Leslie Soto on The Power of The Counter Intuitive ‘Face-to-Face’ Strategy of Patient Experience

What does it take to run a multi-speciality dental business successfully, without ever losing the ‘why’? In this episode of The Dental Economist Show, host Mike sits down with Leslie Soto, Vice President, Operations of Five Point Dental Specialists, to explore how to drive organic growth across 68 locations spanning oral surgery, orthodontics, and general dentistry. Tune in for practical insights on harmonizing different specialties under one roof, leveraging technology for better operations, and maintaining a strong organizational culture during periods of change. This episode offers valuable perspectives on balancing growth with stability while keeping patient care at the forefront.

What You’ll Learn:

How to maximize organic growth through quality patient care and efficient service delivery

The framework for successfully managing multi-specialty practices (45% oral surgery, 45% ortho, remainder GP and endo)

Why building ownership and transparency drives better team alignment and retention

How implementing new practice management software can transform business operations beyond just technology

The strategic approach to centralizing revenue cycle management while maintaining personal patient interactions

Why maintaining organizational spirit and core values drives sustainable growth in uncertain times

The importance of building leadership teams that share and spread your vision across multiple locations

How to leverage technology solutions to address potential staffing challenges proactively

This episode offers valuable perspectives on balancing growth with stability while keeping patient care at the forefront.

Episode Highlights:

01:57 - Patient Focus: The Key to Sustainable Growth

Leslie emphasizes that stable growth comes from maximizing existing patient relationships rather than pursuing rapid expansion. The key to organic growth lies in delivering quality services efficiently while maintaining high standards of patient care. Essentially, she suggests that dental organizations must focus on what they currently have and optimize their operations before seeking new opportunities.

02:57 - Why One-Size-Fits-All Doesn’t Work

Managing multiple dental specialties requires distinct operational approaches tailored to each specialty's unique needs. Leslie reveals how their organization successfully manages a mix of 45% oral surgery, 45% orthodontics, and additional GP and endodontic services through specialized leadership strategies. Leaders must develop high emotional intelligence to navigate different specialty cultures while maintaining organizational cohesion by finding the right balance between standardization and specialty-specific adaptations.

07:32 - Strategic RCM Centralization for Enhanced Patient Experience

Leslie shares their approach to revenue cycle management, maintaining personal patient interactions while centralizing insurance processes. This hybrid model keeps the human touch in patient-facing activities while streamlining back-office operations, removing administrative burden from clinical teams. The strategy improves both operational efficiency and patient satisfaction.

09:34 - Building Sustainable Culture Through Shared Vision

Leslie reveals that creating lasting organizational culture requires surrounding yourself with people who share and can spread your vision. Strong cultures emerge when leaders empower team members to become culture carriers across multiple locations. This strategy proves particularly effective in large organizations where direct leadership presence isn't always possible, enabling a self-perpetuating culture that maintains consistency while allowing for organic growth.