Dentists are beginning to recognize that they must wear two hats in dental practice. For many years, dentists primarily wanted to practice dentistry with little concern for practice management. Despite their limited focus on the management side of the business, practices generally ran well because practice management was much simpler.
Fast forward to 2026, and dental practices are more complex and regulated than ever before. As a result, dentists must also take on the role of CEO of the practice. They must recognize that the role of a dentist as CEO evolves throughout a career, requiring different skills and approaches at various stages. The skill set required to start a practice, build a practice, manage rapid growth, and ultimately maximize production differs at each stage. If a dentist remains stuck in one stage for too long, the practice will struggle to increase production and income. Conversely, when dentists develop the skills needed for each stage, as outlined in this article, their practices can continue to grow and evolve.
For example, we have seen many practices increase production by 50% over three years simply by improving efficiency through management systems and advanced technology, staff training, and a highly trained office manager who can handle all non-clinical responsibilities. These three areas help practices achieve optimal performance, resulting in strong financial outcomes and a highly satisfying career.
The Three Levels of Dentists as CEOs
After 42 years of working with more than 30,000 dentists, Levin Group has observed that most startup practices progress through the following three levels of the dentist as CEO:
1st Level: Startup Phase. At this level, the dentist is an entrepreneur responsible for handling many different activities because the practice is typically not yet fully staffed. During this stage, the dentist does not need a highly developed CEO skill set. A strong work ethic, combined with a commitment to getting the practice established and growing, is usually sufficient to create a solid foundation for future success.
2nd Level: Steady Growth Phase. At this stage, additional staff members are added to handle expanding responsibilities, and team members begin to specialize in their roles. Inevitably, new staffing challenges arise because you are managing more people with different motivations, personalities, and circumstances that can affect performance. Dentists must become intentional about motivating, coaching, and inspiring team members to ensure they continue growing along with the practice.
3rd Level: Maximum Production Phase. When a practice reaches a high level of activity, it encounters many of the challenges that accompany growth, including no-shows, insurance reimbursement issues, increasing overhead, rising staffing costs, and inflation. These are normal aspects of a successful dental practice and can be managed effectively while maintaining strong profitability and income. At this stage, the dentist should identify, develop, and work closely with an office manager who can assume the role of chief operating officer (COO) and oversee all non-clinical functions of the practice.
It is up to the dentist to continue progressing through these stages. If they become stuck at a particular level, they will limit both the practice’s growth and the development of the team. This challenge can be overcome by understanding each stage and taking the specific actions required to move forward.
Leadership in the startup phase looks vastly different from leadership in a practice operating at maximum capacity. Furthermore, if dentists are not delegating as many non-clinical responsibilities as possible so they can focus most of their time on patient care, they are not advancing as CEOs.
As CEOs, dentists must continually develop their leadership and management skills as they move through the stages outlined in this article. Those who fail to do so may limit the growth of their practices, resulting in lost production, profit, and income that may never be recovered.
The key is to recognize when you are progressing from one stage to the next and develop the skills required to become effective at the next level. By continually adapting and growing as leaders, dentists can position both themselves and their practices for long-term success.
Questions can be submitted to asktheexperts@conexiant.com
About the Author
Roger P. Levin, DDS, is the CEO and Founder of Levin Group, a leading practice management consulting firm that has worked with over 30,000 clients to increase production. A recognized expert on dental practice management and marketing, he has written more than 60 books and over 4,000 articles and regularly presents seminars in the U.S. and around the world. In 2025 Dr. Levin received the Fauchard Gold Medal from The Pierre Fauchard Academy for his contribution to dental practice management. To contact Dr. Levin or to join the 40,000 dental professionals who receive his Practice Production Tip of the Day, visit www.levingroup.com or email rlevin@levingroup.com.
