The business skills that shape a successful dental practice

Dentists master crowns, implants and restorative care through years of training. Yet the long-term success of a dental practice hinges on something far broader than clinical skill. It depends on understanding how a business works.

“Running a successful dental practice is not solely a clinical decision, it’s a business decision,” says Yosif Jabir, DDS, MBA, FAGD, president of White Oak Family Dental and adjunct professor in Creighton University’s School of Dentistry. “Dentists who understand the business side make better decisions, avoid expensive mistakes, build predictable, profitable practices and have more control over their time and stress.”

At Creighton University, we see this gap every year. New clinicians enter the field exceptionally prepared for patient care yet often unsure how to navigate contracts, cost structures or the financial realities that drive a practice. That’s why the Practice Management Certificate, offered collaboratively through the School of Dentistry, the Heider College of Business and the College of Professional and Continuing Education, gives current and future dentists foundational training they rarely receive in dental school.

The program covers financial literacy, technology integration, leadership and communication. Modules include Communications in Your Practice, Financial Management for Professional Practices, Leadership and Well-being, Technology and AI Strategies for Small Businesses, and elective content tailored for dentistry such as Essentials of Purchasing a Dental Practice and Scheduling in Your Practice.

From clinician to CEO: why business competence matters

The dental landscape is shifting. Solo practices remain part of the profession, but graduates now enter a market shaped by multi-provider offices, higher fixed costs, increased competition and the rapid growth of Dental Support Organizations (DSOs).

Rebecca Metzger, DDS, assistant professor in the School of Dentistry, has watched this transformation. When she graduated in 2007, most dental offices were private, single-practitioner practices. “Now only about 25–30% are private practice. The majority are corporate or DSO-affiliated,” she says. That means new dentists must understand contracts, compensation models, liability considerations and profit-and-loss statements from day one.

“Business translates across a number of professions,” Metzger says. “Understanding contracts, a P&L statement, loan terms and liability is valuable no matter where students eventually practice.”

Today, successful dentists must be able to:

• read and interpret financial statements
• build and lead high-functioning teams
• market their services effectively
• optimize operational efficiency
• evaluate major investments and growth strategies

“Clinical skill gets an individual into the profession. Business skill determines what that individual’s career actually looks like,” Jabir says. He’s seen excellent clinicians overpay for practices, run with unsustainable overhead, struggle with patient retention after a transition or burn out from inefficient systems.

Most of the biggest moments in an owner-dentist’s career, he emphasizes, are business decisions.

Why practice management skills are becoming essential

Dental curricula are intense and scientifically rigorous, leaving limited room to explore operations, finance or organizational leadership in depth. That’s why Creighton intentionally integrates business foundations into the student experience.

Dental students begin learning the basics through dedicated coursework. D3 students take Practice Management, and D4 students take Practice Planning. Experts in banking, accounting, law and insurance supplement lectures, and students help shape the topics covered.

Still, many new practitioners struggle with financial literacy.

Deyna Rouse, MSTax, MAC, CPA, assistant professor of practice in accounting and business intelligence and analytics, sees this firsthand. “Dentists and physicians are trained in their specialty, and in many cases there isn’t any kind of attendant business management coursework,” she says. “They’re very focused on patient care, but they’re not comfortable with the financial management part.”

Cash flow is often the biggest challenge. “Practices get into trouble when they don’t understand the timing of when cash comes in the door versus when cash goes out,” Rouse explains.

Students in the Practice Management Certificate work through real scenarios involving staffing, overhead pressures, insurance, lender relationships and business structure. The goal is not a one-size-fits-all model, but a framework for sound decision-making.

Financial and leadership skills every practice owner needs

“You don’t need an MBA, but you absolutely need to understand how the business works and surround yourself with the right team,” Jabir says.

At minimum, he recommends dentists feel confident in:

• reading a P&L and understanding cash flow
• managing production, collections and overhead
• leadership and team development
• case acceptance and patient communication
• marketing fundamentals, including basic budgeting
• operational efficiency, from scheduling to systems
• negotiation, including leases, contracts and associate agreements

Staffing models carry major implications for profitability, and Rouse encourages future owners to build realistic budgets long before opening a practice. Legal and tax structure also require careful attention. You wouldn’t expect an attorney to perform a root canal. Likewise, delegate the complex business aspects of your business to accounting and legal experts, she advises.

“I’m not going to LegalZoom and creating my professional corporation,” Rouse says.

Supporting future dentists—starting at Creighton

At Creighton, we prepare students for a profession where clinical excellence and business competence are inseparable. For pre-dental students, the Heider College of Business offers a pre-health sciences program that integrate business foundations early. For practicing dentists and residents, the Practice Management Certificate provides a structured, practical way to build the skills that shape sustainable, patient-centered practices.

“Owning a dental practice is not just a clinical decision—it’s a business decision,” says Jabir.

Dentists who develop strong business judgment build careers with greater stability, autonomy and long-term success.

Strengthen your clinical path with the business skills that drive long-term success.