Who can own a dental practice?

[Lindbergjb]

I was asked the other day if anyone can own a dental practice and at first i thought no way, but then i thought why not. So my question is can anyone buy a dental practice. Of course you have to be a dentist to provide treatment, but lets say you just want to buy a practice and hire dentist to work for you; can that happen?

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[jvanewportnews]

Look at the first page.
http://www.richard-howard-business-...information/dental_practice_incorporation.pdf
Sounds like the rules for pharmacy. Anyone can own it, but there must be licensed professionals in the business. So yea, if you get enough money then what's stoppin you? lol.

Although anyone can own a practice, I don't think this is really too good because in the Pharmacy forum there is talk about how Walgreens is just a corporate-run business and some of their employees don't care about the customers vs a private practice pharmacy that might know their regular customers and greet them by name, treat them kindly, etc...Think that could happen to dentistry also?

Hope this helped!

 

[bjhath]

I was asked the other day if anyone can own a dental practice and at first i thought no way, but then i thought why not. So my question is can anyone buy a dental practice. Of course you have to be a dentist to provide treatment, but lets say you just want to buy a practice and hire dentist to work for you; can that happen?

In California, the practice owner must be a dentist. I don't know the laws in other states.

 

[texas_dds]

In California, the practice owner must be a dentist. I don't know the laws in other states.

this is also true in Texas - the owner has to be a dentist.

 

[UCLA student]

I have an urgent question. I know that you must be a licensed dentist to own a dental practice, but does anybody know of authority distinguishing "active" license holders from "inactive" license holders? My family member is being accused of not being able to own the practice because he is retired and an inactive license holder. The CA dental board has not provided much guidance to date. Thank you!

 

[BlueToothHunter]

I have an urgent question. I know that you must be a licensed dentist to own a dental practice, but does anybody know of authority distinguishing "active" license holders from "inactive" license holders? My family member is being accused of not being able to own the practice because he is retired and an inactive license holder. The CA dental board has not provided much guidance to date. Thank you!

From the Dental Board website:

Important Notice to All Dentists Regarding Death or Incapacity to Practice

Effective January 1, 2008, certain non-dentists may, upon your death or incapacity, contract with another licensed dentist or dentists to continue your dental practice for a period not exceeding 12 months if certain conditions are met. Sections 1625.3 and 1625.4 of the Business and Professions Code permit the legal guardian or conservator or authorized representative of an incapacitated dentist, the executor or administrator of the estate of a deceased dentist, or the named trustee or successor trustee of a trust or subtrust who meets certain requirements, to contract with a licensed dentist or dentists to continue the incapacitated or deceased dentist's dental practice for a period not to exceed 12 months from the date of death or incapacity if the practice meets specified criteria and if certain other conditions are met, including providing a specific notification to the Dental Board of California. You and your estate planner should become familiar with these requirements and the notification process. Please contact the Dental Board of California for additional information.

I wonder if it is possible as a retired dentist to still hold the office? If it was entirely fee for service practice, and the retired dentist hired associates to practice, it may be possible? I don't know. If you are going to take insurances, then the owner dentist's current info (including dental registration, dental professional liability insurance info etc) must be reported to the insurance companies. So if the dentist was retired, the insurance companies may require someone with current dental license.

 

[UCLA student]

Thanks for your replies. It sounds like the actions are allowable. Any dentists with inactive licenses, please let me know if you own a practice and what rules you rely on.

 

[trust068]

I believe in CA the dentist has to own 51% and in NV is not required

 

[Joe Cool]

While on the same subject. can a non licensed individual own any shares of
a Dental Practice Incorporated in CA.

 

[larasao]

In florida , you need to be a Licensed Dentist to open a dental practice.