Dental Care Is Business, Too

Often overshadowed by discussion of cost of healthcare insurance and access to care is a view of doctors as businesspeople trying to grow a successful business. This is where Tralongo, which specializes in dental practice acquisitions, puts its focus. Phoenix dentist Isaac LaVant, D.D.S., brings Tralongo’s model to Arizona with his recent development agreement with the Atlanta-based firm.

“We do everything a corporate office would do, such as bookkeeping and insurance validation,” says Chris Forneris, VP of business development. The firm is comprised of a team of dental, marketing, financial and business professionals, and partners with entrepreneurial dentists who are looking to grow their businesses by acquiring and operating multiple practices. “Younger doctors come in because they are hungry and want more offices. Older doctors come in because they are looking for a better exit,” Forneris explains.

Taking professionals out of the chair and into management and ownership, the firm operates via a five-step process that trains partners, helps them find the right dental practices to acquire, assists in obtaining the appropriate financing, works with them during the transition from old to new ownership and helps maintain operational support throughout to maximize profits. Relating the experience of a recent alliance partner in Dallas, Forneris says the dentist went from one office to four in 20 months, not only doing just the procedures he wants to do but making more money and working less. Explaining his interest in being more in the managing director role, Dr. LaVant, who completed his dental degree in 2012, says, “After just a year of working in a dental office, I was sore, tired and just worn out, and couldn’t imagine my entire career being spent in the chair five days a week.”

Describing Arizona as a prime area for expanding within the dental industry, Ken Tralongo, D.D.S, founder and CEO of Tralongo LLC, says, “We are very excited to begin work with Dr. LaVant and help him acquire dental offices throughout Arizona.”