Only qualified dentists are permitted to legally own dental practices in Pennsylvania. As a result, non-dentists are not permitted to own dental practices in the state. There are a few exceptions to this rule, though.
For instance, if they associate with a qualified dentist, a non-dentist can own a dental business. In this scenario, the licensed dentist would manage the clinical parts of the practice while the non-dentist would be in charge of the business side. In dental service organizations (DSOs), which are businesses that offer non-clinical support to dental offices, this arrangement is typical.
The laws are similar in Texas. Non-dentists may join with dentists to own a practice, but only licensed dentists may own dental offices. In Texas, DSOs are really rather common, and many dental clinics choose to collaborate with them for administrative help.
It’s interesting to note that some of the richest individuals in the dental sector are not dentists. For instance, Dr. Gary Michelson, a non-clinical entrepreneur, is actually the wealthiest dentist in the world. He amassed a fortune by creating tools for spinal surgery and granting medical equipment businesses licenses to use his inventions.
Not all dentists prefer to run their own practices, despite the fact that many do. Around 80% of dentists in the US have their own practices, according to a 2019 American Dental Association poll. 20% of dentists are employed by or affiliated with other dental offices.
In conclusion, Texas and Pennsylvania only permit licensed dentists to own dental practices. However, through a DSO, non-dentists can collaborate with dentists to own a practice. Even though the majority of dentists in practice opt to run their own practices, many of the richest people in the dentistry sector are not actually dentists.
In California, a dental hygienist is not permitted to own a dental office. Only a licensed dentist in California is permitted to run a dental office and hire dental hygienists to do dental work.