strategies Beyond Selling
When you’ve considered what you will do when you decide to leave dental practice, you may decide that you do not want to sell your business to a third-party buyer. Fortunately, practice owners have succession-planning options beyond selling the business to a third party.
Why You Shouldn’t Always...